What do callers to your business hear when you put them on hold? Hopefully it’s more than sleepy music, a problematic radio or (gasp!) nothing at all.

A professionally voiced and produced “on hold message” extends your existing branding and marketing efforts to your telephone system. And it keeps callers on the line learning about your business until you can speak to them.

What is this and how does it work?

From a nuts and bolts perspective, an on hold message is essentially a long radio commercial heard by callers placed on hold. Generally, it requires you have an office phone system with a central control panel. Legacy systems include an audio input to connect a message player, while newer Voice over Internet Protocol systems (VoIP) accept an audio file stored directly on the system.

There are on-hold adapters available for off-the-shelf phones, but their performance is spotty. The numerous features of a professional phone system from a local supplier will reap many rewards.

Think of your phone system as a marketing tool vs. an IT system

Telephone “on hold time” is a fantastic, cost-effective marketing opportunity. You have a captive audience made up of your best prospects – your current and future customers who are waiting to talk with you. And while they’re waiting, your on hold message explains the many reasons why they should choose to do business with you.

A few business owners have said to me, “Oh, we don’t put callers on hold. We wouldn’t need anything like that.” If those leaders spent more time near the front desk, they might be surprised to learn just how often callers are asked to wait.

Here are some often-quoted pieces of on hold research which tell the story:

l Over 70 percent of business callers are put on hold. – Telemarketing Magazine

l Callers hang-up the fastest during silence on hold, most within 40 seconds.

l Callers will hold approximately 30 seconds longer hearing only music on hold.

l Callers will hold up to three minutes longer hearing music with information. — North American Telecommunications Association

l Surveys show that between 15 percent and 20 percent of callers make purchases based on information they hear while on hold. — Telemarketing Magazine

Inform, entertain and reward

There is a bevy of information about your business to be shared with callers on hold. Here’s a short list of ideas: business location, business hours, years in business, awards and certifications, product lines, rebates and special offers, ownership information/longevity, on hold coupons (special offers just for folks waiting on hold) and anything else you want your prospects to know about your business or organization.

If the script is professionally written and voiced in a conversational and entertaining manner, then you’ve created a great message.

The pitfalls of going it alone

Some people skip over the value of information on hold and just put anything on hold. But choosing to play your favorite CD or connecting a radio to your telephone system isn’t a good idea.

In order to use most popular music, users (radio and TV stations and other businesses) must pay fees to music licensing companies like ASCAP and BMI. If you’re using a popular music CD or a radio as an audio source, you run the risk of one day being caught up in fines for using music without paying the necessary fees. Playing a radio through a phone system is technically rebroadcasting and anyone doing so is responsible for the content.

On hold message producers provide fully-licensed music for their productions, sometimes referred to as royalty-free production music, which removes the burden of licensing compliance fears for business owners.

Using a radio on hold also creates an opportunity for callers to hear commercials for businesses other than your own, including your competitors. And of course, the radio could drift off the station and send static to your callers.

Positive customer experiences keep ‘em coming back

Businesses and organizations spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to get people to call, yet little to no money is spent properly handling calls once they arrive. Creating a positive customer experience for those who call your business is just as important as the efforts put forth on the sales floor or in the field.

Eric Wylie is the owner of Wylie Creative Communications LLC and the On Hold Web Store. He can be reached at www.onholdwebstore.us