What Music on Hold Should I Choose?

Setting up the music on hold feature for your business phone service is hardly the most glamorous part of readying your business for facing clients.

But it’s necessary for presenting a professional face to anyone who gets in touch with you.

We’re going to discuss the business of custom music on hold and how you should choose the best hold music for your business.

Why Should You Pay Extra for a Music on Hold Feature?

The simple fact is that businesses big and small can’t deal with every caller immediately.

There could be other callers, or it may take some time to look up some information or ask for further information from a manager.

Music when you’re on hold will change the way time is perceived. It makes the time pass faster and it ensures that the person doesn’t feel like they’re lost or forgotten.

There are several studies that reveal that people are less likely to hang up if they’re listening to some music when they’re on hold.

These days business phone service providers like Cebod Telecom does not charge extra for music on hold  or custom greetings feature.  They understand that every business needs it customers to be comforted while they waiting on the phone.

What Type of Music Should You Choose for Hold Music?

There’s nothing stopping you from blasting heavy metal down the phone, if you’re so inclined.

That’s not to say it’s a good idea, but you can choose any music you like.

However, 99% of businesses will choose three types of music for their business phone service:

1. 1. Pop
2. 2. Classic
3. 3. Muzak

Pop is more expensive because of licensing. Classical may encourage younger callers to hang up. That’s why Muzak should be your music type of choice.

Muzak is the type of music that people would most describe as a generic orchestral arrangement that could come from any genre.

Sound boring? Studies have shown it’s the most effective type of music because it’s what people expect when they’re put on hold. It’s the one type of music that can reliably satisfy multiple generations.

Opt for More Complex Music

Have you ever waited on hold and felt like you’re listening to the same bars repeatedly?

It makes the average caller sleepy, bored, and more likely to hang up. Imagine your favorite song, but only the two lines are played on repeat.

That’s why you should choose more complex tracks. This is more likely to hold the person’s attention and prevent them from hanging up.

Should a Message Be Included?

For the most part, no you shouldn’t keep repeating a message throughout the time a person is on hold. First, nobody is buying your lame apology and your disingenuous proclamations about how much you value the person’s time.

It also comes with the problem of interrupting your custom music on hold. So, it makes callers believe that the wait is over, only to then disappoint them by starting again.  Include a message at the start of the hold period or at the end of the hold period. Don’t interrupt your music on hold feature.

Switch Out Your Music Every So Often

Depending on your business, the same caller might find themselves on hold multiple times per year. You don’t want them to have to go through the same process too many times, or you risk annoying your callers.

Instead, you might want to switch out your music a few times a year. With a professional business phone service, this can happen in a matter of minutes.

A popular recommendation is to choose holiday periods to change your music. Opting for something that suits the season will keep callers interested and stop them from giving up.

How Should You Brand Your Business Through Custom Music on Hold?

Branding with on hold music might not be something you’ve considered before, but you can make it work. Let’s look at an example:

Business A decides that it needs some new custom music on hold. But instead of going with something generic and widespread they decide to have a short piece of music commissioned. It’s nowhere near as expensive as many people think.

That piece of music is unique. It hits all the right notes. And it improves caller retention rates when the on-hold feature is used.

Most business phone services can handle integrating customized music, so it shouldn’t be a problem for you to take advantage of this. It’s even possible to make subtle musical changes to existing tracks to give it a unique twist.

There are no limits regarding the custom music you can take advantage of.

Last Word – Make Sure You Use Analytics to Test Your Music

You need to make sure that you test the effectiveness of your on-hold music like you would test anything else. Keep monitoring the caller retention rates and get feedback from willing customers.

It’s the only way to make sure that you’re making the right decision for your business.

Have you chosen your on-hold music yet? Call us and we can help you with that.