How to Avoid Common Pitfalls When Using Music On Hold for Your Business... While on hold messaging is not a complicated product, it can be confusing because of all the available choices. This article will help you avoid the most common pitfalls that can trip up a newcomer who is looking to make the best decision for his / her business.
Pitfall #1 - All on hold messaging is NOT created equally. Custom messaging is a professional service, not a commodity. Most times, it's apples and oranges. It's true however that most providers will have good sounding voices available... However, there is more to the entire process than just a catchy voice. Customer service, quick turnaround time, and technical support are vital to accomplishing your business goals in an efficient way. HINT : Look for a company who
is dedicated to:
Pitfall #2 - For most businesses, long term contracts are NOT necessary. The studio who offers this price model is seeking to generate steady cash flow for itself. Great for them because cash flow is important for stability. The problem is that it is not what most small and medium business need. I know because I have surveyed hundreds of customers to come to this conclusion. HINT: Choose a provider who offers a buy out
pricing model instead. You pay only once and then you are
off the hook. If you need more, just buy them when needed.
Pitfall #3 - Playing the radio or music CD on hold is NOT legal. I'm sorry if you think it should be. If you bought a music CD then you bought a single use license. This is for your personal playback only. NOT for commercial rebroadcast for your financial gain in your business. And therein lies the legal issue. You are essentially using the CD to profit from it in your business. Same with RADIO. The radio station pays to broadcast the music over the airwaves, but you are NOT licensed to re-broadcast it for your financial gain. Here's Proof: On October 17th 2002 , The Better Business Bureau Reported: “ Businesses that play unlicensed radio and music CD's are subject to a civil suit in federal court. Sanctions against an infringer can include an injunction and “statutory damages” of up to $30,000 for each copyrighted song performed without a license and up to $150,000 each song if the infringement is willful."
Pitfall #4 - Placing your callers on hold in SILENCE is a horrible practice. This is just as bad as using a RADIO on hold. Silence is a black hole! Chances are you have been placed on hold in silence too, and the experience stinks! For one, most of the time, you don't know if you've been hung up on. This alienates people because they don't know if they should hang up and call back or stay on hoping they didn't get disconnected. The real problem here is the unnecessary stress you are putting a caller through. Don't stress them out! Moreover, if you weren't hung up on, the wait-time actually seems way longer than it is. There is research to support this too. In any event, it's just bad business practice to put callers on hold in SILENCE.
Pitfall #5 - Failing to realize just how important on hold messaging is. If you use the RADIO, you are breaking the law. If you use SILENCE, you have a black hole. You've gotten this far because you must know that you need to replace them with custom on hold messaging. Decide to take action now to get a production for your business and start reaping it's rewards, ASAP! What to do next... Check out my 16-minute audio report that covers, in more detail, everything you need to know to make the best decision for your organization. You can get it below for a limited time. New & Free 16-Minute
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