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On-Hold Messaging — FAQs
How does music on-hold work?
Most times you hear on-hold content, it is being fed into a business KSU/PBX type phone system that has a music on-hold input. Our OHP 7000 and OHP 6000 on-hold players are designed to be compatible with any business phone system that has a built in music on-hold input/capability.
If I just have regular phones and phone lines can I still get on-hold audio?
Yes! You can get an on-hold player with an on-hold adaptor (like our OHP 6500 or 7500). Or we can recommend a virtual pbx service with music on-hold capabilities. Call us for details.
Can I have music on-hold with call waiting?
Not during a call-waiting call. Call waiting is switched by your phone company, so there is no way to provide on-hold audio to the first caller when using call-waiting. To avoid call waiting, you can order busy call forwarding or set up "roll-over" lines.
Can't I just play the radio, a cd/mp3 I own?
Not without paying expensive annual licensing fees to performance rights organizations like ASCAP/BMI/SESAC. Playing music on-hold is considered a public performance of the artists' work. Flashpoint has licensed various music libraries for on-hold use and passes the licensing rights on to you so you do not need to worry about paying licensing fees to outside agencies. We charge a one-time fee with no recurring fees.
What makes Flashpoint different from other on-hold providers?
Flashpoint attracts high caliber voice talent because we pay our talent more than most of our competition. We also offer more and higher quality music options than many of our competitors. We are meticulous when it comes to producing and editing your audio. And our service is second to none. It all adds up to a better quality production that will reflect more favorably on your business image. Your on-hold production may represent your company image to tens of thousands of callers over many years, make it a good one!
Can I just use a CD player or mp3 player on-hold?
Yes you can, but we recommend against it for a few reasons. Most consumer cd and mp3 players are not designed to play continuously 24/7. CD players are particularly prone to failure due to motors burning out. Many consumer audio devices also do not have a volume output suited to phone systems (they can sound too quiet). Lastly, consumer devices do not have an "auto restart after power interruption" feature like our on-hold players do.
Can I produce my own on-hold production?
Maybe, however unless you have a background in copy writing, voice talent, music licensing and audio production, your clients will likely be able to tell the audio was not professionally produced. Not sounding professional negates one major benefit to custom on-hold production: image enhancement.
I rarely put people on-hold, and when I do its only for a short time. Do I still need an on-hold production?
The next time you are put on-hold when you call a company, see how long it takes you to form an impression about the company you are calling. Most people form an impression of the company they are calling within the first five seconds of being on hold. Many companies also under-estimate how long and how often callers are put on-hold since employees and management are not typically the ones calling in. Try calling your own company and asking to speak to someone in particular. . . chances are you will be put on hold while your call is transferred. We can help turn hold time from a liability into an asset.
Monthly fees seem cheaper, why don't you offer them?
Monthly fees for on-hold service may seem less expensive, but for most clients, they wind up being far more costly over the long term. Most clients do not need to update as often as they anticipate at the outset. So while programs charging monthly fees often include a certain amount of updates per time period, many clients do not wind up using the updates. However their monthly fees continue to be paid no matter what. Over the long term that really adds up. Monthly fees are great to secure recuring revenue for on-hold companies, they are not so great for the clients that pay them. The same applies to leasing on-hold players. You will likely pay far more than the cost of the player over time, and you won't even own the player!
I have more questions, can you help me?
Absolutely! Drop us a note or give us a call!
