If I just have regular phones and phone lines can I still get on-hold audio?
Yes! You can get an on hold player and an on hold adapter. 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, or we offer low monthly rates as well.

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, and unclear). Lastly, consumer devices do not have an “auto restart after power interruption” feature like our on hold player options 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 music 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, see how long it takes you to form an impression about the company you are calling. Most people form an impression 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.

What’s better, one time payment or monthly?
That depends. If you do not think you will update your production in a very long time (over a year), one-time payment for your customized music on hold services probably makes the most sense. If you would like more flexibility to update your content periodically, or if cash-flow is a concern, monthly payments are probably a better option. We also offer some great incentives like a FREE on-hold player with our $79 per month plan that includes up to 4 productions per year.

I have more questions, can you help me?
Absolutely! Drop us a note or give us a call!

Flashpoint Studios specializes in providing music on hold services and on hold equipment. If you would like your organization to sound as professional as possible while leveraging the power of on hold messaging, let us assist you with over 10 years of music on hold expertise. For details about our products and services, please visit the following links: Music On Hold (for custom on hold messaging), Music On Hold Mp3s (for prerecorded music on hold with “thank you for holding” messages), and our On Hold Player page (for details about our music on hold player options). Or feel free to contact us at 1-877-FLASHPT (1-877-352-7478).