On Hold Companies
On hold companies are the key ingredient in getting your business setup with professional sounding and effective music and messages on hold. On hold companies take different approaches to their on hold productions, but ultimately all of them are providing a combination of voice on hold and royalty free music on hold. In most cases they are also responsible for the creation and revision of your on hold scripts. We have compiled some questions and tips to help you find and evaluate on hold companies that might be the best fit for your organization.
- How long has the on hold company been in business? Going with an established on hold company takes some of the risk out of dealing with fly-by-night on hold companies that may not be around to support their services.
- What is the quality of their voice on hold options? A good on hold company uses full time, professional voiceover talent for their voice on hold. A truly professional voice on hold provides you with the highest quality phone image and is able to convey your on hold scripts convincingly. A poor quality or inexperienced voice on hold can have a very negative effect on your production.
- What is the quality of their on hold music options? Like your voice on hold, high quality music is critical to your on hold productions‘ success. Make sure you have lots of music options to choose from, and that you are happy with their quality.
- Can you hear online samples of past on hold productions, their voice on hold and on hold music options? Reputable on hold companies will have all of these readily accessible on their web sites. Past productions will provide a quick sense of the quality of the on hold companies’ work.
- Do they offer monthly pricing, one-time payment, or both? Depending on your needs, you may prefer to pay for your on hold player and on hold productions once (with no recurring payments), or you may prefer to pay a monthly subscription rate instead. Going with a provider that offers both options increases your flexibility if your needs change.
- The lure of “unlimited on hold productions“. Some providers offer a monthly fee for “unlimited” updates. While this sounds too good to be true, the reality is that most companies dramatically over-estimate how often they will update their on hold productions. The vast majority update less than once a year. Those that update regularly rarely update more often than quarterly. Consider realistically your update needs before diving into an “unlimited” plan.
- How does their pricing compare for on hold productions? The cheapest on hold companies do not always equate to the best deal. Monthly on hold rates typically range between $20 – $120 / month. Most fall in the $50-$100 / month range. One time productions typically range between $80 – $500 / production. Most fall in the $200-$400 range. If you are considering someone at or below the prices ranges above, carefully evaluate what you are getting and the track record and reputation of the company. If you are considering on hold companies that charge over $100 / month or over $500 / production, it is also wise to evaluate if you are really getting more for paying above market rates.
- How do the on hold companies price their on hold player options? Some companies offer a lease for on hold equipment, which almost always works out to the consumer’s disadvantage. Considering most on hold players cost between $200-$400, a lease term of any significant length is likely to cost far more than purchasing the on hold player outright. Also avoid on hold companies offering any type of proprietary player which ties you solely to that company.
- What are their contract terms? Beware of long contracts (two years or longer), setup fees, cancellation fees or extra costs beyond your subscription or one-time on hold player and on hold productions cost.
Still have more music on hold questions not covered on our site? Visit our “Ask The Music On Hold Expert” page and post your question online!
