Choosing The Right On Hold Music For Your Business

While quick and painless for most, others lose sleep when considering all the musical selections available for their on hold message recording.  

Here are some things to consider that will hopefully simplify the process for you:

Are more of your callers male or female?  Men and women respond differently to music.  A major study found that time spent on hold was perceived to be shortest for men when classical music was played, but for women, the wait seemed longer when listening to classical.  Female callers perceived a shorter hold time when light jazz was playing.  Rock was the least preferred across both gender groups and produced the longest waiting time estimates.  Read More

What is your average hold time?  The longer the wait, the more important your selection.  You may like the choice you made, but how does it sound after three minutes or more?

What do your callers expect?  If your business sells cool auto accessories to a younger clientele to ‘trick out their ride,’ soft jazz music on hold may not be effective in keeping them excited about your business, especially after hearing an energetic radio commercial that motivated them to call in the first place.  At the same time, a caller to a dentist office might be surprised to hear a message about implants or root canal surgery, set to energetic alternative rock.

Overall, ask yourself, is this selection a good fit?  Sometimes a gut reaction leads to the best decision.  Afterall, you know your successful business better than anyone.