| A Study of Music On-Hold & On-Hold Waiting Times
Is music the most effective tool you can employ on hold? Not according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychology in 1999 addressing music-on-hold and on-hold wait times.
Simply put, the study asked..."What kept people from hanging up?" To be more specific…"were people less likely to hang up if they heard something they liked, or if they heard what they expected."
So what do people on-hold expect to hear?…It wasn’t their favorite music, according to the study.
The results were this - "people expect a combination of music and messaging about the company they’re calling
and will wait longer when they know what to expect."
Music only.
Even if you paid for the required licensing to play CD’s on your phones, which music should it be? Music-programming is a large field of paid experts, yet programmers often fail to develop a music format that appeals across-the-board to their intended target audience.
Broadcast Radio.
Do you think broadcast radio is a better option? It’s not. You have no control over the content of radio…not the music, not what comes out of the DJ’s mouth, and certainly NOT how often they air your competitor’s commercials!
Satellite Radio.
It’s true that many of their music channels are without commercials and DJ’s, but as the British study noted, music alone is not what callers expect to hear. Although music alone will keep them on hold longer, music itself does nothing to market your company.
On-Hold Messaging wins.
Without question, using your hold times to promote your company,
its products, and its services on the phones with On-Hold Infosystems – is the logical choice. Contact On-Hold Infosystems at 800.873.1354
If you’d like to order the study, it is available for purchase on-line at: www.ingentaconnect.com
Title: Music and on-hold waiting time. Publisher: British Psychological Society
Source: British Journal of Psychology, Volume 90, Number 1, February 1999, pp. 161-164(4)
Authors: North A. C.; Hargreaves D. J.; Mckendrick J.
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