Music On Hold: Choose Wisely

From classical to jazz to good ol’ rock n’ roll, there’s a style of music for every listener. So what type of music should you play to callers placed on hold?

First, let’s examine whether it even matters. We know that what people hear on your hold button shapes perceptions about your company, and we know that music can touch the heart and soul. As marketing guru Roy H. Williams says, “Where the heart leads, the mind will follow.” (http://www.wizardofads.com)

I found an amazing post related to music on hold experiences, including one person who claims the choice of hold music caused a significant change of plans!

"My company asked me to move to Texas about 7 years ago. I agreed, reluctantly. A couple of days into the process, I called a realtor to discuss putting my house on the market. She put me on hold, and the muzak that played in the background was very very sad. I started thinking about how I really didn't want to uproot my family and drag them to a different state. By the time the realtor was back on the line, I was so depressed about the whole thing I told her I couldn't talk about it right now and that I would call her back. I never did. I told my boss I no longer wanted to relocate, and I stayed put."

Powerful stuff, that music.

Recently there was a bit of blog chatter about the choice of on hold music for a conference call between the President of the U.S. and about 1,000 Rabbis. Washington Jewish Week reports, “Eyebrows were also raised by the choice of hold music that played to rabbis before the call began. "First mistake," [Rabbi Jack] Moline tweeted, as he waited for the call to begin. "Music on hold is 'Deutschland uber Alles,' " a classical German anthem, the lyrics to which in part say, "Preserve and protect our Kaiser, our land." (The music was chosen by the company carrying the conference call, not the White House or the RAC.)

So the wrong music on hold can cause trouble, but the take-away here is that it gets noticed and even causes people to talk (or change their plans).