message on hold
What is Message on Hold?
Message on Hold is about your image. You know how you keep your website up to date? How about when you shovel the snow from your front walkway or wear your best necktie to a meeting with a client? A Message on Hold program tells your customers that you care about them and their perception of your business. It supports the hard work you’ve done developing your brand and creates a positive experience when a customer attempts to contact you.
It’s funny how, as business owners we spend 94% of marketing resources trying to get the phone to ring, and only 6% on what to do after it rings. Message on Hold takes care of that part for you. It’ll keep your customers engaged and educated. Plus, it will prevent your callers from hanging up.
Your Message on Hold program reflects your personality. It can include everything from company history to trivia, or information about products and services. Markethold tries to make each Message on Hold program as unique as you are. We offer a wide range of voice talent and music, and develop crisp/clear copy for the best sounding programs that you’ll hear.
We’d like to welcome you to our family of satisfied customers, just tell us your story and we’ll transform it into a program that’ll enhance your callers experience and your image.
The Process
First, we sit down and talk about your business. What sets you apart? What is new and different around your company? We study the habits of your callers: are they the same people calling again and again or are they constantly changing? We discuss the update options in order to make sure your messages stay fresh and current. Once we decide on a package for you, it’s off to our writing department!
Writing is where all of the notes from our meeting blends with information gathered from your website and printed materials to form the creative stew that we call “the script.” The script is the actual copy that a voice over professional will read in order to produce your program. The script is then carefully reviewed and approved by both our customer service reps and you, the customer.
Our customer service team is the fuel for the engine that is your Message on Hold program. They contact you for approvals, remind you about updates, and ensure that your programs are delivered to you when they’re needed. Our customer service reps are available to answer any questions about your Message on Hold programs. They forward your approved script to our production department where the magic happens.
Our producers digitally record the voice talent representing your company. They listen for delivery style, pronunciation, and pace, to ensure that your program sounds great. After they review it and mix it with your music choice, the production is sent out for playback on your new on-hold system.
Equipment
We provide our Message on Hold customers with the latest MP3-based hardware. You can count on our equipment to be reliable and of the highest quality. All of our Made-in-the-USA digital players include a warranty, high-quality audio components designed for durability, and self-test features.
We support virtually all on-hold formats both proprietary and non, and we’ll work with the people who maintain your phone system to find a solution that fits your unique technological needs.
Rates
We offer a variety of Message on Hold packages to fit every budget or update schedule. Do you have a question about our rates? Don’t be shy, send us an e-mail.
An overview of our rates:
| Package | Programs Per Year | Monthly Payment | Contract Length (Months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | $79.00 | 36 |
| B | 4 | $95.00 | 36 |
| C | 3 | $135.00 | 12 |
| D | 12 | $155.00 | 36 |
| E | 2 | $59.00 | 36 |
| F | 6 | $120.00 | 36 |
Script writing, dual voice production using professional male/female voice talent, music licensing, ongoing program consultation, customer service follow-ups, and a digital Message on Hold player are all included in our rates.
A la carte options:
| Product | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full program | $325.00 | 6 minutes, fully customized, includes music and courtesies |
| Digital Player | $695.00 | Includes a 6 minute music/courtesy program |
| Courtesy/music program | $60.00 | 6 minutes, includes music and courtesies only |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: We already play music, why should we switch?
Aside from being unproductive, the radio is often filled with your competitor’s commercials. In addition, playing unlicensed cassettes, CDs, MP3s, and/or the radio may constitute copyright infringement, bringing fines and legal action against your company by the record industry.
Question: Will Message on Hold work with my phones?
Most likely, yes. If your business currently has the radio or music playing as callers hold, your system is already Message on Hold compatible. If not, your phone system may still work with our system. Most newer phone systems arrive with Message on Hold compatibility out-of-the-box, but we’ve also had a lot of success with older systems as well. As part of our commitment to excellent customer service, Markethold will consult with the person who maintains your phone system, and determine what steps are necessary to make it work.
Question: What goes in to a Markethold Message on Hold Program?
We use a standard 6 minute program format. This format allows for 8 messages, 4 courtesies, and plenty of pleasant music for your callers’ enjoyment — without being repetitive or boring.
Before we even begin production, our writers and customer service staff work with you to develop a script, which is then read during the course of production. In production, we use professional male and female voice-over talent from the broadcast media. Plus, we use two distinctly different voices for each production, adding to the interest of the program and increasing the effectiveness of your messages.
