Music On Hold News

New Easy On Hold Production Studio Opens

One of the studio microphones in use at the new Easy On Hold Recording Studio.

Easy On Hold announces the opening of its new recording studio in Portage, Michigan. The studio features a large production room, client area and generously-sized isolation recording room.

The custom-built studio is constructed on a solid concrete base and is surrounded by brick walls covered with concrete siding. The isolation room is a “room within a room” design to keep all sound and vibration out. Special construction techniques were utilized, such as the use of sound and vibration absorbing material between walls, extra heavy drywall, the use of airspace for sound wave cancellation and high-density flooring.

The window between the control room and the isolation room is made of two panes of 8 layers of laminated glass with a 4-inch airspace between. Acoustic treatment throughout the studio allows for a pleasant-sounding space that’s not too “live” or “dead” (studio terms that refer to the sound reflection qualities of a room).

The studio uses Neumann microphones, including the Neumann TLM103 and Neumann U87. Sound is processed using the API 512C preamp and 525 compressor. A custom-built Windows-based system operates Avid (Digidesign) ProTools. Mogami cabling is used, along with classic Yamaha NSM-10 near field monitors and Alesis reference speakers. (The Wikipedia article on studio monitors says about the NSM-10, “many more successful recordings have been produced with its aid over the past twenty five years than with any other monitor.”)

Audio is stored on a raid-5 server and additionally backed up from there. To accommodate audio file transfers, two T-1 lines are maintained. The studio is equipped with Source Connect, a software that allows a live studio-quality connection over the Internet so that talent at the Easy On Hold studio can record at other studios without actually being there, and other voice talents can be recorded at the Easy On Hold studio from their similarly-equipped facilities.

With the completion of the new studio, Easy On Hold is demonstrating a firm commitment to the very highest quality sound recording.

Easy On Hold is a producer of voice announcements and music on hold messages for phone systems, marketing messages, voiceovers, radio and tv spots, narrations, IVR, auto attendant, overhead announcements, web voiceovers, and voice recordings for flash, video, online and Power Point presentations.

What Your Callers Are Saying After They Hang Up

Here’s some chatter from the blogosphere that should make corporate marketing managers think about what their callers are saying after they hang up from a bad “on hold” experience.

“After hearing Fur Elise go through its little 30 second clip about 50 times it makes me want to hang the d*** phone up….maybe that is their plan. To wear me down?”

“Most of the time the music clarity is not there or the loop of music is poorly done or I am told fifty thousand times I am on hold….. couldn’t someone just do this right?”

“I called the toll-free number on the ‘Collections  Notice.’ I was referred to another toll-free number by a recorded message. I was placed on hold for over 10 minutes of the WORST and LOWEST FIDELITY hold music I have ever had to experience.”

I have no further comment.

IT Desks Keep Callers Holding

We do a good deal of work with IT firms, and tech departments of larger firms. They know callers are waiting for extended hold times and need a strategy for handling that opportunity.

Financial Times reporter Jonathan Guthrie provided some insight behind the IT desk we find amusing:

“The hold music played by IT helpdesks often features New Age warbling. I assumed this reflected the geeks’ poor taste until one explained: “We only play good music if callers are being polite. If you’re not, we force you to listen to Enya.”

On Hold Gets Noticed At Delta

Blogs and forums are abuzz with chatter about the music on hold Delta Airlines was playing last week. While hundreds of flights were being canceled due to the wintery blast that hit the east coast, callers on hold were treated to “Let It Snow”.

One comment was: “Flights grounded by wintry weather. So what hold music does Delta play? ‘Let it snow’. Tactful.”

Blogger Katie McNeil writes, “We spent Sunday listening to Delta’s hold music. (No joke, they were playing, ‘Let it snow’ which, as you recall, has a lyric that says “Since we’ve no place to go…” Ummm, I’m on hold with Delta airlines, I would think I have SOMEPLACE TO GO.) Little miss customer representative tells us kindly the earliest flight she can get us on is CHRISTMAS NIGHT. Yeah, that would be five days later.”

This music on hold tune was gaining word-of-mouth viral attention. One blogger writes, ” Someone my brother knows was on hold with Delta trying to reschedule her flight this past weekend. Her original flight was canceled because of the snow. Delta’s choice for hold music? ‘Let it Snow’.”

Since most of us don’t blame Delta for the snow storm, it looks like the music on hold choice won’t hurt the airline. Now we know that if we have to call Delta and get put on hold, you might hear something interesting (or ironic) and at least won’t be left in silence.

Does this make you think about what you’ve got on your hold button. Music On Hold Messages can and DO get noticed!

What’s On Hold At The White House?

According to Don Gonyea of National Public Radio, the Nation’s most famous address is playing Muzak on hold, possibly Kenny G music. Just thought you’d like to know!
Read the NPR Blog