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We spoke to two of PH Media Group’s talented Audio Producers – Mark Griffiths and Josh Cassell, about what it takes to create the right sound for a business. With a client-base encompassing some of the UK’s biggest brands, just how do they decide what sounds best?

How do you choose the music for clients? What factors do you consider most important?

M: It’s important to match the style of music to the client’s corporate image as closely as possible.  On-hold audio should be an extension of their existing advertising strategy. Working from the brief, the script and the choice of voiceover artist, we can work out what music track will best enhance the message the client wants to get across.

J: For me the two main factors are:

Tempo – depending what business sector the company is in determines the tempo of the track. For example a fast-moving logistics company would want something upbeat and fast paced, while in contrast, a hotel would have something slow and relaxing in line with, creating a restful guest ambience.

Texture – again if it’s a multi-faceted company with lots of sectors and a dynamic approach, then I’d use a track which has lots going on – percussion with a wide range of high and low-pitched instrumentation, fun melody and a steady rhythm would be perfect. At the opposite end of the scale, if the company has a relaxed, less corporate image then I’d use a simple track with nice chord changes and a flowing melody.

Is it ever appropriate to choose a track that’s unexpected?

M: It may be if it sounds interesting and keeps callers listening, but generally the music shouldn’t distract from the main point of the on-hold production, which is the script.

J: On occasion when a company sells a product that seems fairly common, and lots of other companies sell the same, you may automatically expect a generic ambient track. Using a jolly upbeat jingle and fun voiceovers could grab the customer’s attention and make them think that this company isn’t the same as all the others, it has something different and quirky about it.

What’s the most popular track?

M: Rule The World, at the moment, we think.  It’s the second one we’ve produced in the style of Coldplay.  Their stuff seems to have the right combination of style and unobtrusiveness.

J: At the moment I would have to say Rule the World too!

Can you tailor a track to client’s brief? How would you go about this?

M: We can produce a bespoke music track to the client’s specifications if required, as an additional service. For example, our composer has produced exclusive tracks for TGI Friday’s and Audi. But we find that the very wide selection of music tracks in our current library means we can always find a great match for any client’s needs. We’re also on the cusp of a full music overhaul to ensure our library stays fresh and in tune with current trends, in terms of popular music and audio branding.

Can you think of examples of clients that have something a bit different that works well for them?

M: Many clients have their own jingles or corporate music tracks from radio and TV advertising and we can easily incorporate those into an on-hold production.

J: Coca-Cola’s on-hold production features their new song to tie-in with their TV and online audio branding. Essex Wildlife Trust use the birdsong of native species which works well with their script.

Hopefully this post has given a bit of an insight into the way our Audio Production team work, and the process behind matching great brands with great music. Keep checking the blog for more information about the ‘science of sound’ as we get technical in the coming weeks.

PH Audio features in this week’s Print Week Magazine. Christian Peacock, sales and marketing director at Blackburns of Bolton, tells Print Week’s Deputy Features Editor Philip Chadwick about how OHM is an important marketing tool for the print industry.

Read the full article here

Too often, choosing royalty-free music to play on hold means choosing the track that’s least annoying.

Our business is based on the idea it shouldn’t have to be like that.

But if you make a conscious decision to improve the way your brand sounds, you’re starting to think about strategy. After all, you’re now shaping the way clients hear you – creating associations that connect sounds to images.

So, whether you’re making the most of an audio branding service like ours, or simply paying for a licensed track you think works well with – and best represents – your brand, it makes sense to think about what kind of audio fits with people’s image of your company.

Get this wrong, and you could end up sending mixed messages.

In December, we picked up on the week Delta Air Lines played ‘Let It Snow’ to callers whose planes were cancelled owing to, well, a lot of snow. Outrage on Twitter besides, it’s obvious the company didn’t do it on purpose – it was the season to be jolly, after all.

But it shows that something a lot of companies regard as unimportant is actually a major part of a caller’s experience. Association has a lasting effect, and without enough forethought, it could be all too easy to lose valuable enquiries. Don’t forget – you and your staff will rarely hear your hold music, so it’s important to make sure it’s right first time.

Below you’ll find three examples of good and bad music choices for a few different businesses, plus a bit of rationale. And while these are a bit daft, they serve to prove a point. Callers, like visitors, have an expectation of the brands they choose.

Criminal lawyers

Bad: The Godfather Soundtrack. A grand way to sound a bit dodgy. And sure, you might not go this far, but lounge jazz would present the same sort of image.

Good: Ambient; chill-out. Chances are, your clients are a bit stressed out. But by playing something low-key, it means you’re not making anything worse. But then again, we don’t mean too low-key. Whale songs probably won’t wash.

Garden centres

Bad: Techno. Since your customers want to associate your centre with a relaxing environment. And because class doesn’t grow on trees.

Good: Classical or ambient music will set the tone perfectly. Oh, and plants like classical music, so if they were calling it would get their vote, too.

Hotels

Bad: Romance, business or holiday, there are loads of reasons to stay in a hotel – and absolutely millions of reasons a hotelier shouldn’t put 70s disco music down the blower.

Good: If it’s an inner-city establishment, chill out or ambient will likely suit the brand. If the hotel’s a little more provincial, it might be worth choosing something a little more traditional.

You’ve heard it all before:

We need blue-sky thinking. I’m talking about pushing the envelope, going forward, let’s touch base soon.

Translation: corporate waffle that, in reality, could be said in half the words. Just another way to say, “We need big ideas, so give me a call”.

Anyone who watched Heston Blumenthal’s attempt to resurrect Little Chef last year will no doubt remember the chief executive’s constant wittering about ‘blue-sky thinking’. The phrase alone is irritating, but when used in the context of menus and motorway services, it simply became absurd. You can watch the evidence here.

Finished cringeing?

Well, in this post, we’re looking at why these kind of phrases have no place in external communications.

Business lingo is a customer no-go

Between the walls of many boardrooms, words and phrases like ‘goal-orientated’, ‘user-centric’, ‘facilitate’, ‘streamlining’, ‘the bigger picture’, ‘bring to the party’ and ‘out of the loop’ may all have their place.

But even internally, these over-used phrases are gently ridiculed in popular workplace games like buzzword bingo.

And while these internal business languages might be common in the confines of the workplace, externally they can often alienate their intended audiences by jumbling important messages.

Consider many of today’s most successful advertising campaigns and the language they use. The most effective use direct language and are simple to digest — like Dixons’ memorable campaign from last year. The point is that when it comes to copywriting and, in particular, audio copywriting for radio or on-hold messages, it’s essential to keep it clear and concise. There’s no room for ambiguity.

Original content is king

Another key point is to remember that when phrases become over-used, they lose their impact and in many cases, their sincerity. Continually reminding callers how much you appreciate their patience is far less effective than giving them interesting facts or information that will engage them (and most importantly, help them forget they’re waiting).

Speak a familiar language

Every business has its own way of saying things to reach an intended audience, and it’s never more important to think of your audience than when writing for audio. Tool hire businesses, for example, won’t want a stiff, corporate message to greet their callers. Instead, their script should contain enticing special offers and product and business information that’s friendly in tone and easily understood.

Keep audio copywriting simple

Simplicity is central to an audio branding exercise. When you’re writing for the ear, you need to produce an effective message that engages the audience in less than 30 seconds.

The best way to do this? Straight-talking, direct and engaging messages delivered in plain language — leaving all jargon at the boardroom door.

Be the master of your destiny

After planning your marketing approach for the year ahead, make sure you take the time to factor On-Hold Marketing into your strategy. OHM can help you reinforce important changes in your business calendar such as product launches, new services, special promotions and exciting company news, as well as support your marketing agenda.

If you have renewals included in your package, you can easily plan changes in to your production without any disruption to your existing message, which will continue to play on your system until the new production is ready to go live.

And if you don’t already have On-Hold Messaging, have you thought about how you will handle the surge of customer calls following a marketing campaign? After spending a great deal of time and money on raising the portfolio of your business, it wouldn’t be effective to place them on hold to silence or beeps — especially as 60% of customers faced with such an impersonal greeting will hang up in a matter of seconds.

Pocket pleasing marketing

On-Hold Marketing is a fantastic way to make a great first impression. Messages are bespoke to your business, they’re interesting and informative, and they’re a superb way to psychologically reduce hold time. And when you consider that 20% of callers make a purchasing decision based on the information they hear when they’re on hold, it’s one marketing approach you don’t want to miss out on.

Hang on (please)

We’re a patient bunch, us Brits. Along with fax machines, umbrellas and radar, we invented queuing.

We queue at Alton Towers. Queue at the post office. Queue for pints. Queue for burgers after too many pints. We’d queue for sleeping if somebody said it was the right and proper thing to do.

Waiting politely is a nationwide sport. To the rest of the world, we’re a country of hooligans, stag-doers, beer-drinkers and queue-ers. To rest of the world, we’re either battering each other, voicing baddies in Bond films, or standing quietly in a line.

But, according to new research by TalkTalk, there’s a problem with that stereotype.

As a country, we’re fast losing patience.

Patience: the last virtue

TalkTalk’s study – which aimed to look at how people’s expectations have changed since the growth of high-speed internet – found that it takes an average of just 8 minutes and 22 seconds to snap while we’re waiting.

That’s 502 seconds before we cross what they’re calling ‘the point of impatience’. On crossing this point, we apparently go bonkers, melt, flip out, or worse. Then, we start cancelling services, slam the phone down, shout at managers, stomp about and lob things at the wall.

And that’s just on average.

Apparently, all of these terrible things happen after 3 minutes 38 seconds waiting for a website that’s taking its time; 5 minutes and 6 seconds if the kettle hasn’t got its act together; and 10 minutes and 1 second waiting for mates to arrive.

If you’re waiting on the phone, complete thermo-nuclear meltdown takes as little as 5 minutes and 4 seconds.

So what can be done?

Well, there are ways to mediate any of these problems. That’s the ingenuity of marketing. So in the cinema, you’ll find quizzes up on the big screen before a film. They’re easy, sure, but they’re also a good way to show up relatives if you’re feeling like a smart-alec.

In the Doctor’s surgery, there’ll be a telly on the wall with tips for healthy living, reminders, and more.

At the dentist’s, there’s been a magazine with your name on it since time began.

And for telephones, there’s On-Hold Marketing.

The problem with leaving callers on hold and out of sorts

Part of the problem with waiting on hold is the music – or the lack of. Many companies use silence, or beeps, or lift music (which doesn’t count). For some, these noises can be mildly irritating. To a few, it’s an excuse to hang up and never bother again. You only need to take a quick scan for “on hold” using Twitter’s real-time search to see how waiting on hold throws up plenty of aggro.

But what’s the alternative? How can a company minimise the psychological effects of waiting on hold?

Professional On-Hold Marketing

On-Hold Marketing combines CD-quality music on hold with professionally written prompts, delivered by professional voiceover artists. It’s different to music on hold because it’s targeted – it’s bespoke to the company using it, and its uses range from informing customers about new deals which might benefit them, to entertaining them with light-hearted humour.

So, on-hold messaging can even provide a bit of comfort – a way to let your callers know you’re on your way, and that you’re sorry they’re having to wait.

That might sound a small mercy, but if you consider that more than 70% of callers are put on hold every day – and that of these, plenty will hang up if put through to silence – it’s innovative services like this that can sometimes mean the difference between an enquiry and a really bad mood.

Photo credit: H is for Home @ Flickr

In today’s business world, many companies use music on hold productions to engage their customers while they’re waiting on hold, using professional voiceovers and music to portray a strong, professional image.

But how do you go about keeping your customers engaged when they’re not on hold?

In an ideal world we’d all have the singing voice of Leona Lewis and the humour of Peter Kay to keep customers interested and involved in the phone conversation. But sadly, this just isn’t the case — so we need to find other ways to inspire confidence in our business!

How many times have you called a company and found the person you are speaking to is dull, unhelpful and not very charismatic on the telephone? This can really affect a client’s view of a company, so it’s really important for a business to offer its customers great service that keeps the customer interested in not only what the business can do for them, but in the person they are talking to.

So what makes for good customer service on the phone? Here on PH Audio’s own Client Support team, we’ve put our heads together and come up with some good tips about what we’ve found most effective when dealing with a variety of situations:

1. Listen up

It sounds pretty obvious, but the best thing you can do for your customers is listen to them. You’d be surprised how many people don’t really listen to customers and just go through the motions. A customer could mention something very small and if you listen you can pick up on this. This could be anything from a certain business problem that you have experienced yourself (in which case you could tell them you’ve experienced this too and offer advice), or they may even drop into the conversation something they have watched on TV recently or even something that happened to them at a weekend. By picking up on this kind of information, you’ll have found a mutual common interest with your customer that can keep the conversation interesting and engaging.

2. Keep on smiling

Make sure when talking to clients that you’re upbeat and positive! There’s nothing worse (and we’ve all been there) than speaking to someone who is monotone, sounds like they are losing the will to live and aren’t really interested in what you have to say. It makes such a difference when someone is chatty and positive. Even better, the person on the end of the telephone will tend to mirror your nature. It’s always good to ask your customers questions, or even to repeat important parts of the conversation to acknowledge that you have listened and understood. This is extremely important when dealing with complaints, complex accounts or problem areas.

3. Put them first

When dealing with problem cases, it’s extremely important to make sure the customer becomes your number one priority. If they feel that they aren’t getting the attention and support they need, it can escalate the situation further. Again, ask lots of questions, keep them interested by offering positive and effective solutions to their problem and provide as much help and advice as possible.

Make sure your staff relay informative and relevant information to customers. If, for example, you do have an on-hold message with new services and products on, make sure your staff know about them! Customers may have additional questions to what they’ve heard and this will prolong their engagement with the person they are speaking to.

4. Make a journey

Last but not least, if you really want to engage with your customers, get out there and see them face to face. This is a really successful way of building good, solid, successful relationships. You won’t just be a random voice over the telephone and this can help instil customer loyalty. It’s always nice to put a face to a name for both the customer and the business. And if a customer knows you on a more personal basis then the business relationship will develop even more!

In today’s climate, and with all that competition, it’s so important to keep your customers happy and interested in your business. By keeping your customers engaged from the moment they call your business to the end of the phone conversation, you’ll go a long way towards creating the right image and reputation for your business.

Photo credit: Iostash @ Flickr

In the same way we now watch Blu-ray over Betamax, and listen to MP3s instead of cassettes, the technology for on-hold messaging has advanced greatly in the last ten years.

At PH Audio we’ve used a number of methods to deliver music on hold, and our use of audio technology is something we’re always looking to improve and develop. So, from CD players that jumped and warped, to digital playback with a lot of flexibility, in this post you’ll find our own rough audio technology timeline.

1998 – On-hold CD players

Our first on-hold systems were huge industrial playback units that played discs 24/7 (literally). Playback quality was excellent, but unfortunately this format meant productions were prone to jumping and stopping at the end of a message instead of looping. The CDs themselves also had a very short shelf life due to the discs warping after time.

2003 – MP3 on-hold players

In 2003, MP3 players were introduced as our new standard on-hold systems. These units were five times smaller than the existing CD players, and used removable media cards to play productions. This meant we could send new production more securely by post and now, by email. These players also had a greatly extended shelf life.

2005 – Remote download technology

In 2005 we introduced a new range of MP3 on-hold units with remote download technology. These units feature an internal hard drive, making it easy for the completed audio file to be downloaded remotely via the internet. This means we can update the message without involving the client in any way, shortening the time it takes to get a new on-hold marketing production live.

2009 – New innovations

After extensive field testing we’ve just launched our brand new unit. The unit isn’t a traditional playback unit; it’s actually more like a mini PC, which means enhanced flexibility and much more room to store a number of messages for day, out of hours messages and even seasonal changes. Like the players before, it offers remote access, and we continue to develop software which in the future will allow us to further develop the unit, meaning greater functionality will be available soon.

Future on-hold marketing – 2010 onwards

As the unit in use currently is software based we’ll soon be offering the following:

• Scheduled messages
• Times specific messages
• News feeds
• Live streaming

What do you feel would be a good feature for an music on-hold unit?

PH Audio are (queue shameless plug) the on-hold marketing champions throughout Europe, so it goes without saying that we know what we’re doing when it comes to all things on hold.

That said, we do like our clients to be on the ball when choosing music and voiceovers that really represent their brands. And although our Audio Account Managers will make expert recommendations – nobody knows their business as well as the clients themselves.

Music’s effect

No matter what’s happening in our crazy lives, we can always find solace in music. The right melody can change how we feel about something in an instant, so it goes without saying that music (used correctly) in marketing is hugely powerful.

Unless your advertising budget is infinite, you probably won’t be playing Lady Gaga or Take That down the phone to your callers – but this doesn’t mean your music on hold needs to sound like the tinny muzak of yesteryear. That sort of music upsets us at PH, so we’re always coming up with new and exciting tracks that really stand out from the rest.

He can’t pull a rabbit out of a hat, but…

Mike Cooke, our in-house music magician (that’s not really his job title, but it should be), can regularly be found tinkering with his keyboard and twiddling the knobs on his virtual mixing desk – all in the name of adding new and exciting melodies to our library of royalty-free on hold music.

Mike’s creations can be found on the website; there’s a host of styles, genres and tempos that do anything BUT uninspire those waiting on hold.

How do you choose your voice and music on hold?

The most important thing to remember when deciding on music and voice is to make your selection based on what your callers will want to hear (and not your own personal tastes). How old is your average caller? What’s your average hold time? What’s your industry? What kind of message are you trying to portray?

The answers to these questions are paramount to picking the best music on hold track for your business. And if you don’t think any of our tracks are befitting to your brand, you can always have your own exclusive track produced for a fraction of the cost of licensed music.

Voice your opinion

Choosing the right voiceover needs a similar approach. If you’re a young, vibrant company with a quirky marketing strategy, then an older and more mature voice probably won’t fit your brand. Likewise if you’re in a legal or highly corporate field, a spritely, youthful voice mightn’t help build trust in your service. The voice must be spot on to have maximum effect – imagine, if you’re familiar with it, Channel Four’s Come Dine With Me without Voiceover Dave Lamb. Doesn’t work, does it?

The right voice gives your audio brand its own personality. Its own identity. Our voiceovers are all picked from the world of TV and radio; many have provided the voice to some highly recognisable brand campaigns, and some have enjoyed roles in top TV shows. Suffice to say, our talking heroes are top-notch and can handle highly corporate scripts as easily and effectively as a humorous, comedy production.

So when you next find yourself listening to your own on-hold message, pay particular attention to the voice and music – a highly effective on-hold production relies heavily on the suitability of both.

Are you making the most of your audio brand?

It’s powerful, emotive and often controversial – music has a strange effect on us humans. Music on hold is unique in that it finds people when they’re not expecting it and can transport them (emotionally speaking) to another place.

The on hold music tracks below are the most popular choices among PH Audio clients in 2009.

They’re not listed in a particular order, because we want to know what you think – which is your favourite?

Tea for Two      

Ebb & Flow        

Cold as Ice        

Ocean Sunrise

Rule the World

Vote for your favourite track below right now and why not post a comment to tell us why you think it is the best track. If you feel that your on hold messaging could do with a fresh sound - contact PH Audio today!