“More than that,” says Chairman Turpel, “an on-hold message should help a company project a professional image and mold a coherent brand identity.”
Macon, GA (PRWEB) January 29, 2010
The telecommunications company sells the equipment; installs it; tests it; and trains the system administrator. But then it happens. The customer asks the telco to arrange an on-hold message, with explicit guidance: ‘Make it good.’
“Arranging on-hold messaging for a telecommunications customer needn’t be painful. And it sure shouldn’t be an afterthought,” says Pete Turpel, Chairman of the On-Hold Messaging Association (OHMA). Turpel explains that “Smart telecommunications companies plan for on-hold messaging when they put together a bill of materials for their customer.”
Raising the question of on-hold messaging in the initial conversation with a customer provides the customer two big advantages. First, it gives him or her time to shop around for the best on-hold message provider to meet their specific needs. Second, it gives the customer time to think about and discuss with their on-hold message provider the content and style of the on-hold message: What marketing points will the message make, and how best to produce them and how often to change them?
Upon installation of the on hold message system, the telco customers often become enthusiastic about this ‘new, informative feature’ and give compliments to the phone vendor for having worked with them in planning for on-hold messaging. Usually the biggest impact hits them later- increased inquiries and sales generated from product and service exposure.
Chairman Turpel points out that some phone system providers tend to think of on-hold messaging as largely a telecommunications function – music and voice to let callers know they’re still connected. An increasing number of business owners, on the other hand, understand that their on-hold message can be a dynamite marketing tool. “More than that,” says Turpel, “an on-hold message should help a company project a professional image and mold a coherent brand identity.”
Businesses find that on-hold messages that contribute most to their revenues are lively, imaginative, informative, professionally voiced and produced, and freshened regularly with new content.
The On-Hold Messaging Association website (http://www.ohma.org) is designed to guide telecommunications companies and their customers in choosing an on-hold provider to meet their marketing needs. The website has examples of award-winning messages and tips on using messaging for effective marketing.
OHMA brings together over 70 of the most experienced and creative on-hold messaging companies in the U.S., Canada and several other countries. In affiliating with OHMA, its members must have been in business a minimum of five years to qualify for membership. They must also meet the following criteria: their company derives over fifty percent of its revenue from on hold services, their business model meets the standards of a full service agency, which provides playback equipment, script writing and voicing, studio production of messages, access to installation of hardware and technical assistance.
To guarantee the company you are considering referring is an OHMA member, look for the ‘click here to verify' OHMA logo on the home page of the company's web site. If valid, the logo will link to the OHMA website and a ‘Member Verification' page will display the company's good standing status. Please be aware that some ‘copy cat' companies have copied the OHMA logo and placed it on their site to indicate they are a member. However, if you click on the logo and it does not go to the ‘Member Verification' page, they are not members. Verify membership and you will find a company that is your Trademark of Assurance.
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