When customers call your business, their experience starts before they speak to a member of your team. From the initial greeting to the time they spend waiting on hold, your phone system plays an important role in how callers experience your business.
But if you’re looking for professional telephone recordings, you might be wondering whether you need a message on hold, phone system prompts, or both.
Although these recordings serve different purposes, they work together to create a welcoming, professional, and helpful caller experience. Here’s how they differ and how to determine which recordings your business needs.
What Is a Message on Hold?
A message on hold is the audio callers hear when they’re placed on hold and need to wait before speaking with someone. Rather than leaving callers listening to silence or a repeating music track, businesses can use this time to share helpful information and keep callers engaged.
Think of your message on hold as an opportunity to communicate with customers while they wait.
Depending on your business, your message on hold can include:
- Products and services: Highlight what your business offers and how you can help.
- Special promotions: Share current offers, seasonal deals, or upcoming events.
- Company information: Tell callers about your business, your experience, or what sets you apart.
- Helpful reminders: Share business hours, website information, or other details callers may find useful.
- Interesting content: Mix in trivia, industry tips, or other engaging information.
Professional voice talent, carefully written scripts, and suitable background music can make waiting more pleasant while giving callers something useful to listen to.
Message on hold recordings also offer a practical way to reinforce your brand and communicate important information without requiring additional time from your staff.
Learn more about professional message on hold recordings.
What Are IVR Prompts?
IVR prompts are the recorded greetings and instructions callers hear when interacting with your automated telephone system. They’re designed to welcome callers, provide information, and help direct them to the right person, department, or service.
You might hear IVR prompts when calling a business and listening to instructions such as, “Press 1 for Sales” or “Press 2 for Customer Service.”
Common types of phone system recordings include:
- Auto attendant greetings: Welcome callers and introduce the available menu options.
- Call routing instructions: Help callers reach the appropriate department or extension.
- Language selection prompts: Allow callers to choose their preferred language.
- Business information: Provide details such as operating hours or location.
- Voicemail greetings: Let callers know they’ve reached a person’s or department’s voicemail and invite them to leave a message.
These recordings help callers navigate your phone system efficiently, even when your team can’t answer every call directly.
A clear, professionally recorded greeting also helps establish the right tone from the beginning. Whether your brand is friendly and conversational or more formal and corporate, your phone system prompts should reflect that personality.
Learn more about professional IVR prompts.
Message on Hold vs. Phone System Prompts: Which Do You Need?
The main difference comes down to when callers hear the recordings and what those recordings are intended to do.
Message on hold keeps callers informed and engaged while they wait. IVR prompts greet callers, provide instructions, and help them navigate your phone system.
For example, imagine someone calling your business for the first time.
First, they hear your automated greeting and select the appropriate department. Those recordings are your phone system prompts. If the person answering the call is busy and places the caller on hold, your message on hold takes over.
Both recordings contribute to the overall experience, but they serve different purposes.
If your business uses an automated phone system, you’ll likely need professional phone system prompts. If callers regularly wait on hold, a message on hold can help make that time more useful.
Many businesses benefit from having both.
Why Professional Telephone Recordings Matter
Your phone system is often one of the first ways customers interact with your business. Unclear instructions, outdated information, or an unprofessional greeting can create a frustrating experience before a conversation even begins.
Professional telephone recordings help you present a consistent brand voice, communicate information clearly, and guide callers through each stage of their call.
They can also help your business make better use of the time callers spend interacting with your phone system, whether they’re choosing a department or waiting to speak with your team.
At On Air Audio Services, we produce professional telephone recordings for businesses using a variety of phone systems, including VoIP. From welcoming greetings and clear menu instructions to engaging messages on hold, the right recordings help your business sound as professional as it is.
Need Help Choosing the Right Recordings?
Not sure which telephone recordings your business needs? Start by looking at how callers interact with your phone system. Consider the greetings they hear, the options they need to navigate, and what happens when they have to wait.
Whether you need message on hold, phone system prompts, or both, On Air Audio Services can help you find the right solution for your business.
Contact our team to learn more about our professional telephone recording services.
