Are you looking to enhance customer satisfaction and create a more engaging experience for your callers? Easy On Hold’s streaming music for Cisco CUCM could be the perfect solution for your business.
Would you like to say goodbye to the monotony of that infamous Opus One music (the default Cisco hold music)? Have you thought about giving your callers something enjoyable to listen to while they wait? The Easy On Hold streaming hold music service seamlessly integrates with Cisco CUCM, allowing you to easily manage and customize your audio content. Whether you want to promote your brand, inform callers about your products, or entertain them, Easy On Hold’s streaming music can be tailored to meet your specific needs.
Easy On Hold is a Cisco Solution Partner with certified Cisco Compatible solutions.
Understanding customer satisfaction and its impact on businesses
Customer satisfaction plays a crucial role in any business’s success. It directly affects customer loyalty, retention, and the bottom line. When customers have a positive experience with your business, they are more likely to become repeat customers, refer your business to others, and leave positive reviews. Of course, a bad experience will have the opposite effect, causing brand abandonment.
One often overlooked aspect of customer satisfaction is the waiting experience.
Waiting can be annoying for many reasons. Some of them are:
- Waiting makes us feel uncertain and powerless. We don’t know what will happen or when it will happen, and we can’t do much to change it.
- It makes us feel like we are wasting time. We think that our time is valuable and limited, and we want to use it productively.
- It can make us feel stressed and anxious. We worry about possible outcomes and scenarios and may imagine the worst.
However, waiting can also have some benefits. Some of them are:
- Waiting can allow us time to think more deeply about something.
- While waiting, a branding or informational message may give us more appreciation for a solution.
You see, waiting can be bad, or it can be good. It depends on how we use the waiting time to our advantage. That’s why customer phone-on-hold waiting needs to be addressed seriously.
Unoccupied time feels longer than occupied time. When you have something to distract yourself, time passes more quickly. Some hotels put mirrors by the elevators, because people like to look at themselves.
David Maister, The Psychology of Waiting Lines
When callers are put on hold, they can become frustrated, bored, or even annoyed. This negative waiting experience can greatly impact their overall satisfaction with your business. For this purpose, we created streaming music for Cisco CUCM. Streaming music and messages create engagement and interest, making wait time seem shorter.
Two kinds of music to consider
Mainstream, popular music by artists callers love
Imagine making custom mixes of music by your favorite artists. Our streaming hit music service provides 75 channels representing various genres. The music is profanity-free, properly licensed for use in the USA and Canada, and allows you to block any song to keep it from playing. Play a short branding message about your products or services between the songs. It’s like having your own radio station. This solution is only available as a live stream and is compatible with Cisco CUCM and other platforms. It sure beats the old Cisco hold music!
Stock instrumental music
Browse 75 categories of new, creative hold music created by world-class composers, producers and artists. It’s not elevator music! This is world-class music created by the composers, producers, and artists behind Muse, The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Bon Iver, The Gaslight Anthem, Vampire Weekend, Jordan Sparks, Shawn Mullins, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Masterchef, X Factor, Dancing With The Stars, BBC television, Captain America, ESPN, Fox TV Network… the list goes on and on.
The role of music in enhancing customer satisfaction
Music has a powerful effect on our emotions and can greatly influence our mood. By incorporating carefully selected music into your hold experience, you can create a more pleasant and engaging waiting environment for your callers. Studies have shown that music can reduce perceived wait times and increase overall satisfaction.
Here are some surprising psychological benefits of good music, according to Verywell mind:
Easy On Hold’s streaming music service offers a wide range of music genres to choose from, allowing you to create a customized hold experience that aligns with your brand and appeals to your target audience. Whether you want to create a calming atmosphere, showcase your brand’s personality, or keep your callers entertained with upbeat tunes, Easy On Hold has the music and required music licensing you need.
How Easy On Hold’s Streaming Music integrates with Cisco CUCM
Easy On Hold’s streaming music seamlessly integrates with Cisco CUCM, making managing and customizing your hold experience a breeze. The integration process is straightforward and can be easily handled by your IT team or with the assistance of Easy On Hold’s support.
Once integrated, you have full control over your hold music and messaging. You can easily upload and manage your audio content through the user-friendly interface provided by Easy On Hold. This allows you to continuously update and refresh your hold experience to keep it relevant and engaging for your callers.
For CUCM, there are two ways to stream your custom music and messages on hold:
- On-premise streaming Business Music Device
- On-premise streaming Queue Music Software (on VMware)
On-Premise Streaming Business Music Device
Beyond using static files, CUCM can use a stream for MoH audio since version 11.5. The RTP stream provided by the on-premise hardware (EOH 2CBAS device, shown) or EOH Streaming Queue Music appliance (on VMWare) becomes a resource for streaming music and messages on any number of lines. Music and content preferences are set in the customer portal (easyonholdcloud.com). The appliance at your premise executes a w-get (curl) to bring in the stream, then transcodes the content to an RTP stream on an IP address for the CUCM to broadcast. The 2CBAS device provides a continuous audio stream on a multicast IP address. Note: multicast is not required across the platform when using the streaming solution for CUCM.
Using the EOH 2CBAS device
The 2-Channel Business Audio System has been built to provide high-quality, continuous audio
via http mp3 internet stream. Easy On Hold® typically does stream configuration. Wireless
connectivity is available. However, a wired internet connection is preferred.
- If DHCP: The Router can hand out IP addresses from the DHCP Pool
- If STATIC: Provide Unit IP, Default Gateway, Network Mask, DNS Server 1, DNS Server 2 to
Easy On Hold® for configuration - FIREWALL SETTINGS: Contact Easy On Hold for settings specific to your stream
- Ports clear for traffic: 443 (https), 53 (DNS), 123 (Network Time / NTP)
- Protocol: pool.ntp.org; Stream URI: *easyonholdcloud.com
- Failover – The 2-Channel Business Audio System will continuously monitor connectivity. In the event of a loss of internet service, the system will play pre-configured locally stored files. When connectivity is restored, the unit will automatically resume playing the internet stream.
- Version Updates—The 2CBAS may be updated “in the field.” The device may also be configured remotely to request a firmware upgrade
- Security – Easy On Hold requires no access to your network at any time. The 2CBAS device makes an https “get” request to obtain the stream and changes in configuration. Please refer to the 2-Channel Business Audio System Guide.
Using Streaming Queue Music Software on a local appliance
STREAMING QUEUE MUSIC™ (a.k.a. SQM) is a software application that provides streaming audio for
queue and hold in Cisco VVB (UCCE/PCCE) and CUCM.
The solution includes:
- SQM appliance software (on client-provided on-premises VMware)
- Audio storage for failover or content audio
- SQM Management Portal for configuration and monitoring
- SQM can manage up to 12 inbound content streams
How SQM Works
- SQM is delivered as an OVA file. The software operates as a VMware virtual machine in the
datacenter. - The SQM dashboard tool allows limited configuration of the appliance.
- SQM needs to be on an appropriate LAN segment for the multicast to reach Cisco servers.
Typically, we have seen customers configure this on the same VLAN to avoid multicast
routing configuration. - SQM will make an outgoing connection over HTTPS GET to the easyonholdcloud.com
domain to reach a streaming server. Additionally, SQM makes a secure HTTPS web sockets
connection to a management server, also in the easyonholdcloud.com domain. These
connections can be behind a NAT/firewall and use HTTPS port 443 only. - Easy On Hold® will provide IP addresses for its cloud servers for firewall whitelisting.
Features and Benefits of Easy On Hold’s Streaming Music for Cisco CUCM
Easy On Hold’s streaming music service provides a range of features and customization options to ensure that your hold experience is tailored to your specific needs and brand identity.
One of the standout features is the ability to create custom messages and advertisements to play during the hold experience. This allows you to communicate important information, promote your latest offers, or even provide callers with helpful tips or updates. The possibilities are endless, and you have full control over the content and frequency of these messages.
Furthermore, Easy On Hold’s streaming music service offers advanced scheduling capabilities. You can easily set different hold experiences for different times of the day or days of the week. For example, you can choose to play more upbeat music during peak hours or include specific messages during promotional periods. This level of customization ensures that your hold experience remains dynamic and engaging for your callers. You’ll never again play “Jingle Bells” in January!
Case studies: Real-life examples of businesses using Easy On Hold’s Streaming Music
To further illustrate the benefits and effectiveness of Easy On Hold’s streaming music service, let’s examine a few real-life examples of businesses implementing this innovative solution.
Case Study 1: Healthcare Provider
A healthcare provider wanted to improve the patient waiting experience. By incorporating Easy On Hold’s streaming music service, they created a friendly, comfortable mood while informing patients. Updates about getting better sleep, smoking cessation, and other wellness programs have helped callers while they wait. Patients reported feeling more relaxed and less anxious while waiting for their appointments, leading to increased satisfaction and positive reviews.
Case Study 2: Hospitality
An upscale hotel was getting complaints about the poor quality and repetition of a short music track. Management caught wind of the issue and informed the telecom team to find a solution. Using the EOH Business Audio System (device), which is seamlessly integrated into CUCU, customers now hear classy, jazzy music and information about how to enjoy the property. The New Year’s Eve party event was particularly successful, and it was promoted heavily to callers while waiting on hold.
These case studies demonstrate the versatility and effectiveness of Easy On Hold’s streaming music service in various industries. Regardless of your business type or size, Easy On Hold can help you create a hold experience that aligns with your goals and enhances customer satisfaction.
Steps to implement Easy On Hold’s Streaming Music for Cisco CUCM
Implementing Easy On Hold’s streaming music for Cisco CUCM is a straightforward process. To get started, follow these simple steps:
1. Assess your needs: Determine the goals and objectives you wish to achieve with your hold experience. Consider the type of music and messaging that would resonate with your target audience. It’s very important that a representative from marketing or branding be involved at the start.
3. Integrate with Cisco CUCM: Work with your IT team or contact Easy On Hold’s support for assistance in integrating the streaming music service with Cisco CUCM. This step ensures a seamless connection between your phone system and Easy On Hold’s service.
2. Choose your music and messaging: Explore Easy On Hold’s vast music library and select the genres and styles that align with your brand identity. Create customized messages or advertisements that convey important information or promote your offerings.
4. Manage your content: Once integrated, you can easily manage your music and message content through Easy On Hold’s user-friendly interface. EOH script writers help you refresh your content to keep it engaging and relevant for your callers. Follow our best practices for messages on hold.
Frequently Asked Questions about Easy On Hold’s Streaming Music
Q: Can I use my own music with Easy On Hold’s streaming music service?
A: Yes, Easy On Hold allows you to upload your own music to create a truly customized hold experience. However, it’s important to ensure you have the rights and licenses for copyrighted music.
Q: Can I include different music and messaging for different departments or locations within my business?
A: Absolutely! Easy On Hold’s streaming music service is very scalable. Having unique hold experiences for different departments or locations within your business is important. This allows you to cater to each area’s specific needs and preferences.
Q: Can I change my hold music and messaging on the fly?
A: Easy On Hold’s user-friendly interface enables you to update and change your hold music and messaging in real-time. A new message is written and ready for your approval in 3 days or less. You’ll even receive a text message or email when it’s ready.
Q: Can Easy On Hold’s streaming music service be integrated with other phone systems besides Cisco CUCM?
A: Yes, Easy On Hold supports integration with various phone systems, including Cisco CUCM, VVB, Avaya Aura Media Server, Microsoft Teams Phone, Genesys Engage, Broadsoft, Asterisk, Free SWITCH, and many others. Contact Easy On Hold’s Music On Hold Experts (TRADEMARK) to discuss compatibility and integration options if you have a different phone system.
Conclusion: Elevate customer satisfaction with Easy On Hold’s Streaming Music for Cisco CUCM
The waiting experience can significantly impact customer satisfaction and overall perception of your business. By implementing Easy On Hold’s streaming music for Cisco CUCM, you can transform your customer on hold experience into an engaging and beneficial few minutes (or more)! It’s good for business, helpful to your customers, and shows you care.
With the ability to customize your music, messages, and advertisements, Easy On Hold allows you to promote your brand, inform your callers, and keep them entertained while they wait. The seamless integration with Cisco CUCM and user-friendly interface makes managing and updating your hold experience easy.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your customers’ experience and create a lasting impression with Easy On Hold’s innovative solutions for CISCO. Elevate customer satisfaction and take your hold experience to the next level with streaming music for Cisco CUCM.
