When customers call, do they hear the same old common hold music they’ve heard practically everywhere else? They’re likely to be reminded that they’re “just another number on the line.” IT admins, contact center managers, and MSPs may suggest that using default music (the standard music that came with the phone platform or service) is “just fine.” However, your business image can falter when callers hear that generic sound they’re sure they’ve heard elsewhere.
Default music means you subject callers to repetitive, constant loops of music. More importantly, your business misses out on opportunities to reinforce the brand. The solution isn’t about loading more music files. It’s going above and beyond generic hold music into streaming, scheduled updates, and AI-driven prompts that scale with your platforms.
Let’s go over why you should consider replacing generic music with streaming, scheduled, and voice-integrated audio:
- Common hold music creates caller frustration, longer perceived wait times, and legal risk
- File uploads waste IT time with constant re-exports and tickets
- Streaming uses a single source URL for real-time updates
- Content Control Center™ enables centralized scheduling and logging
- AI Studio generates IVR prompts in minutes, in 151 languages
Why Common Hold Music No Longer Works
We’ve all been on hold, and chances are, we’ve all heard the most common hold music. Outdated features, such as loops, tinny sound recordings, and stock tracks, as well as common hold music songs, are used by thousands of businesses. However, for IT leaders and business owners, it’s not just about caller annoyance; it’s about making your brand stand out from the crowd.
Continuous loops of music increase your callers’ perceived wait times. Asking IT to constantly upload and change out audio files becomes another support ticket headache. Oh, and what if tracks aren’t licensed for business use? You add a massive legal risk you don’t need.
Streaming Hold Music: Your Scalable Alternative
Streaming replaces static files with a live, flexible source URL. IT sets it once on the platform. Some of the platforms with streaming hold muisic integrations today are:
- Microsoft Teams Phone
- Cisco CUCM and VVB (UCCE, UCCX)
- Nextiva
- Broadsoft
- TPX
- MiTel MiVoice
- Asterisk
- OnSIP
- Avaya Aura Media Server
- FreeSWITCH
- Mango Voice
- iPECS
Key benefits of streaming hold music include:
- No repetitive loops and randomized order for variety
- No file size limits, run hours of content if you need it
- Instant updates to refresh audio without re-uploads
- Centralized management, so you can roll out changes across all sites
Schedule and Control at Scale
The Content Control Center™ gives users one portal to create, approve, and manage audio. You can schedule by time of day, day of week, or season, then log changes for oversight. Push outage notices during incidents, post-billing tips near month-end, and rotate regional promos only where they apply. Multi-location brands finally get one source.
Put a Real Voice on Your IVR
Many contact centers need IVR or auto-attendant prompts much more urgently than music on hold. Traditionally, this meant waiting days for a studio session. With AI Studio, generate instant text-to-speech that matches Easy On Hold® human voice talent, and:
- Choose from 151 languages/dialects for global consistency
- Auto-mix prompts with licensed music for seamless playback
- Download files or push directly to live streams
With AI Studio by your side, these updates happen in minutes, and marketing/business admins get the flexibility to update scripts quickly. All this, and you still have access to professional studio recordings for larger projects.
From Generic Noise to a Branded Experience
The most common business hold music wastes time for both callers and IT. File uploads multiply, outdated audio lingers, and every change creates yet another ticket.
Streaming hold music ends that cycle. With the Content Control Center™, you update once and roll it out everywhere. With AI Studio, you generate IVR prompts in minutes instead of days. And because it’s all licensed for business use, you protect your brand while delivering a caller experience that sounds modern and unique.
Replace the file chaos and mind-melting repetition with a system built for IT and contact centers. Book your demo today, create unique caller experiences, and take back control of every caller touchpoint.
