There’s plenty of web chatter about on hold music.
From time to time we on hold music geeks like to scrub the web for the latest chatter on our favorite topic: what’s on your hold button?
There’s no shortage of discussions from Twitter to YouTube to Reddit, on hold music is still a hot topic.
Here’s the latest, compiled for your enjoyment.
Some folks offer suggestions:
Actually, if I have to be placed on hold, I would rather hear something interesting than dead or or boring elevator music. If the hold message is done tactfully, the experience can actually be productive. – Helene M.
I call a business, get put on hold, music comes on I start singing to it next thing I know the girl at the other end says she likes my voice! – Ethan P.
I wish people would read me a story, rather than play music while I am on hold. – Satya N.
Lots of complaints about what is being played on hold:
Did the people that write the on-hold “music” for @TimeWarner intentionally create the most insanity and rage inducing tunes ever? – Jonathan B.
I’m pretty sure every single bank helpline has the same excruciating ‘on hold’ music. – Connie O.
There’s nothing quite like listening to smooth jazz on hold music to throw you in to a massive depression. – Jonah W.
The person who programs the on-hold music at @Bell should be murdered with a saxophone. – Scott F.
Some even take steps to make a difference:
A Reddit user writes about his experience with music on hold at Apple:
“I once sent Tim [Cook] an email about the quality of music while on hold with Apple. It was super low quality, therefore an upbeat rock song sounded like pure distortion and really aggravated me because I was on hold for 20+ minutes for something so simple.
Much to my surprise a lady from Cupertino called me up the next day, saying she’d received a concerning email from Tim about ugly distortion hold music while on the phone, that Tim had tested this himself and agreed that something had to be done. She assured me that the hold music would be tested to make sure it sounded pleasant on all types of phones and connections.
The next time I called Apple, the hold music was indeed very pleasant.”
Like Steve Jobs, Tim Cook’s email (tcook@apple.com) is public and there are multiple stories of him responding to those who email him.
Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/287261/reddit-user-convinced-tim-cook-change-apples-hold-music/#rlFDBvS86xsE1VLC.99
Cisco’s on hold music from 1989 has its fans:
Recording artist How To Dress Well has sampled the on hold music that comes as the “default” sound in the Cisco Call Manager and worked it into a song. Read about the song Precious Love.
The tune Cisco embeds in their system was written in 1989 and has that kind of 80’s elecrtonic-echo vibe.
Another fan of the Cisco tune has put created a YouTube video with a full 60 minutes of what to some is a reminder of long, excruciating wait times with the help desk.
