Comments on: Hold Music Substitution

By: Marc Lyman

Marc Lyman — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:37:17 +0000

Hi Eric! Interesting idea. I have to respectfully disagree with the people saying there are licensing issues with your suggestion, assuming I understand your idea correctly. My caveat here is that I'm not a lawyer. With that said, if you're just patching in your ipod to yourself while holding, I have a hard time imagining Ascap, BMI or any other performance rights organization coming after you (or even having a case). The licensing that those organizations enforce stem from the fact that music on hold is considered a public performance. I can't see listening to your ipod through your phone handset as a public performance since only you would be listening to the content (which you presumably obtained legally). As a music on hold provider, it does pain me that you've had such bad on-hold experiences that you ever were inspired to invent such a device! : ( Just know that there are some companies out there working very hard to replace horrible on-hold content with music on hold that sounds great (and doesn't annoy 99% of callers)!

By: MA

MA — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:00:46 +0000

This is a great idea and absolutely needed. We must end the pain and suffering of horrible hold music.

By: tony

tony — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:28:00 +0000

This is kind of off subject but I was wondering if there is a program that I could install on my cell phone that would allow me to put someone on hold and in turn they would actually here music that i choose playing while they are on hold?

By: J A M B U Z Z!!! For the coolest music and mp3 news around » Blog Archive » iPhone - Don’t need the phone and iPod dock now…

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:30:58 +0000

[...] blogged which we find unique and different. That can be said of this comment we found over at MeyerWeb.com . Now this post was made back in January, before all the hoopla about the iPhone, so I’m [...]

By: Garrett Todd

Garrett Todd — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:08:30 +0000

I like your creativity, however, I am a little doubtful if a market exists.

Do I understand correctly that you’d like to PURCHASE a phone system that allows you to customize your hold music while you wait (thru the iPOD device) meanwhile muting the other company’s hold music?

My concern would be, why would people buy this device? Just so they don’t have to listen to the company’s music on hold?

I mean how many people truly HATE the on hold music enough to buy a new piece of equipment? I think this would be a very small group and therefore difficult to profit from.

Eric, perhaps the company you called just has awful on hold productions! Call them and refer them to me, and we’ll take care of them (and as such you!) *WINK* *WINK*

Regards,

Garrett Todd

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 11:52:22 +0000

This is a great idea, and I truly believe that it WILL happen, but while its being developed, why don’t we just create a new standard for on hold music?

Why dont we just start saying, “boy your on hold music SUCKS” every time we hear crap?

I dont know where people ever got the idea that crappy, poorly produced midi tracks were of universal appeal…

By: John Burns

John Burns — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:30:19 +0000

Having just read Nathanael’s comment…

For instances like this – another potentially marketable idea…

Press a button and record the basic details of the initial contact where you give the basics… then press one button to replay that information each time you are switched to someone new…

By: John Burns

John Burns — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 16:26:12 +0000

Eric,

How is it that the various Phone/voice systems (Avaya, Octel, etc) and companies using them – don’t offer one or more alternatives that you could tap a button to change the channel to something more favorable to the listener… THAT is something that they should have had a LONG time ago.

As the one person noted – there is a fee and that is why companies cannot use radio on their hold systems, without some sort of contract. A company I worked for in the ’80s wanted to do that… until they found out the cost. Things they did not consider: the music & DJ voice being potentially offensive and what about competitor commercials being directed at your customer who is on hold.
=========
It is CLEAR that Eric’s proposal is to listen to his OWN music during this time and have some sort of auto-switching…

I do like your idea though… the only “hard part” seems to be the recognition between MUZAK and a person’s voice and making the switch fast enough that they don’t think you have hung up… someone working in voice-recognition software ought to be able to do that.

off this topic… but,
Just thought I would ask… what kind of plant is that in your banner?

Why not add an “alt” with the description…?

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 22:23:43 +0000

That’s right – the queue/hold system at the other end will have no idea; it’s just pumping out that same insipid hold music – what you do with it at your end is up to you and cannot be a breach of music licensing as you are simply playing your music to yourself using your phone and another device to control the on/off of your music.

By: Eric Meyer

Eric Meyer — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:48:09 +0000

You seem to be fundamentally misunderstanding my proposal, Tim. I’m talking about a system that will play my music for me while I’m on hold with someone else, overwriting the music they’re playing. I’m not proposing a system that plays hold music for someone who has called me when I put them on hold.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:41:06 +0000

The Skutch Electronics phone: HT-878-POH lets you plug in any sound source to play music when the hold button is pressed. This is analog, 2-line, and does not activate the music on any other phone in the office. Suggested List Price: $115.00. http://www.skutchelectronics.com.

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 18:37:15 +0000

Please read my article at: http://www.easyonhold.com/royalty_free_hold_music_options.php

The playing of music on hold is considered a “performance” since it is being presented to others, as opposed to personal use. That goes for in-store music, too.

How would you like to be informed that you have been sued for $400,000 for playing music in your store? Larry Leigh, owner of Leigh”s and Mettie”s women”s clothing stores in Grand Rapids, found out the hard way about penalties for unlicensed music use. Several years ago, he received a letter from licensing organization ASCAP stating that he was violating copyright regulations by playing tapes and CDs in his stores. Unfortunately, Leigh got some bad advice from the business that installed his store stereo system, having assured assured him he didn”t need to worry. Two years later, he was sued by ASCAP for $400,000. His attorney informed him that his chances of winning the suit were not good, he settled out of court for a $5,000 fine.

By: Eric Meyer

Eric Meyer — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:06:13 +0000

Why, Peter? I'd be using an iPod containing my music to play my music in place of the incoming signal, and only I would hear my music (unless it was on speakerphone, but still). I can't see where licensing would even come into it, unless there's a law somewhere that requires me to listen to hold music.

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:26:25 +0000

I hate to be a killjoy, but I suspect there are licensing issues that would prevent you from being able to *legally* use such a device to play your own music on hold.

By: Nathanael

Nathanael — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:13:50 +0000

Good point Ben – I had an email from my ISP the other day asking for me to provide updated payment details; I wrote back saying they can call ME.

Reasoning?

Well I know with a well-known telecommunications company in particular, whenever I have to ring up I end up talking to at least 3 people, have to provide my phone number and account password each time, spend total of 20+ minutes in 6 queues (with 12 different voices – “Your call has progressed in the queue) and each time explain why I’m calling, then wait while they get my details up on screen.

No – FIRST you get my details up on screen, THEN call ME – and we can get it over and done with in 30 seconds.