Tech-savvy Flashpoint Strikes the Right Chord for On-Hold Messaging

Incandescent bulbs are apparently not the only ones that are being phased out, as the CD also appears to be taking its last bows. Flashpoint Studios, a tech-savvy music on-hold company, recently decided to do away with the delivery of custom on hold messaging through CDs.

Flashpoint decided to use electronic delivery for the delivery of music on hold as it was better in terms of the environment, saved the company time and shipping expenses and also better for clients as it reduced production turnaround, according to company officials.

“We realized it no longer made sense to deliver our music on hold products via a CD that has to be physically shipped to clients, when we can provide the audio instantly online instead," said Marc Lyman, owner of Flashpoint Studios.

Music on hold or custom hold messages are needed to impress, inform and entertain callers, tell them what's happening at the other end and enhance the image of the company. It not only reduces hang-ups, but helps deliver greater sales.

Most importantly, the on-hold message concept eliminates the ‘silence at the other end' and the unprofessionalism the delay brings as a consequence.

Bizarre as it may seem today, music on hold was once implemented via cassettes in contrast to the current systems that use either players or simply the newer VoIP phone systems, which use wav or mp3 audio files that provide music or hold content to callers.

Where external players are involved, a model with a USB flash drive to play mp3 content is implemented. Flashpoint has its own music on hold players priced at $199 with a five year warranty. The company also reports the increasing popularity of VoIP and virtual PBX (News - Alert) technology.

Flashpoint Studios passed on some of the efficiency savings to its clients by reducing the prices on its on-hold messages offerings.

A transition gain – that's how Flashpoint views the new shift.