Think about the last time you were put on hold with nothing but dead air. After a minute, you start to wonder if the call dropped. After two, you’re reaching for the button. Your customers feel the same way.
How long will callers wait on hold?
31%
5 minutes or less
Of callers will wait no longer than that
54%
hang up
Within eight minutes on hold
42%
leave the brand
After two poor support experiences
Patience runs out quickly. Only 6% of callers stick around for just the first two minutes, 31% will wait five minutes or less, and more than half are gone by the eight-minute mark. Worse, 42% say they’d leave a brand after two poor support experiences.[1] A bad hold experience doesn’t just cost you a call. It can cost you the customer.
Does on-hold messaging keep people on the line?
88%
prefer messages
Over silence while on hold
40%
more callers stay
With informative messaging vs. dead air
16–20%
buy
Based on something they heard on hold
Yes. 88% of callers prefer professionally recorded on-hold messages over silence, informative messaging has been shown to raise caller retention by 40% compared with dead air, and 16 to 20% of callers have made a purchase decision based on something they heard on hold.[2] Part of it is perception. A wait with music and useful information feels shorter than the same wait in silence.
What should callers hear while they wait?
The best on-hold programs sound like a friendly person at your front desk. They thank the caller, answer the questions people call about most (hours, locations, how to book online), and mention one promotion at a time, like a seasonal service or a new product. They point people to your website or online scheduling, and they play licensed music that fits your brand. Radio and personal playlists aren’t licensed for on-hold use.
What callers should never hear is silence, the same 20-second loop over and over, holiday greetings in March, or a promotion that ended months ago.
How often should on-hold messages be updated?
Whenever something changes, and at least every season. Regular callers, like patients, clients and repeat customers, notice stale messages first. Muzicraft’s managed on-hold service includes scriptwriting, professional voice talent and scheduled updates, so it never depends on someone remembering.
What is Muzicraft AI Messaging?
Voice library
Pick a professional voice by language, accent and style.
AI script help
Get help writing the message.
Instant playback
Hear it right away and adjust.
Scheduling
Set when and how often it plays.
For businesses that change their messages often, Muzicraft AI Messaging lets you create professional audio messages in minutes, without a recording studio or session fees. You pick a voice from our library, type a script or let the AI assistant help you write one, hear it played back instantly, and schedule when it plays. It’s the easiest way to keep your messages as current as your business. It works for on-hold as well as in-store messages, though some VoIP phone systems can make on-hold delivery more difficult, so we’ll check yours first.[3]
In-store messages matter too. 82% of shoppers make unplanned purchase decisions in the store, and 80% say in-store messaging influences what they buy.[3]
Which businesses get the most from on-hold messaging?
Medical and dental offices, auto dealers and service centers, law, financial and insurance offices, hotels and wineries, and any business with busy phone hours and a small front desk.
Southern California businesses
Many Central Coast, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles-area businesses run lean front desks, so busy phone hours are common. Muzicraft writes, records and loads on-hold programs for local practices, dealerships, hotels and wineries, and makes them work with your existing phone system. Your callers hear a local business, not a generic loop.
Frequently asked questions
What’s an acceptable hold time?
Aim for under two minutes. Patience drops off sharply after five minutes, and even more by eight.[1]
Is music or messaging better on hold?
Both together. Music keeps the line from feeling dead, and short messages inform and promote between songs.
Can I use a popular song on hold?
Not without the right licenses. On-hold music is a public performance. Our on-hold service includes licensed music.
Will it work with my phone system?
Almost always. We work with traditional phone systems and most cloud and VoIP systems. Some VoIP systems can make on-hold audio more difficult, and we’ll tell you up front if yours is one of them.
Can I write my own messages?
Yes. With Muzicraft AI Messaging, you can write, voice and schedule your own on-hold and in-store messages, or let our team handle it.
Sources
- Nextiva, “Study: Most Customers Hang Up After 8 Minutes,” Nov. 14, 2025.
- Mood Media, “Small Business On-Hold Messaging” (citing Maxi Marketing, US West and Teleconnect Magazine).
- Muzicraft, “Muzicraft AI Messaging” (citing POPAI).