Most of us hate being put on hold. What most of us like even less, however, is being put on hold in total silence. Some studies have shown that for callers faced with silence, the threshold for remaining on the line is less than 40 seconds. People who call your business usually call because they want to, and putting them on hold in silence for anything longer than a few seconds is a good way to lose the caller for good.

Even the smallest of businesses can give callers an entertaining (or even informative) alternative to waiting in silence by using a messaging on hold, or MOH, system.

This guide is designed to give you the facts you need to choose a messaging-on-hold system for your business. The various sections are listed in the box above. You can choose to read this guide from beginning to end, or jump directly to a section of interest.