Time to let your callers hear something more interesting than dead silence on hold? Then it’s time to find your MOH jack. The MOH jack (also known as Music on hold or Messages on hold jack) is a feature on just about every phone system these days. You won’t find it on home phones, portables, or the 3 line phones you buy at “Big Box” stores. New VoIP Phone systems don’t always have a MOH jack because some play your music or message on hold “in the cloud” that runs your phones (but we can still help with these). Phone systems that have a “box on the wall” have a MOH Jack. You’ll usually find the box in a closet, a back room, or in a basement or attic storage area.
Confused yet? Need helping finding the jack? Call us for free support: 800-862-8896.
Finding your MOH Jack
The first part of your search begins with finding your phone system control box. What’s it look like? They’re pretty generic, and could range from the size of a shoebox to about 12”x36” for a small office. They’re usually in a room with other electronics, like modems and alarm systems. One telltale sign is lots of colored wires (often striped) lead into it. Another clue is a brand name: if you look at your telephone, you’ll probably find a brand name on it: ATT, Avaya, Lucent, Toshiba, NEC, Panasonic, etc. The phone system control box might have this name on it. The MOH jack you’re looking for is usually marked MOH or Music, or Music on hold. There may be a second jack nearby marked BGM (Background music) that is for playing music through the speakers of your phones. If you can’t find it, or would like a little advice, give me a call using a mobile phone, and I’ll help. We always offer free tech support to anyone who calls.
Even the call is free: 800-862-8896.
The jack can be accessible from the outside of the phone system box cover, or you may need to open or remove the cover. I’m not a phone tech, but I’ve done this many with no problems. Just be gentle. Inside it usually looks like the inside of a computer. Look around for a place where wires are plugged in, to find the correct jack.
When you find the MOH Jack
The MOH jack is usually an RCA jack format (see the image).
Your music on hold source connects to the jack with an audio cable with a “male mono RCA” plug on the end. Very few phone systems use a “mini” plug, like the one your use on your iPod, but it is possible. Here’s an article that shows the hookup in an AT&T Partner system.
Found the MOH jack yet? That was the easy part. Why not send us a picture of your phone system and MOH Jack from your smart phone: send it to service@informermessages.com to be sure.
Now you have to decide what you’d like your callers to hear. Music? Whose favorite music will you choose? What’s worse than listening to somebody else’s favorite music? Playing music (even the radio) actually requires legal licensing. So you’ll actually be paying to entertain callers.
A better solution is to give your callers what they want: information.
Make that MOH jack a “marketing on hold” tool. That’s why they’re calling you. Informer Messages on hold are custom written, based on a strategy to help you reach more of your goals. We use information about your company, your customers, and your goals to develop the script that delivers the right information to the right people at the right time.
Congratulations. You found your MOH Jack.
Now lets put it to good use. Call now for a Free 15-minute Brainstorming Session: 800-862-8896.