This article about on hold music licensing is still in development, so we have all the legalese correct. We’re not lawyers, we’re marketers. But we do know that licensing for your hold music is important, to make sure you don’t break the law. ASCAP and other licensing organizations require that you pay a fee based on the type of business you run, to play (or “rebroadcast”) music over your phones. That’s because you don’t really “own” the music you buy. You only own it for your personal use. You can’t just do anything with it, like give a concert.
Find out about on hold music licensing
There are lots of ways to find out about the reasoning and the procedure. The bottom line: you can’t just play your favorite music, or even the radio, on your telephone system’s hold button without paying the fees or you risk an expensive lawsuit. If you want to find out about on hold music licensing right away, why not give me a call, and I’ll explain it to you. Playing music without a license means that the artists who created it isn’t fairly compensated. It’s considered stealing the music. Call me: Casey Hart (800) 862-8896.
On hold music licensing isn’t complicated, but it is important.
You can call any of the music licensing agencies (such as ASCAP or BMI) to ask them about licensing. They’ll probably direct you to an online form to fill out, and pay an annual fee. One client, a well-known Manhattan Pub, had been paying about $400/year. The fee is based on the number of phone lines in your business: more lines, more fees. The pub was well known enough that they didn’t dare try to fly “under the radar.” My experience with these agencies is that the process is time consuming, and all you’re doing is obtaining permission to play music.
Is there a better choice?
When your phone rings, it’s a “call for help.” #Holdhappens. So why not start giving your callers help even if they have to wait on hold. Click here to get details about how to make “hold” time more interesting and helpful (and more productive!), or get what you need right away by calling (800) 862-8896.