RIP Hold Times
1962-2025
Hold music has made an indelible mark on customer service, providing comfort to those awaiting support from organizations for 63 years. Hold music is survived by those entities who once leveraged its dulcet tones to soothe customers, and have recently found new life in a hold-time-free world where AI agents provide instant access to support.
A Happy Accident
Born in 1962 to inventor and entrepreneur, Alfred Levy, hold music was conceived by happy accident when Levy discovered that an exposed wire in his telephone system was picking up a radio broadcast from a nearby station.
Hold music was patented in 1966 as ‘Telephone Hold Program System.’ Hold music’s work was described by Levy as an instrumental solution to a problem suffered by many…
“During the time that an incoming call is being held… the originator of the call (the incoming caller) hears no sound in the ear piece of his telephone instrument. Insofar as he is concerned he is connected to a dead line. This is often disturbing or exasperating… the originator of the call often is led to believe that his connection has been broken or that his call has been forgotten or that something has gone wrong with the telephone equipment… In any event, listening to a completely unresponsive instrument is tedious and calls often are abandoned altogether or remade which leads to annoyance and a waste of time and money.”
A Happy Accident
Hold music quickly grew into an important staple of customer service as we know it today.
Hold music did not live a life without controversy. Over the years, millions have complained, some going so far as to say that hold music is driving them to the brink of sanity. But the importance of its work cannot be overlooked.
CNN reported that 70% of customers in the United States would hang up the phone if they were made to hold the line in silence for upwards of 60 seconds.
Hold music has undeniably made a significant impact on both organizations and their customers.
Troubled Final Years
Hold music has faced significant public backlash over the course of its career...
…with many taking to online review sites and social media networks to lament their frustration.
The final years of hold music’s career were tough, as AI agents enabled companies to answer calls instantly, with no hold times. Customers around the world grew to expect immediate support.
After 63 years of loyal service, hold music had come to represent the opposite of its original purpose. At the time of its death, hold music was no longer able to offer comfort to customers, and had instead become the voice of bad customer service.
Are You Ready to Move On?
Hold music had a good run, but it’s time to move on to a new era of customer support.
Are you ready for an AI agent that delivers consistent, on-brand and instant customer support 24/7/365?