Hotels have a serious problem when they have to put guest “on hold” because of under-staffing or the volume of calls that are taken during “peak periods”. 

According to Sales and Marketing Management magazine, 20% of people who are put “on hold” will buy the services that are “advertised” on hold.  Furthermore, research shows that 70% of people who make phone calls are put on hold, and 70% of those people will hang up if greeted by “silence” for a 30 second period.  If a customer is calling to make a hotel reservation, their immediate business and future business may be lost forever. 

Additionally, when they hang up they are calling the hotels competitors to book their room.  When “on hold” systems were initially introduced into the marketplace, they systemically did not meet the unique needs of the hotel industry. 

For example, an “on hold” system usually requires that the merchant purchase expensive equipment.  Then, there is an expense for the professional “radio commercial” style recording that is done.  In the past, this has been done on a “tape”.  If the hotel wanted a “new” tape, it would pay several hundred dollars to get a different recording.  In the hotel business, a hotel needs to be able to change its recordings on a weekly or monthly basis, to “advertise” seasonal special programs that the hotel is offering. 

This problem was identified by a prominent hotel executive who had founded French Quarter Suites.  He decided to create a program that would solve this particular problem for the lodging industry.  So, Accurate Communications Corporation created a program especially to solve these problems for hotels. 

First, there is no expensive equipment for the hotel to buy.  The company provides a “digital” download of a recording to the hotel.  Moreover, the hotel has the option of subscribing to an affordable program that allows them to make “unlimited changes” to their outgoing message to meet their needs. 

The program is already in place in the Central Reservation center of Hampton Inns and Embassy Suites.   This “on hold” program is essential, because hotels spend up to 90% of their marketing budget to get the phone to ring. 

This “on hold” system does not require a dedicated phone line.  There is no need to turn the system “on” or “off”.  Viable “on hold” advertising is an inexpensive way to increase sales.