As service providers tailor their business offerings to accommodate the flurry of activity around the holidays, a unique offering has been issued from Advertel (News - Alert), a provider of On Hold services. In celebration of the 30-year anniversary since it was originally revealed that Mary Crosby (Bing Crosby’s daughter) was the actress that answered the call to the cliffhanger question, “Who shot JR?,” Advertel is including an interview featuring comments by Mary and Kathryn Crosby “regarding Mary’s role in this landmark Dallas episode, as well as more fabulous Bing music for the holidays,” stated Paul Beran, CEO of Advertel. I discussed with Beran to get more of the scoop on what Advertel is offering for the holidays. See the full exchange below:

JK: How does the Bing Crosby music for On Hold services reflect Advertel’s standard for supplying the best on hold experience for the customer?

PB: The bona fide “licensed” use of Bing Crosby music for the holidays reflects Advertel’s commitment to deliver only the highest quality music and announcers on the planet.  It is far too easy for businesses to put unlicensed, pirated, or so-called royalty-free music on-hold, and many do.  It is nearly impossible for businesses to negotiate the use-license of quality music by name performers on their own.  And, if it were possible, it would be very, very costly.  With ADS-ON (News - Alert)-HOLD’s near 30-years’ experience, track record, and extensive Hollywood contacts, it’s not only possible, but it costs the subscriber absolutely nothing extra!  You’ll find that an ADS-ON-HOLD annual subscription costs just about the same as other on-hold programs of lessor quality, if not less. 

JK: How will Advertel’s customers benefit from this service?

PB: Callers immediately recognize the difference between “royalty-free” music, and songs published by “name” artists.  When they hear something of quality that they recognize, they usually respond to it –and often, with their checkbook.  To kick this affect up a notch even further, ADS-ON-HOLD typically arranges for up-close and personal interviews with the artist -- or in the case of Bing Crosby, with surviving members of his family.  This demonstrates the extent with which we’re willing to go to make the on-hold experience interesting and entertaining.  These interviews are evidently produced for ADS-ON-HOLD.  They’re short, to the point, mildly amusing, and contain references to the on-hold listener.  The latter often causes an immediate caller reaction, “How did you arrange all that –just for your hold button?”  We like to hear it when our subscribers gain tangible benefit from this additional prestige.  As such, we’ve implemented a system called “T-R-I,” the Tangible Results Initiative.  We know of no other competitor in the industry that uses a mechanism like T-R-I that demonstrates positive results generated by their on-hold program.

JK: How does Advertel set itself apart from other On Hold providers with this holiday offering?

PB: If your company has an on-hold program by anyone other than ADS-ON-HOLD from Advertel, ask yourself, “What have they done for us lately?”  Each year of the past three decades that ADS-ON-HOLD’s in the on-hold industry, we’ve worked hard to outdo the previous year.  Effectively, we set our own standard each year, then proceed to “beat” the prior year’s effort.  Our competitors… well, they offer some form of Jingle Bells each year. 

By comparison, all subscribers to ADS-ON-HOLD have enjoyed the following:

2010:     Licensed music of Bing Crosby from “Christmas Sing with Bing!” 

                Exclusive interviews with Kathryn Crosby (Bing’s wife) and actress Mary Crosby (Bing’s daughter).

This year included a special segment in honor of the 30th anniversary of the famous Dallas TV Show cliffhanger, when Mary Crosby’s infamous character “Shot JR!”

2009:     Licensed music of Bing Crosby from “Christmas Sing with Bing!” 

                Exclusive interviews with Kathryn Crosby (Bing’s wife) and actress Mary Crosby (Bing’s daughter).

2008:     Licensed music of Vince Guaraldi from “The Peanuts® Gang!”  in conclusion of ADS-ON-HOLD’s 25th anniversary year.

                Exclusive interviews with Academy Award winner, Lee Mendelson, Executive Producer and partner of the late Charles Shultz.

                This year included additional interview segments with Lee Mendelson, as well as short clips from the cartoons.

2007:     Licensed music of Vince Guaraldi from “The Peanuts® Gang!”  in celebration of ADS-ON-HOLD’s 25th anniversary year.

                Exclusive interviews with Academy Award winner, Lee Mendelson, Executive Producer and partner of the late Charles Shultz.

2006:     Special production of nationally syndicated jazz DJ:  “Rockin’ Ron’s Golden Holdies for the Holidays”

                Exclusive interviews with Santa, Mrs. Claus, Santa’s Elves, and Rudolph, as performed by DIATRIBE PLAYERS.

2005 thru

2002:     Licensed music of Triple Platinum Mannheim Steamroller   (4 years in a row!)

                Featuring remixes of this group’s fabulous music specially designed for the telephone hold button.

JK: Does Advertel have a plan for any seasonal offerings in 2011?

PB: Oh, yes.  Plans are already underway for ADS-ON-HOLD to top all of our previous years!  We can’t wait to release details of the Christmas Season 2011-2012, with notice due to be released 2nd quarter, 2011. 

We’ve come to know that most business owners and managers prefer to think about their on-hold program as little as possible throughout the year.  That’s partially why they become an ADS-ON-HOLD subscriber in the first place -- we manage the program for them, so they don’t have to!  But, if there was a time throughout the year that they will actively think about it, it’s the time leading up to the holidays.  ADS-ON-HOLD likes to reward this extra attention with an extra special holiday bonus.  It’s our way of saying “thank you” for their business!

Juliana Kenny graduated from the University of Connecticut with a double degree in English and French. After managing a small company for two years, she joined TMC (News - Alert) as a Web Editor for TMCnet. Juliana currently focuses on the call center and CRM industries, but she also writes about cloud telephony and network gear including softswitches.

Edited by Juliana Kenny