Music To Agents' Ears

EarGlue is playing a familiar tune

for telephony agents pining for the old days of simple service sales. The company rolled out to the channel in October its turnkey on-hold messaging and music service, which it says represents an easy add-on for agents practiced in selling telephony subscriptions.

While it’s as comfortable as vinyl on a turntable, this is not your father’s on-hold music service; it’s all-digital and it’s all marketing, says John Waite, executive vice president of sales and marketing for the company. EarGlue provides end users with a digital voice receiver (DVR) EarGlue can dial into remotely to upload audio productions that interface with an existing business telephone system. The DVR is provided at no cost to subscribers. EarGlue offers subscribers unlimited changes for $99 per month or quarterly changes for $79 per month. Contracts are for 36 months and cancelable after 12 months.

All the production is handled inhouse. Waite says EarGlue has more than 10,000 music licenses, a stable of voice talent and two recording studios.

By uploading the recordings to the DVR, the system eliminates cassettes and CDs as well as time delays and shipping costs. EarGlue advertises that new on-hold marketing messages will be recorded, transmitted and active within 72 hours of script approval.

“It is not an on-hold production per se. It’s an advertising medium - a way to inform and educate,” Waite says. EarGlue promotes use of the service to reinforce advertising campaigns, promote special or seasonal events or products, answer frequently asked questions, plug manufacturers or product lines the agent represents, cross-sell products the sales force might not have time to mention and increases customer knowledge about your business, he says.

EarGlue already claims to serve more than 3,500 locations, including marquee clients such as Daimler Chrysler, Pizza Hut, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, American Express and Applebee’s.

Most of its sales are direct or through endorsements from national organizations.

Now the company is reaching out to agents that already have relationships with business customers. “Having this extra service can give them a competitive advantage,” says Waite.

Agents receive 35 percent of the first year’s total revenue upfront plus 10 percent residuals (paid quarterly) in years two and three of a 36-month contract.

Where service becomes potentially lucrative is with multilocation clients. EarGlue pays per location with only a small discount since the messages usually are customized per location.

Agents pay $49 to get the EarGlue sales starter kit with a sales book and video training.

EarGlue also offers a referral program that pays $150 per $99 account and $100 per $79 account. Residuals are possible on high-volume sales, says Waite.