International Podcast Day: What Business Phone Audio Can Learn From Podcasts

It's International Podcast Day, a chance to celebrate the
growing popularity of podcasts and the people behind them.

Over the past few years, podcasts have made professional voice recording and audio production more accessible than ever. Good microphones, recording software and editing tools are now within reach of almost anyone who wants to create their own content.

But there's an important lesson businesses can take from podcasting.

Good audio matters.

The same principles that make a podcast sound professional also apply to your business phone system. Your welcome greeting, IVR menu, on hold messages and out of hours announcements are all part of the experience your customers have with your brand.

Your phone system is part of your brand

Businesses spend a lot of time thinking about how their brand looks.

Your website has been carefully designed. Your social media follows your brand guidelines. Your emails use consistent colours, fonts and language.

But what happens when someone picks up the phone?

Your telephone system is another customer touchpoint, and it's often one of the first places a customer interacts with your business.

A rushed recording, poor sound quality or confusing IVR menu can make an otherwise professional business feel less polished.

On the other hand, clear, well-produced telephone messaging can create a more consistent and professional customer experience.

What can businesses learn from podcasts?

1. Good scripts make good audio

A podcast can have excellent production quality, but if the presenter doesn't know what they're trying to say, the finished result won't work.

The same applies to telephone messaging.

Phone scripts need to be written for the ear, not the page. Long sentences, complicated language and too much information can be difficult to follow when someone is listening rather than reading.

A good business phone script should be:

• Clear
• Concise
• Natural
• Easy to understand
• Appropriate for the audience
• Consistent with the brand

At Onhold Studio, our script writers can help businesses create effective telephone messaging, whether you already have a draft or you're starting from scratch.

2. The right voice matters

Podcasters understand the importance of finding a voice and presentation style that suits their content.

Your business phone system is no different.

A law firm might want a calm and authoritative voice. A children's organisation could benefit from something warmer and more approachable. A technology company might prefer a confident, modern delivery.

There isn't one voice that's right for every business.

At Onhold Studio, we work with a wide range of professional voice artists, making it easier to find a voice that fits your brand, audience and message.

3. Recording quality makes a difference

Most people can recognise poor audio quality.

Background noise, echo, inconsistent volume and muffled speech can make something difficult or unpleasant to listen to.

Professional recording gives your telephone messages the clarity they need, particularly when callers are listening through a telephone system where audio quality can already be limited.

Our professional audio production process ensures recordings are edited, cleaned up and prepared for use across your telephone system.

4. Production is more than pressing record

A professional recording doesn't simply involve someone reading a script into a microphone.

There is a production process behind the finished result.

This can include:

• Selecting the appropriate voice artist
• Preparing and reviewing the script
• Recording the voiceover
• Editing the recording
• Removing unwanted noise
• Adjusting levels
• Adding music or other audio where appropriate
• Producing the final files for your telephone system

The result should sound natural, clear and professional.

5. Music can influence the experience

Podcasts have also shown how important music and sound can be in creating atmosphere.

The same applies to music on hold.

Silence can make callers wonder whether they've been disconnected, while inappropriate music can feel distracting or out of place.

The right music can complement your brand and make the waiting experience feel more positive.

Onhold Studio has an extensive library of royalty-free music covering a range of styles, making it easier to find something appropriate for your business.

6. Consistency matters

Imagine a customer visits your website and sees a modern, professional brand, then receives a telephone greeting that sounds completely different.

It creates a disconnect.

Your audio should feel like part of the same brand.

This is where audio branding comes in.

Your choice of voice, tone, music and wording can all contribute to how customers perceive your business.

From your welcome greeting through to your IVR, on hold and out of hours messages, a consistent approach creates a smoother customer journey.

Professional audio isn't just for podcasts

Podcasters have helped demonstrate just how much difference good audio production can make.

But you don't need to produce a podcast to benefit from professional voice recording.

Every time someone calls your business, they are experiencing your brand through sound.

At Onhold Studio, we provide a complete range of professional audio services for businesses, including:

• On hold messages
• Music on hold
• IVR menu options
• Welcome greetings
• Out of hours messages
• Professional voice talent

We can also help with VoIP solutions, websites and social media, giving businesses support across both their audio and digital communications.

Give your business phone system a listen

Here's a simple exercise you can do today.

Call your own business.

Don't pick up immediately. Listen to everything your customer hears.

What does the welcome greeting sound like?

Is the IVR easy to understand?

What music plays while they wait?

Are the on hold messages still relevant?

What happens if they call outside your opening hours?

You might be surprised by what you hear.

Your telephone system is an important part of the customer experience, so it's worth giving it the same attention you give to your website, social media and other marketing channels.

Want to improve your business phone audio?

Whether you need a completely new telephone messaging system or simply want to refresh an existing recording, Onhold Studio can help.

From writing the script and choosing the right voice artist to recording, editing and preparing the finished audio, we can take care of the process from start to finish.