The more expensive option is to contract all of your telephone requirements to a company that takes care of the whole process for you, including writing the script, recording the voiceover, music licensing, equipment, and its upkeep. While this may be convenient for you and you will not have to do much yourself, you will need to enter a contract and pay monthly for this level of service.
The flexible and cost-effective way
The more attractive option for most, especially startups and SMEs, is to source the items individually and save a small fortune.
To start with, the equipment, whether online or in the form of a small PBX box, is relatively inexpensive to purchase. Cloud and web-based systems are also an affordable option. Many of these suppliers are very helpful when it comes to setting up your system and uploading your audio. You need to decide which company suits your requirements.
Typically, the company that provides equipment is separate from the company that records and produces the audio. These are two distinct and different skill sets, so even a company that does the whole package is likely to outsource one aspect or the other, depending on their area of expertise.
So, you can easily source the physical aspect of this business need. Next, you need to write a script, which is easy to do yourself with a little bit of guidance (see our script writing guide). You know your business better than anyone.
Then you need to source a voice-over that can record and deliver the audio in the correct format, optimised for telephone use. They will also have to take care of mixing music, and you (or they) will have to ensure that the music is licensed for use.
Alternatively, instead of hiring a voice-over yourself and dealing with music licensing, you can hire us for your telephone messaging needs. There are real advantages to doing it this way.
Firstly, you are not tied into a contract with one company. Secondly, you own the copyright in your script and can buy out the audio copyrights. This means no monthly payment is needed for your audio. The companies that charge you contractually will retain the copyright in any script they write or audio they record.
You may prefer to leave it all to one company; however, if you wish to save a lot of money and enjoy the flexibility of a pay-as-you-go service, you can do the following:
Source your telephone system (search online or get recommendations from others)
The choice is yours. This post presents an economical alternative that gives you more control and flexibility. Rest assured, the quality of our service matches that of contracted providers. The main difference is the cost and how much you want to do yourself.
