How long should an on hold message be?

Keep each message to about 15 to 30 seconds, read slowly. Most callers only hear a minute or two, so two or three short messages with music between them work better than one long speech.

What should an on hold message say?

Thank the caller, tell them they reached the right place, and give one useful thing: your hours, a seasonal reminder or a service they may not know you offer. Skip anything that sounds like a hard sell.

How often should I change my on hold messages?

Once a season is a good rhythm for most service businesses. Change them sooner if your hours, your services or your phone number change.

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On Hold Message Examples for Plumbers, HVAC and Other Service Businesses

Ready-to-read on hold message examples and scripts for plumbers, HVAC, electricians, dental offices and pest control, plus tips on length and timing.

By Explainer Music Videos · October 17, 2026 · 4 min read

Quick answers

How long should an on hold message be?: Keep each message to about 15 to 30 seconds, read slowly. Most callers only hear a minute or two, so two or three short messages with music between them work better than one long speech.
What should an on hold message say?: Thank the caller, tell them they reached the right place, and give one useful thing: your hours, a seasonal reminder or a service they may not know you offer. Skip anything that sounds like a hard sell.
How often should I change my on hold messages?: Once a season is a good rhythm for most service businesses. Change them sooner if your hours, your services or your phone number change.

When a customer calls your shop and has to wait, they hear whatever your phone system plays. Often that's a beep, silence or a message recorded years ago. People searching for on hold message examples usually want words they can read into a phone this afternoon, so that's what this post gives you.

Below are short on hold message scripts by trade, with [Your business] and other placeholders to fill in. Read them out loud, change anything that doesn't sound like you, and keep the ones that fit.

What good on hold messages for business have in common

A few rules for every trade:

Thank them and confirm the place. "Thanks for calling [Your business]" tells the caller they dialed the right number.
Keep it short. 15 to 30 seconds per message. Read slowly and clearly, the way you'd talk to a neighbor at the counter.
Give one useful thing. Hours, a seasonal tip, a service people don't know you offer. One per message.
Don't promise a wait time you can't keep. "We'll be right with you" is safer than "your call will be answered in one minute."
Don't repeat the same line every 20 seconds. Rotate two or three messages with music in between.

On hold message scripts by trade

Each of these is an example. Swap in your own details and cut anything that isn't true for your business.

Plumber

"Thanks for calling [Your business]. We're helping another customer and we'll be with you in just a moment. If you have water where it shouldn't be, you can usually shut off the main valve to your home while you wait. It's often near the water meter or where the line comes into the basement. Stay on the line, and we'll get you sorted out."

"Thanks for holding. [Your business] handles water heaters, drains, sump pumps and leaks of every size in [Your town] and the surrounding area. We'll be right with you."

Heating and cooling (HVAC)

"Thanks for calling [Your business]. Someone will be with you shortly. While you wait, a quick tip: a clogged furnace filter is one of the most common reasons a house won't heat evenly. If yours hasn't been changed in a while, that's an easy place to start."

"Thanks for holding. Fall is the time to get your furnace checked before the first cold night. Ask us about a tune-up when we pick up. You've reached [Your business], serving [Your county] since [Year]."

Electrician

"Thanks for calling [Your business]. We'll be with you in a moment. If you smell burning or see scorch marks at an outlet or your panel, don't wait on hold. Hang up and call 911. Otherwise, stay on the line, and we'll be right with you."

"Thanks for holding. Thinking about standby power, an EV charger or a panel upgrade? [Your business] can come out, look at what you have and explain your options in plain words."

Dental office

"Thank you for calling [Your practice]. Our front desk is helping a patient and will be with you shortly. If you're calling about a dental emergency, please let us know right away when we answer."

"Thanks for holding. Our hours are [Days and hours]. If you need to reschedule, we're glad to help. Just let us know at least a day ahead if you can, so we can offer your time to someone else."

Pest control

"Thanks for calling [Your business]. We'll be right with you. If you're seeing ants in the kitchen this time of year, you're not alone. Wipe up crumbs and sweet spills, and we'll talk about the rest when we pick up."

"Thanks for holding. [Your business] handles ants, mice, wasps, spiders and termite inspections in [Your town] and nearby. Ask about our seasonal service plan. We'll be with you shortly."

Change your on hold message script with the seasons

An on hold message that still talks about air conditioning in January tells callers nobody's minding the store. A simple calendar most Midwest and Texas service businesses can use:

Spring: sump pumps and spring rains, AC checkups, termite swarms, spring cleaning of drains.
Summer: keeping cool, mosquitoes and wasps, storm season, your summer hours.
Fall: furnace tune-ups, mice moving indoors, getting outdoor faucets ready for freezing nights.
Winter: frozen pipes, holiday hours, space heater safety, booking spring work early.

Set a reminder for the first week of each season and rewrite one message. For more on season-by-season wording, see what HVAC companies can post before the first cold snap and heat wave.

Who should read it, and how to record it

Pick the person with the calmest, clearest voice, not necessarily the owner. Record in a small carpeted room so it doesn't echo. Hold the phone or microphone about a hand's width from your mouth. Keep the most relaxed take.

Most office phone systems let you upload an audio file, or record a message by dialing in. Your phone provider can tell you which. If you want to put music under or between your messages, we walk through that in how to put your own song on hold.

Where a song fits

A short song between messages gives callers something pleasant to hear and says your name in a way that's easy to remember.

Our Jingle package is $750, paid once: a 30-second song with your business's name, what it does and your phone number, plus a vertical video for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and the song as an MP3 you can use on hold, on the radio and anywhere else, for as long as you like. You hear it and okay every word first, and you don't pay until you've seen the result. Send us the form to get started, or see where else a business song can go.