Jazz, pop or rock – what’s your preference?
Feb. 25, 2026
Macy Her and Kenny Roisum, two Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) employees, see a lot of customers when they work at DVS Town Square in St. Paul. They smile as customers enter and help them get the service they need.
Customers often share with Her and Roisum specific things they don’t like or want changed. One thing they’ve heard from customers when they come in is that they don’t appreciate getting placed on hold, especially for a long time.
And what happens when you’re a customer and you sit on hold? You listen to music.
Customers have complained about DVS’ hold music. Her and Roisum have heard this complaint a lot.
On a Friday in late February, Her and Roisum learned DVS is inviting customers to review and vote on the music they will hear when getting placed on hold. Her and Roisum know waiting at DVS can sometimes be boring, and the hold music survey is a new and exciting thing to do.
So, Her and Roisum started letting customers know they could have a bit of fun while they waited for their number to be called.
“I think this is a fun idea and great way to engage customers,” says Her. “Plus, it gives them something to do while they wait in the lobby.”
DVS serves millions of customers each year and receives thousands of calls daily. But only 39 full-time staff members answer incoming customer calls at DVS’ contact center.
The average time on hold is currently six to nine minutes, and some incoming calls end up on hold listening to music.
“We know most customers don’t think of DVS as a fun place to visit,” DVS Director Pong Xiong commented. “But when we can, we try to bring a bit of fun into the customer experience.”
Enter the DVS hold music customer survey.
Customers listen to four songs and then vote for their favorite. The melody with the most votes by the end of March will be what customers hear when they call in later this year.
Posters will be in all DVS exam locations statewide showing how to vote.
Whether it is music or a smile, Macy and Kenny know the importance of making customers happy. They know a friendly voice — either in-person or on the phone — matters.
“Not only am I an employee of DVS, but I’m also a customer. When I have to sit on hold and listen to music I dislike, it bothers me. I think it’s great to involve customers in the decision-making process,” Roisum added. “It’s a couple of steps — but easy to do.”
Vote on the DVS hold music
To pick your preference:
- Call 469-397-3737
- Listen to the four song options
Come back to see what song you and other Minnesotans selected in April!
DVS employees encourage customers to take the survey to help select the hold music.
Mark Karstedt
Communication Specialist
Driver and Vehicle Services