How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

[NeverNeverland]

So... I got a new phone number. My old number I had NO issues with. This one? I keep getting calls for other people. And a recording has called me 3 times. This time I actually listened to the message... It said "Press 1 to speak to an agent." I press 1 and am immediatly on hold. About 5 minutes later I get a menu - dial your party's extension or 0 for operator. I dial 0. And wait. And wait.

(BTW, it was a co. that provides financial buisness serivces for companies. Because I am apparently a company.)

I wait and wait. I had speakerphone on so I was doing things while this was happening. (Including going to the Web site and telling them not to call me)

Finally, I decide I'll give them 20 minutes then hang up. At 19, FINALLY, the operat... no, a RECORDING saying it was the operator and that all agents were busy and leave a message with your claim number and they'll call you back came on.

Uh huh.

We'll see what happens.

So, what's the longest YOU would wait on hold for someone?

[Kaye]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Cant recall but...

If it's very important like a paying a bill then i 'll wait. Cause I know i'm gonna forget later if i hang up. But then you get the one with music.
If its a good tune and I didnt realize Ive been on for more than an hour then thats cool.

[Tui]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

I've waited half an hour for nothing when I called Apple.






























Please Wait.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

I won't wait, for anything. I pay my bills on line and do not hold for anyone.

[Mac Daddy]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Y'all are FAR more patient than I am.

At two minutes I'm drumming my fingers.
At five minutes, I'm done. If it's not life or death, forget about it.

In addition, I'm CONSTANTLY looking for ways to cut throught the number pressing crappy process. I usually start by pressing "0" every chance I get. There's nothing that drives me nuts faster than pressing 52 buttons and finally hearing "If you still want to talk to a live human being, press "0". :bang:


AND...if the techinician I FINALLY get is from India, it's game over.

"No, it's Windows XP.......

Windows.

WWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNDDDDDDDOOOOOOOWWWWWWS!

XP.

No....not 98.....X.....P......

Sure. I'll hold."

:bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Y'all are FAR more patient than I am.

At two minutes I'm drumming my fingers.
At five minutes, I'm done. If it's not life or death, forget about it.

In addition, I'm CONSTANTLY looking for ways to cut throught the number pressing crappy process. I usually start by pressing "0" every chance I get. There's nothing that drives me nuts faster than pressing 52 buttons and finally hearing "If you still want to talk to a live human being, press "0". :bang:


AND...if the techinician I FINALLY get is from India, it's game over.

"No, it's Windows XP.......

Windows.

WWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNDDDDDDDOOOOOOOWWWWWWS!

XP.

No....not 98.....X.....P......

Sure. I'll hold."

:bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

OMG you are my long lost brother!!! I do the same thing :lmao:

[Joshrzmeup]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

I'll wait less than 5 minutes, then i'll hang up.

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

my friends know that call waiting is bunk and not to pull it on me. I hang up !!

[MandaBella]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

It depends on the music that is playing...

[sailerm]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

More often than not if you press nothing when promted to press a button it will take you straight to a live person.

I won't wait more than a couple of minutes, no matter how good the music on hold is.

I also prefer to handle things via e-mail whenever possible.

[NeverNeverland]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Yeah, this was just BS advertising their services.
If I had to hold the phone, I wouldn't have done it.
But totally, 5 minutes is enough.

[Mac Daddy]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

OMG you are my long lost brother!!! I do the same thing :lmao:

We must have been seperated at birth!

When I call, ESPECIALLY when I want to complain, I want to talk to a...human being!!!


Slightly off topic, how about the computerized 411?



"City and State please."

"Oh...um...West Covina, California."

"I'm sorry. Did you say "Westvina, Montana?"

"No. WWWWWest Coooovina, California."

"West Indies, Indiana?"

"NO, YOU FRICKIN MACHINE! WEST FRICKIN COVINA!"

"I'm sorry sir. I don't show a listing for 'Frickin, Massachusets.' Please stay on the line for an operator."

:bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

[SCUBAbe]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

we've waited over 12 hours before. it sucked....we had the phone on speaker and my BF refused to hang up. Finally at midnight I told him we were hanging up, because I was going to bed....we got through pretty quick the next day///

[Mac Daddy]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Hey gang....look what I found!

http://voice123.com/s/on_hold_messages.html

I had no idea this was an industry. I think I've found a new calling. (No pun intended.) Sadako could join me, and together, we would rule the ON HOLD UNIVERSE! :evil: BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.........

It does sound like an exciting career opportunity, does it not?

Wait, here... let me give you an example:

(ahem)


Your call IS important to us. Please remain on the line, and someone will be with you as soon as possible.


Prrrrretty good, eh?

:botox:

A man has to have a dream.....

[MAXandBELLESmom]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

(please dont hit me)
i work in a call center for a medical computer company. we try to not keep people on hold for long, but sometimes there are too many people on vacation or out sick. in my department the hold times are rarely more than 1-2 min. but other departments can sometimes be 10-20 minutes or more.

my confession.....for the past several years i have recorded my voice for them so if you do end up on hold you get to hear me say "your call is important to us, please remain on the line and the next available representative will assist you" of course i also get to do all the different menus fo rdifferent areas(if you are call ing about such and such, press 1, etc)
and thansk for the link, i have been wanting to see if i could market my voice and make money from it(its not something i get paid for at work, just one of those "above and beyond" things that looks good at annual review time

[figment1986]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Y'all are FAR more patient than I am.

At two minutes I'm drumming my fingers.
At five minutes, I'm done. If it's not life or death, forget about it.

In addition, I'm CONSTANTLY looking for ways to cut throught the number pressing crappy process. I usually start by pressing "0" every chance I get. There's nothing that drives me nuts faster than pressing 52 buttons and finally hearing "If you still want to talk to a live human being, press "0". :bang:


AND...if the techinician I FINALLY get is from India, it's game over.

"No, it's Windows XP.......

Windows.

WWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNDDDDDDDOOOOOOOWWWWWWS!

XP.

No....not 98.....X.....P......

Sure. I'll hold."

:bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang::bang:

my favorite responce after going through all that:
"You need more memory"

I have 1 gig.. how could i need more!!!

I'm impatient.. and give up.. and google them and find another way to get help.

[NeverNeverland]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

12 hours!

I hate those "I'm sorry, did you mean..." "I don't understand you..." SBC (aka ATT) has one, that chick annoys.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

when it gets busy at my work they make us answer the phone. I was transferring someone to another dept, but the way our system works is if they push any buttons it will route them right back to Custoemr service. So, I was waiting out the hold time,s o the customer woould get to the correct area and the hold thing was so annoying.....

please enter your account number

with a valid account number we can route you to the correct area.

would you like to find your account number and call us back

without a valid account number you will have to wait without express service...

OMG....I felt so bad for our customers. There is no express service unless they mean talkign to the automated system.....LOL

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

Your call IS important to us. Please remain on the line, and someone will be with you as soon as possible.


when i hear this...... I am gone. no way am I waiting :lol:

[MAXandBELLESmom]

Re: How Long Will You Wait on Hold?

im just glad the majority of the people who are on hold and listening to my voice(over and over) arent on hold for too long and are employees of the company!