If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
The HOLD button!!!
I absolutely abhor the hold button. It is nothing more than an excuse to not be bothered. It is another excuse for employers to see how much cash they can stuff in their pockets by not hiring adequate staff to do a job.
As someone who can’t sit still doing nothing, hold is akin to a torture chamber. At least now I can pull out my Kindle and read while I am waiting.
First responders have a time limit when it comes to answering a call, that is why they are sometimes seen just sitting in various places. Those places make it easier to answer a call in a shorter amount of time. T
he same should be in place for companies whose job is answering phones. There should be a time limit and not make people sit on a phone wasting an hour and sometimes two on hold just to get a question answered or solve a problem.
I guess no one these CEO’s that time is not only precious, it is also finite. We only have so much time each day to get things done.
And if these people are going to insist on filling the time with so called music that lasts about eight counts before it starts over; then they need to find some REAL music while we wait.
And for all that is holy STOP coming on every five seconds to tell us how important we are and that our call will be answered shortly. We ALL know it’s a bold faced LIE!!! You don’t care about us and you really wish we would go away!
I don’t know who invented the hold button, but I curse his name every time I have to wait more than a few minutes.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful post ✍️
As someone who has spent a decade working in call centers, I appreciate the hold button. It allowed me to briefly pause the conversation so I could obtain more information to better help the caller. Had I been required to be on the phone, I wouldn’t have been able to reach out to my knowledgable manager or read documentation.
I know that as a caller it’s frustrating to be placed on hold. A good call center representative will check in every 1-2 minutes to ensure the caller is still there and ask whether they need anything.
It’s also important to note that a mid-volume call center can easily take 60+ calls a shift per agent. The company prioritizes money over service so the person you’re speaking to on the other end isn’t paid handsomely and they’re expected to finish the call as quickly as possible. There isn’t enough staff on the clock at any given time, so when they hang up with you they’re right onto the next caller. There isn’t time for breaks or taking a breath.
If you’re still not happy with being placed on hold, simply decline the request. They should be asking, “Is it okay if I place you on a brief hold?” “No, that’s not okay, do what you need to while we’re on the phone.” And they will.
I’m talking about before a live person even picks up the phone.
I see. That would be because the companies are too cheap to hire more employees to answer the phone. Profit is king in capitalistic countries.