Being Placed on Hold

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JB1842

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So I'm now 10 minutes listening to crappy music waiting for the receptionist to get back to me. Stupid me for saying I can wait, I guess. So has anybody told the person answering the phone that they can't be placed on hold? What happened?
 
They place you on a longer hold.
This time with no music.
 
JB1842 said:
So I'm now 10 minutes listening to crappy music waiting for the receptionist to get back to me. Stupid me for saying I can wait, I guess. So has anybody told the person answering the phone that they can't be placed on hold? What happened?
Click to expand...

I'll be right with you.
 
I don't mind the hold music so much since I can do something else while it plays. What is really annoying is recorded voice breaking in saying that they are busy and will get right to me. Music I can ignore, the voice grabs my attention each time, raising the hope that a real person is talking to me. But nooooooooo.
 
I do that all the time, just tell them you can't wait. Most of the time I just leave a message. Depends on who you are calling as to whether they call back.
 
"Your call is important to us."

Yeah, right. If it were important I wouldn't be listening to your crappy music and the message that basically says "We don't give a siht."
 
I usually hang up.

The absolute worst is when someone calls you and then has the nerve to put you on hold. That's an immediate hang up.
 
Twentysome years ago we had a CEO who said that at no time would we ever have a system where you have to hold, then "press 1 for...", then hold again. That our customers would always have a live person. It couldn't have been more than a few days after he retired that our customers had to start pressing 1 for...

Actually, I get it when you have to hold for a minute, maybe two. But we've all had hold times that have exceeded half an hour. Those are CEOs who need replaced.
 
I don't normally have enough time to respond between the question and the hold button being pushed.

Actually, I think I'd rather hear crappy music than dead silence. At least I know I'm still connected.
 
Depends on how desperate I am to talk to whomever I'm trying to talk to.

But how often is "Let me place you on hold" ever phrased as a question?
 
I always ask "can you hold for a few minutes?"

The rare times they say no, I say, "okay, but do hold for 15-20 seconds so I can tell the other person I was talking to to hold so I can talk to you."

Alternatively, I'll ask for the phone number and then call them back as soon as everyone else is dealt with.
 
IRS hold times exceed one hour at some times of the day, for some departments.
I figured it out however - if you call at 7:00am, you only have to wait 20 minutes!
:D
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
IRS hold times exceed one hour at some times of the day, for some departments.
I figured it out however - if you call at 7:00am, you only have to wait 20 minutes!
:D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip; 700AM where?
 
Gerhardt said:
Twentysome years ago we had a CEO who said that at no time would we ever have a system where you have to hold, then "press 1 for...", then hold again. That our customers would always have a live person. It couldn't have been more than a few days after he retired that our customers had to start pressing 1 for...

Actually, I get it when you have to hold for a minute, maybe two. But we've all had hold times that have exceeded half an hour. Those are CEOs who need replaced.
Click to expand...

I finally decided to hang up after spending 45 minutes on hold on the employee pass rider coordination line for a certain airline after going through about 5 minutes of "Press 1 for English," "Press 1 if you are reporting a death," etc.

I used to like this CEO but 45+ minutes? For employees?! Doesn't look too positive to me.
 
I don't know which is worse, being on hold, or being sent to voicemail, where you leave a message, and never get a call back.
 
bluerooster said:
I don't know which is worse, being on hold, or being sent to voicemail, where you leave a message, and never get a call back.
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I know what's worse: Being on hold, listening to crappy music interrupted every few minutes with "Your call is important, blah, blah, blah" followed by more crappy music. Finally, someone answers, says his name is "Logan", speaks in an accent I can barely understand, asks for my account and phone number twice because I couldn't understand him the first time, puts me on hold again, comes back and says he can't help me and will have to transfer me to someone else, and get put on hold again. Finally, someone else answers, her name is "Brenda" and she also speaks in an accent I can barely understand, only to ask for my account info several more times. Then, after listening to her ask questions for another 10 minutes while I answer what I think she asked, which probably was NOT what she actually asked because I can barely understand a word she said, she says thank you for your call (I think that's what she said) and hangs up.

That is worse.
 
Matthew said:
I know what's worse: Being on hold, listening to crappy music interrupted every few minutes with "Your call is important, blah, blah, blah" followed by more crappy music. Finally, someone answers, says his name is "Logan", speaks in an accent I can barely understand, asks for my account and phone number twice because I couldn't understand him the first time, puts me on hold again, comes back and says he can't help me and will have to transfer me to someone else, and get put on hold again. Finally, someone else answers, her name is "Brenda" and she also speaks in an accent I can barely understand, only to ask for my account info several more times. Then, after listening to her ask questions for another 10 minutes while I answer what I think she asked, which probably was NOT what she actually asked because I can barely understand a word she said, she says thank you for your call (I think that's what she said) and hangs up.

That is worse.
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I love that these people have my full legal name, address, answers to my "security questions", and "last four of [my] Social" right in front of them.
 
In today's world, extended hold is a cost cuttng measure. They understaff in the hope that you'll give up entirely or (at least) figure out the automated options and make one of them work.

The problem is that there are certain functions which are not doable in most automated systems, so you get the endless hold treatment even when there is t a system to meet your need.
 
Just today, I called about my Terra avionics, hadda push a button or two, then sat on hold for a time, then a recorded female voice came on instructing me to call this person, and gave me a phone number. I call that number and get the voicemail of that person. I left a message, and am still waiting on a callback.
 
Two things.

Calling and having to punch in your account number, then when someone answers the first thing they do is ask for your account number.

"Please listen closely as our menu has changed."
 
Love it (not) when after eternal hold, someone comes on who can't/won't help with the problem you've called about, but then has the nerve to ask ".....and is there anything else we can help you with today?..."

Someone out there has instilled that phrase into all help lines in the last year or so.....probably getting the big bucks as customer service consultants.

Anyone worse that AT&T?
 
EppyGA said:
Two things.

Calling and having to punch in your account number, then when someone answers the first thing they do is ask for your account number.

"Please listen closely as our menu has changed."
Click to expand...

Personally, I go straight to the front of the line...

Just keep screaming..Representative..........

That usually works..... Most of the time...:redface:
 
paflyer said:
Thanks for the tip; 700AM where?
Click to expand...

The office I call is open 8:00am ET which is 7:00am here ie CT

Coincidentally, I have to call them again tomorrow....Because I discovered they Failed To Complete The Task as promised 2 months ago! Grr!
 
EppyGA said:
Calling and having to punch in your account number, then when someone answers the first thing they do is ask for your account number"
Click to expand...

it probably makes no difference but I always point this out; "I just punched it in, didn't it show up?"
Maybe that's passive aggressive but I'd sure like to see a change.

I wonder if all ths ridiculousness is a stalling tactic til they can get a human on the line.
 
How about calling, wading through their calltree, getting a live voice and finding out you have the wrong department. They toss out the 800 number to call, then transfer you to... another calltree. And repeat same 3 times until you end up back where you started from.
Last call ended up being over 45 minutes.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
it probably makes no difference but I always point this out; "I just punched it in, didn't it show up?"
Maybe that's passive aggressive but I'd sure like to see a change.

I wonder if all ths ridiculousness is a stalling tactic til they can get a human on the line.
Click to expand...

Probably the automation uses your punched number to a) verify that you're a live one and b) direct the call to the correct boiler room in India.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
The office I call is open 8:00am ET which is 7:00am here ie CT

Coincidentally, I have to call them again tomorrow....Because I discovered they Failed To Complete The Task as promised 2 months ago! Grr!
Click to expand...

Thanks, I need to get a PIN because someone stole my SSN last year. Took 10 months to get my refund. Criminal got it the same day they filed the phony return. Looking forward to hours on hold.
 
Apparently you've never called Verizon. Or Comcast. Or XM.

Gerhardt said:
Twentysome years ago we had a CEO who said that at no time would we ever have a system where you have to hold, then "press 1 for...", then hold again. That our customers would always have a live person. It couldn't have been more than a few days after he retired that our customers had to start pressing 1 for...

Actually, I get it when you have to hold for a minute, maybe two. But we've all had hold times that have exceeded half an hour. Those are CEOs who need replaced.
Click to expand...

I worked with a CEO who went and physically removed a voice mail system from one of our properties until the team learned how to use it properly. The message got to the other properties very quickly....
 
I hate being on hold as much as the rest of you. I do like, however, the option to have them call you back in an estimated "x" minutes. That system is pretty good and eliminates the really awful music from my life. -Skip
 
JB1842 said:
Know what? No music doesn't sound too bad.
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I'll vote for no music. Today I waited on hold for half an hour listening to the most annoying music on hold that I can think of. I was waiting for a tech support person to come on the line. When he finally came on he spoke with such a heavy Indian accent that I could not understand him. Welcome to Dell SonicWall support.
 
wsuffa said:
Apparently you've never called Verizon. Or Comcast. Or XM.



I worked with a CEO who went and physically removed a voice mail system from one of our properties until the team learned how to use it properly. The message got to the other properties very quickly....
Click to expand...

It was about 20 years ago, but a new chief was appointed to the organization I work for. Before reporting for duty he tried to call - and was unable to speak to a human being. When he did show up he shut the voice mail system down cold - for several years - before relenting.

Dave
 
Just did this with Verizon Wireless - got a human doing a script thing, not really listening. So I just hung up - life's too short, and I had other options.

And he called me back! Hung up on him again, and same-same! I think maybe he thought the call was being dropped or someting. Just a little surreal. . .
 
I got put on hold by crew screwing, cough I mean scheduling, when THEY called me today. I had already worked 12 hours and was walking out of the airport when they called saying I was getting reassigned and my days off taken away.

The dude had the audacity to put me on hold to confirm the reassignment....

I really should have hung up and kept walking to the car.... :mad2:
 
cessna182b said:
It was about 20 years ago, but a new chief was appointed to the organization I work for. Before reporting for duty he tried to call - and was unable to speak to a human being. When he did show up he shut the voice mail system down cold - for several years - before relenting.

Dave
Click to expand...

I had a boss that refused to let me have voicemail (this was at AT&T!!). If I was out of the office the phone would ring and ring. No one would be able to tell me what they wanted. If I was in the office and busy doing something else, the phone would ring and ring and no one would be able to tell me what they wanted because I unplugged the fool thing. I started the unplugging bit after having several incidents of people I was helping in person standing while I had chatty Cathy on the phone.

The next boss immediately got me voicemail.
 
Anymouse;1988029[B said:
]I had a boss that refused to let me have voicemail (this was at AT&T!!)[/B]. If I was out of the office the phone would ring and ring. No one would be able to tell me what they wanted. If I was in the office and busy doing something else, the phone would ring and ring and no one would be able to tell me what they wanted because I unplugged the fool thing. I started the unplugging bit after having several incidents of people I was helping in person standing while I had chatty Cathy on the phone.

The next boss immediately got me voicemail.
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AT&T...

HA.. the same idiots who just bought Direct TV.... Ya just have to shake your head and wonder " what the hell were they thinkin":dunno:...


Well,, other then the pesky fact that the guv broke up Ma Bell years ago because it was a monopoly... And the fact that Direct TV owns CenturyLink, one of the early MA Bell regionals.... So, it seems Southwestern Bell ( AT&T) is now reassembling the good old days...:rolleyes:..
 
N801BH said:
AT&T...

HA.. the same idiots who just bought Direct TV.... Ya just have to shake your head and wonder " what the hell were they thinkin":dunno:...


Well,, other then the pesky fact that the guv broke up Ma Bell years ago because it was a monopoly... And the fact that Direct TV owns CenturyLink, one of the early MA Bell regionals.... So, it seems Southwestern Bell ( AT&T) is now reassembling the good old days...:rolleyes:..
Click to expand...

It's been a convoluted mess ever since divestiture. I've lost track off all the mergers, acquisitions and name changes since I left American Transtech (the subsidiary that handled the divestiture) circa 1990.
 
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