AT&T- I am On Hold
I am hold with AT&T where their agents are currently helping other customers, or so their bleeping voicemail says. Not only that, I have called them at a time in which they are experiencing an unusually large call volume.
The funny thing about this is that no matter what time I call I receive that message. So I wonder to myself, are they really that popular? Is this just the standard excuse they use so that they do not have to account for their inordinately long waiting times or is it something else.
I rather suspect that this is like the Supermarket:
” To begin I want to know why they bother to set up 27 checkout stands as no matter what time/day or how busy they are I can guarantee that only five of them will be manned by a live cashier. That leaves 22 empty stands and several lines.”
I really do wonder if there isn’t just one person handling 7,876 customers at a time. It sure feels like it. Add this to my list of special talents.
Ok, I have been on hold for almost 16 minutes. I think that I am going to send them a bill for the time I have been forced to waste while Ethel the sole operator for the city of Los Angeles talks to Aunt Bea in Mayberry about her favorite pumpkin pie recipe.
Excuse me, I have to go now. I am going to ask my neighbor to hit me in the head with a lead pipe. It is much less painful.
Jack's Shack April 8, 2006 at 4:52 am
MGA,
That sounds nice, but there still comes a point in time when I get sick of being on hold. Too much nonsense.
Rebecca,
I understand, completely.
Miriam,
I’ll have to check that out, thank you.
miriam April 8, 2006 at 2:01 am
Go to this database:http://gethuman.com/us/. They tell you how to get in touch with a real live human being in hundreds of companies.
Rebecca April 7, 2006 at 9:31 pm
wow. you totally hit the nail on the head with this one. I usually don’t accomplish much because I put off calling or I get so frustrated that I just hang up.
MUST Gum Addict April 7, 2006 at 2:24 pm
One of the greatest on hold experiences I ever had was with a tech comany called Dantz (they make the Retrospect backup software among others) and when you’re on hold, you get to choose what music you want to listen to. They had a choice of like 5 different types of hold music — anywhere from muzak, to news, to a Jimi Hendrix Live in Concert album. It was refreshing to hear “press one for classical music…” and it took the sting off the long wait on hold.
Jack's Shack April 7, 2006 at 6:55 am
I am glad that someone laughed because for a while I was mad as hell. All is well, now.
Amishav April 7, 2006 at 2:57 am
Oh man, your post made me laugh. I can relate. I was once on hold with T-Mobile for so long I was actually able to make a good-sized ball out of rubber bands. I hope that one operator didn’t go on break after helping Aunt Bee. Hang in there!