On Hold

Yesterday I spent time "on hold" waiting for a friendly customer service representative to answer an insurance question.

It is frustrating to listen to silence or to be subjected to elevator music while you wait for the person on the other end of the line.

Finally, the representative returned to the line and asked another question. More waiting. In a few minutes she returned and asked a clarifying question. More silence.

While I was waiting on the phone I had several thoughts....

I wondered if the representative was actually researching my question or whether she was going down to the candy machine to purchase a candy bar?

I wonder if the representative has a stack of paper on her desk that she can shuffle while she plays solitaire on her PC?

I wonder if the representative is in an office in the US or somewhere in the Pacific Rim?

Finally, she came back on the phone and said, "I have no record of the information that you are looking for."

I could not believe what I was hearing.

Sure enough, there was no record of the information. So I was stuck with the impression of the receiver on the side of my face.

"On hold" means a state of temporary interruption. Everybody has experienced it from time to time.

If you are in an "on hold" moment, make every second count.