At the end of every year, we analyze data collected by onholdwith.com to expose the worst hold time offenders for the year, and today, we’re ready to reveal the results compiled from 2017. The list is determined by the number of tweets, with the phrase “on hold with”, directed to a brand’s account. Last year, we reported that Apple was the worst company to call, which captured the attention of consumer reporters across the nation (Read Stuck on Hold? The Worst Offenders Include Apple, Amazon, Airlines and 7 on Your Side: Apple, Verizon top ‘on hold’ complaints list). This year, Apple has been dethroned (although the company still remains on the worst offenders list).
So, who was the worst company to call in 2017? Well, according to the 800,000 tweets analyzed, the company that customers complained about the most over social media in 2017 was, *drumroll please*….Delta Airlines! See the complete list of offending companies in the slides below:
Since the inception of the voice channel, businesses have faced and overcome many obstacles to improve the experience for customers. Yet, this channel continues to be the bane of many customers’ existence. Are businesses not sick of hearing the same complaints over and over again? Are consumers not tired of complaining about the same things? If your call center still makes customers cringe when they dial into support, it’s time to take action. If you’re a customer who assumes the experience will be a bad one, then you’re setting yourself, and the call center up for failure.
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve been placed on hold at least once in your lifetime. In fact, 
The customer service profession is known for high turnover rates and agent burnout, however, some professionals greatly excel in this line of work, and show tremendous aptitude for delivering excellent customer care. Perhaps you’re a customer service rep who thrives in the workplace, and are thinking to yourself, “Do I have what it takes to grow in this profession?” Or perhaps you’re a manager, who has served on the frontline for many years, and wonder whether you’re still in touch with today’s customers. Regardless of age or level of experience, there are a few signs that you already are, or are destined to be, a customer service expert.
Many organizations now 
It’s that time of year again, the holidays are creeping in, and before you know it frantic shoppers will be soaking up those Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals; soon enough everyone will be in shop till you drop mode. Whether you’re purchasing for your first cousin twice removed, or your Rolex wearing manager, the holiday season usually requires a great deal of customer service support. With so many people in the same boat, at the same time, it’s important that businesses have the necessary life preservers to make it out of the holiday season alive. Even retailers that staff up during the holiday season need a little help keeping pace, especially as the demand for ecommerce grows.
You’re ready to outsource your call center, but not sure where to start. It’s a tale as old as time. Developing a concise strategy for exporting your customer service center can be a daunting challenge, but not impossible. It’s important to be thorough in your planning and not to be disheartened if you’ve started and stopped the process one too many times already. The truth is: No two call centers are the same, but when deciding on a BPO, they can follow the same essential steps. Here we uncover the key steps towards building a strong BPO strategy so that you can get your call center up and running in no time.
Credit unions must be competitive in order to stand out from those big mean banks; they must establish a truly unique offering to attract new membership. One way to successfully accomplish this is through the member experience. Since credit unions tend to serve local communities, it’s important for each member to feel appreciated by their financial institution. Therefore, customer service plays a significant role in the relationship members have with their credit union. For example, if your credit union suffers from long hold times, it’s unlikely your members will feel like you’re taking their needs seriously. Also, it’s nearly impossible to attract new members if they can’t even get a hold of you.
Do you send customers to voicemail when there are not enough agents to handle calls? When hold times are too long? Or as an option regardless of hold times? If so, then thank goodness you’re here, because using voicemail in the contact center can have serious consequences that you might not be aware of. In fact, you’re better off leaving callers on hold!
