A woman’s advice on how to interact with customer service representatives has stirred up debates.
Dealing with customer support can be a headache—we’ve all been there, right? Those endless wait times and sometimes not getting the response you need can be infuriating.
But let’s not forget the hard work call center agents put in to keep us satisfied.
Bastet, a former call center employee, shared some unconventional tips to give those tired employees a breather, in a TikTok video that has racked up 706,000 views.
In her video, she mentioned, “Whenever I get friendly customer support reps on the line, I deliberately say ‘hold on, don’t hang up’ to give them a 15-20 minute break from those grueling calls. I’ve been in their shoes.”
According to the Communications Workers of America Union, about 2.5% of U.S. workers (~3.6 million) are employed in call centers.
Aaron Painter, CEO of Nametag, a company that collaborates with IT and customer service departments, weighed in on the matter.
While Bastet’s gesture is kind-hearted, some feel it conflicts with the customer service culture many businesses strive to maintain for better customer satisfaction.
One customer was left waiting an extra 15-20 minutes due to issues like multi-factor authentication or password problems on the phone.
Painter expressed, “Her approach, based on ‘time equals money,’ not only hinders productivity but also impacts the rep and the overall success of the customer service department.”
Opinions are split among commenters, with some supporting the idea while others believe it could harm workers.
Shannon commented, “The intention is good but not practical. It increases the AHT (average handle time), a critical metric for many service reps. Quick calls matter.”
Brittany shared, “As a call agent, I welcome long calls and don’t fret over targets. Engaging conversations make my shift enjoyable.”
Kailey added, “Please, spare us from more calls.”
Momo expressed, “Missing calls can be more stressful. The beeps fade into the background over time.”
From the customer’s perspective, such advice might lead to longer wait times, impacting service efficiency.