It happens to me and perhaps to you. I call customer support, and get put in a holding queue. And then, lo and behold, I have to poo.

Now, if I put the phone down and make a head call, chances are pretty good customer support will pick up while I'm gone, realize I'm not there, and hang up. So what I need is a button I can push that'll keep an announcement playing--"Please hold, the caller is away from his desk and will be back momentarily"--so if customer support picks up while I'm away, they'll hopefully stick around 'til I get back.
-- TheJeff, May 27 2004

Hands-free please hold http://www.halfbake...ree_20please_20hold
Same idea. [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Phone auto-holder http://www.halfbake...Phone_20auto-holder
Similar features. [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Phone re-hold annoyer http://www.halfbake...20re-hold_20annoyer
More similar features. [phoenix, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Stepping out of queue http://www.halfbake..._20Out_20of_20Queue
Another option that doesn't waste the call centre's time. [reap, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

it's amazing that it's come to this, but I couldn't agree more.. many's the time I've been on hold for 40 minutes and it's 'kin annoying not to be able to go and get a sandwich or whatever.

you end up handing the phone to a colleague and asking them to stay on hold for you.
-- neilp, May 27 2004


They would just hang up on you anyways.
-- Ebassick15, May 27 2004


You are in the hold queue because they are busy. Waiting around for someone to come off hold would make more calls be put on hold while they are busy dealing with your hold music.

On the other hand, [edited] see link.
-- reap, May 27 2004


//But then other people will have to wait longer for their service//

I really don't think that if the person on the other end picked up and found themselves on hold, they'd just sit there twiddling their thumbs. They could go to another call and come back after that one, and then take the next call and come back, etc.
-- Detly, May 28 2004


Haven't you people heard of the wonder of cordless phones?

And if you get the right model, it'll have a built-in speakerphone so you can put it down and do something.
-- Eugene, May 28 2004


Have you read 'why not?'
-- nomadic_wonderer, May 28 2004


What l3lackEyedAngels said.
-- Pericles, May 28 2004



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