What's the longest you've been 'on hold' for?

[MontyVeda]

My interweb packed up on Friday afternoon, so on Saturday morning at 10.30am i rang the PO. After 20 minutes of being on hold, i was reluctant to hang up as calling back would probably mean at least another 20 mins on hold... after 40 mins, I went to make a brew and was still on hold when i came back with a cuppa (phew) ... after an hour, I fancied another cup of tea, and eventually went and made one, still on hold when i returned... then finally at around 12.22pm, my call was finally answered. so that's nearly 2 hours on hold .... can anyone top that?

 

[Saluki]

47 minutes is my longest. If it hadn't been an 0800 I would have hung up long before. As soon as I get the 'your call is important to us' BS I know that it isn't and hang up.

 

[Linford]

One hopes you used saynoto0870 and not actually paid for that call....that is obscene

That said, I called the national registry office today to get a refund on an application for a duplicate birth certificate, and straightaway got 'we are too busy to answer your call, you are being disconnected'
Then got through after about half an hour and the voice said, we promised 15 working days, we are running behind and so it will be 20 working days, no refunds will be given if you have a change of mind...robbing barstewards

Lesson in this, don't use them, use your local county registry office if you need replacement paperwork.

 

[pplpilot]

Oh yea... I had to change details of a flight to Australia, i was just leaving Glasgow after visiting a customer so decided to ring them (Emirates) from the car. I passed Birmingham before it was answered. Best part of 5 hrs! I wrote a scathing letter and got an apologetic reply, at check in i was upgraded to1st with an apology from the check in girl! Which was nice.

 

[BJH]

Hang on there and I will tell you in a bit.......

 

[vernon]

Hang on there and I will tell you in a bit.......

So that's tomorrow then..........

 

[ayceejay]

I fell asleep on the floor with the phone to my ear when I called Canada Immigration, I was calling to find out how much longer I would have to wait to become a landed immigrant. When the phone was finally answered the nice lady said "Imagine a big pile of application forms, when you call we sift through to find yours, we tell you that it won't be long and then put your file back on the bottom of the pile."

 

[Shaun]

Nope, can't top any of those - my patience is usually completely stretched at 40 mins.

 

[slowmotion]

I think that Which? supplied the raw data for this little gem in 2010.

BTW, First Direct is consistently at the top of the list for best customer service. They really are excellent.

 

[classic33]

Just short of three hours. To rub the salt in, it was them who called me, but the person who did the calling had to pass me onto someone else to deal with the matter, placing me on hold.

 

[swee'pea99]

No kind of record-breaker, but I was on hold to plod t'other day for 22 & a half minutes ("you will be answered shortly") before a curt voice broke in and announced that for technical reasons it would not be possible to deal with my call at this time. Click. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

 

[RedRider]

Poor Vivaldi, his Spring ruined through repetition by Southwark Council.

 

[Brains]

I've done 18 mins.
Not long says you.
Yebbut, it was to the police, reporting a crime, the perpatrators had long made off before the call was answered

 

[Archie_tect]

I don't check the time because it annoys me too much... just put the phone on speaker and carry on what I'm doing unless I'm paying in which case I dial 'Sales' which normally gets you straight through and get transferred from there.
Or, don't press any options at all and get through as if you don't have a touch tone phone... doesn't always work though, eg Aviva- they just cut you off!

 

[hopless500]

Think I managed 50 minutes on hands-free at work before giving up in disgust.