In 2016, Americans are projected to spend over 900 million hours on hold, according to mobile advertising analytics company Marchex, studying over four million consumer phone calls.
Americans, like most consumers in the developed world, don't like to be put on hold but, when they are, most accept it as a necessary evil.
Marchex's analysis claims that America's most impatient people live in Kentucky, Ohio, North Carolina, New York and West Virginia.
People in Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia hang up more quickly, according to John Busby, senior vice president of marketing and consumer insight at Marchex.
Patience can be a virtue, but sometimes you need to get stuff done. Where's your state? https://t.co/XpsLYTVYv5 pic.twitter.com/qIyomIEzC6
— Marchex (@Marchex) February 4, 2016
Residents of Louisiana, Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Minnesota are shown to be among the most patient, hanging up with less than half the frequency of those in West Virginia.
Customer service software firm ZenDesk offers customers tips on how to save time and avoid being put on hold. People who call in the afternoon or early morning, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM usually get faster response times.
There are also alternative communication methods, including web chat, callbacks, or email. Social media could also be a useful platform for impatient customers, if a user has an account, experts say.
