I have been on hold with the Dell customer service for exactly 8:12 minutes now. I put the phone on speaker and it’s lying next to me. They have the most horrible waiting music.

I need to call them because a client of mine has a problem with an order and wants me to solve it. Being on hold with them feels like they want me to waste my life waiting for them. I won't let them.

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Bianca took this picture for me

Too much waiting

I have noticed a decline in customer service across the board while working. I often must call up companies to ask them things. I’m not big enough to deserve a direct line (if such a thing even exists) so I can wait in the line.

I understand companies must make profits, and in these times, it’s harder than ever, but letting clients wait for a long time is just wrong.

It also makes me realize why my ever-growing company is being successful. Customers and businesses have an almost direct line to me. They never must wait long and more importantly when they call me they get an actual human being on the phone!

They also don’t have to navigate through 25 menu options just to be put on hold.

Times are changing

I think times are changing and people will be willing to pay a little extra for service in the future. I have noticed this change in myself as well. You can also see it with the rise of more expensive products (that work!) that are hitting the market and selling well.

My personal opinion about service is very simple. If I want something from YOU I’ll do everything in my power to make it as easy as I can for you to give me what I need.

What do I want from clients? Simple, I want them to give me paid work! That’s what I need because I got bills to pay. That’s why I give them the best service and advice I can possible give them. I’ll also be on time and I’ll take everything with me to help them.

What do clients want from me? They want me to solve their problems and luckily for me they are willing to pay me enough for it so I can make a living.

This is a symbiosis that works! And it's comming back.

While writing I just had a thought.

At the moment, I need my clients more than they need me. There are many other companies that can do what I do. But as I keep growing and get bigger clients I might need them less.

Will this be the point where my service will decline? I must be beware of this. (Maybe Dell is suffering from this)

Being on hold with Dell I realize that I need something from them. I need their help. But they also need something from me! I am trying to generate money for them by buying computers.

Being on hold for 45 minutes now makes that part feel disrespectful. But I can’t hang up. I’m calling for a client.

It’s a bad place to be. But it won't put me down! because...

There are many ways to wait

For me, the worst kind of waiting is the kind where you don’t know how long it will be.

I have grabbed life by the balls, and in the last 4 years have changed my life for the better. I wrote about this in my last two pieces. But I also stopped waiting for things as much as I can (like the dell customer service).

Instead, I’ll try to do as many useful things while waiting. This time I decided to write this piece. I haven’t had much time to write and this seemed like the perfect opportunity! Another time I will just clean my office or answer e-mails. I'm not going to wait like a zombie.

I also have helped two other clients while putting Dell on hold as well!

It’s been 1 hour and 10 minutes now…

But I didn’t waste a minute!

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