What's worse than being put on hold? What you have to listen to while you wait.
Obnoxious promotions. Treacly music. A semi-polite directive to hang up and visit a website to take care of whatever business we're calling about. Sometimes, all of the above.
It's usually a relief to encounter the sounds of silence. (Actually, that Simon & Garfunkel song wouldn't be such a bad option.)
Lucia Watson decided to do something about it. When a new phone system was being installed at Lucia's, her Minneapolis restaurant, a technician asked her what kind of Muzak she wanted.
"I said I didn't want Muzak, that I wanted something fun," said Watson, whose eateries had provided quiet for on-hold customers.
After thinking about it, Watson made a request, which two weeks later was fulfilled. So now callers placed on hold are treated to a recording of Julia Child reading an omelet recipe. And many of them like it enough to express disappointment when someone picks up the line.
"Yes, we have had customers ask to go back on hold," Watson said with a laugh.
Such apropos on-hold fare is rare, aside from TV and radio stations playing their own feeds.
