Is it 2 minutes? 5? 30? An entire Netflix episode? We’ve all been there staring at our phones, debating whether to hang up or grow old on hold. Some of us multitask while we wait; others start questioning life choices. And let’s be honest—some companies have hold times so long, you could start a family, raise kids, and retire before someone picks up.

Today, we’re having some fun with this not-so-fun experience. We’ll chat about hold-time horror stories, the companies that do it best (and worst), and whether technology has made things better—or just given us new ways to wait.

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