Finding out how to continually get good customer service and avoid its unfortunate counterpart, “customer no-service” has been a major part of money expert Clark Howard’s mission for three decades.
When you reach out to a company, to get positive results, you need to contact customer service representatives at the optimum times.
When Is the Best Time for Me To Call Customer Service?
Many people wait until after they’re done with their workday, typically in the evenings. But that could create a logjam for the particular company you’re trying to reach.
Cloud-based contact center TalkDesk.com analyzed millions of daily phone calls to sort the best times that consumers should reach out to customer service. Here are their findings:
What Is the Best Day To Call Customer Service?
Based on the shortest average wait times, Wednesday and Thursday are the best weekdays to call customer service, according to TalkDesk. The average wait time is 37 seconds on both days.
However, you should avoid calling in on Mondays when wait times tend to be at their longest.
When Is the Best Time of Day To Call Customer Service?
The best time of day to call customer service is 7 a.m. The average call center wait time is 70% shorter in the morning, according to TalkDesk.
That means you may have to wake up early to deal with your issue. In other cases, perhaps you can plan to report to work later than normal so that you can make the call.
What Are the Average Wait Times During the Week for Customer Service?
| Day of the Week | Number of Seconds |
|---|---|
| Monday | 46 |
| Tuesday | 40 |
| Wednesday | 37 |
| Thursday | 37 |
| Friday | 39 |
| Saturday | 37 |
| Sunday | 31 |
3 Steps Toward Getting Great Customer Service
Keep Calm
Always maintain a professional decorum when talking to a customer service rep. Irate customers can turn off helpful customer care reps. The old adage, “You’ll catch more flies with honey than vinegar” is very true in this case.
Rage does not work,” Clark says. “You put everybody in a defensive position and everybody dealing with you — very quickly, even if your problem is a legitimate one that the company has caused — they’ll decide you’re the problem, not the problem you’re having.”
Ask To Speak to the Same Agent
Some companies like T-Mobile allow you to deal with the same customer service representative time and again. All you need to know is their reference number. If they don’t provide it, ask for it.
Always Have Documentation
When you call a company, you need to be armed with as much information as possible. That would include your account number, your current and past bills, and any other records that could help you.
Want to learn more about how to deal with a customer service representative? Read Clark’s steps to get good customer service.
