excessive hold times

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "excessive hold times" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use this phrase when referring to a situation in which people must wait a disproportionately long period of time on hold when making phone calls. For example, "Customers have been complaining about excessive hold times when calling our customer service line."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Iomega recently was forced to settle a class action lawsuit resulting from excessive hold times and overcharging for technical support calls.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Third, excessive wait times can lead to increased costs [ 16].

BMC Health Services Research

Due to excessive call volume, hold time may exceed two hours.

Forbes

Do bonds have the longest hold time?

Forbes

Yet don't hold time against it.

Los Angeles Times

Mean call holding time.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

I thought that it was a little excessive at times.

The Guardian

It's a Coen brothers world: excessive, at times uneven, but never, ever boring.

Vice

They were very excessive times".

The New York Times

Her consumption of alcohol has been excessive and, at times, out of control.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is a perfect literary companion for our excessive times.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When addressing customer service issues, use "excessive hold times" to clearly communicate the problem of prolonged waiting during phone calls. For example, state: "We are working to reduce excessive hold times for our customers".

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the impact of "excessive hold times" without providing specific data. Instead of saying "Our company is failing due to excessive hold times", try quantifying the problem: "Excessive hold times have increased customer complaints by 30% in the last quarter."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessive hold times" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes the condition of waiting on a phone call for an unreasonably long duration. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "excessive hold times" describes a situation where individuals experience unreasonably long waiting periods while on hold during phone calls. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. Although examples are relatively rare, the phrase is employed across various contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings. When communicating about this issue, clarity is essential; avoid exaggerating the impact without providing specific data and consider using alternative phrases like "long wait times" or "extended waiting periods" to add variety to your writing. Addressing excessive hold times is crucial for improving customer satisfaction and overall service quality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

long wait times

Replaces "hold" with "wait", focusing on the duration of waiting rather than the specific context of being on hold.

extended waiting periods

Uses "extended" to emphasize the length of the waiting time and replaces "hold" with "waiting periods".

unreasonable delays on hold

Highlights the unreasonableness of the delay, adding a judgmental aspect.

excessive time spent on hold

Focuses on the time consumption, highlighting the activity of being on hold.

protracted hold times

Uses "protracted", a more formal synonym for "excessive", maintaining a similar meaning.

lengthy phone queues

Shifts the focus to phone queues instead of a duration of time.

inordinate waiting on the phone

Emphasizes the excessive nature of waiting using "inordinate".

unduly long hold durations

Replaces "excessive" with "unduly long", emphasizing the inappropriate length of the hold.

unacceptably long hold times

Focuses on the unacceptability of the waiting period.

excessive queue waiting periods

Specifies that the waiting is occurring in a queue.

FAQs

What are some alternative ways to say "excessive hold times"?

You can use alternatives like "long wait times", "extended waiting periods", or "unreasonable delays on hold" depending on the context.

How can I use "excessive hold times" in a sentence?

You can use "excessive hold times" in sentences like, "Customers are frustrated by the excessive hold times when calling customer support" or "The company is addressing the issue of excessive hold times to improve customer satisfaction."

What's the difference between "excessive wait times" and "excessive hold times"?

"Excessive wait times" is a broader term that can apply to any waiting period, while "excessive hold times" specifically refers to the waiting period when a caller is placed on hold during a phone call. They are nearly interchangeable; however, "excessive wait times" can refer to any kind of wait.

What causes excessive hold times?

Excessive hold times can be caused by a variety of factors, including understaffing, high call volume, inefficient call routing, and complex customer issues that require longer resolution times.