Soft music.
Tapping of fingers.
Neck and shoulder in sandwich pose.
Phone receiver disguised as the meat.
Labored breathing.
Anger rising.
Sound familiar to anyone? That’s a description of the portion of my day yesterday while waiting on hold with a software company. All I needed was a copy of a $25.55 invoice.
Seriously, people!! My call was answered by a friendly Miss Automated who invited me to choose from the ten different prompts to lead me “more easily” to the correct next Miss Automation who could then lead me to a hold line that provided me with a free concert of soft tunes resembling elevator music.
Once I reached what I thought was the “department that could provide me with solutions”, I was advised the wait-time would be 35 minutes. I had a lot of desk work I could accomplish during that time period so I placed the receiver on the cradle to provide me with a hands-free option and relaxed to my elevator music while multi-tasking. (Who wouldn’t want that!)
FIFTY-TWO minutes later…and I am not exaggerating….that’s what my ticking phone clock advised me, I was greeted by a gentlemen who was using English clearly as a second language. We worked together patiently to provide him all of the necessary security information to get into my account along with all of the details of what invoice I was seeking (reminder: it was only for $25.55) and the credit card information from which it was charged.
“I’m sorry madam but I will need to connect you with the department that can provide an invoice for you.” Trying to stay calm, I politely thanked him and waited while being transferred to operator #700 (well that’s what it felt like anyway). Mr. Help Me Get An Invoice also was difficult to understand but by speaking slowly and listening carefully we were able to finally find the invoice I needed to submit for my company credit card expense.
“I have found your invoice Mrs. Young but unfortunately it is not addressed to you.”
Breathing deeply and remembering to show Christian love, “I said well who is the invoice addressed to?”
“I’m sorry but I can’t provide you that information. But if you guess who it is, then I can give you that information.”
Let the guessing game begin!! And BINGO….DING DING DING…. I picked the coworker’s name who had made the purchase!
After requesting a copy of the invoice be sent to my email, I was further instructed that was not permitted and that I must go to my coworker and have him log into his account, arrow down to “manage accounts”, click on the recent invoice button, launch the pdf copy of the invoice and print it for my records. All that for a $25 invoice receipt!
Sometimes I feel like waiting on God is as long of a process as getting this invoice but I also know that when I wait on Him and keep doing the job He has placed for me to do, then He will answer in the most eternally secure, best way for me. And in the end, He will be glorified.
Are you on HOLD with the Heavenly Father right now? Don’t get discouraged. Keep living the Christian life looking for ways to multi-task for Him. Look for His blessings along each day and through each problem and then one day you will realize you are no longer on hold and He has led you to the answer. It may be one that was right there along; it may be disguised as something you never even thought of; or it may be something new and exciting.
Whatever the outcome, ask God to give you patience while waiting on Hold as you lend your ear to His calling and place your head on His shoulder.
