That is why the thought of calling a business to get assistance seems so maddeningly archaic and downright painful.

A recent survey asked 501 people who called a business at least 3 times in the past six months to list their biggest frustrations with calling a business. The respondents shared their encounters with live employees, as well as automated phone systems.

Here are the top five frustrations of phone-based customer service, and what businesses can do to alleviate a customer’s frustration.

Frustration 1: Being Kept on Hold

57% of respondents ranked “being kept on hold” in their top 3 issues with telephone customer service.

Customers hate being stuck in telephone limbo, listening to bad on-hold music and repetitious marketing messages.

Some businesses realize that customers don’t want to sit on hold and do their best to keep that from happening. For example, Carvana provides a callback feature that saves the caller’s spot in line, calling the customer when a representative is available. The callback feature is relatively simple and inexpensive to implement, but it pays tremendous dividends in customer satisfaction.

Businesses can also seek outside help to bolster their employee ranks and answer more phone calls. Answering services or virtual assistants can help decrease hold times.

Frustration 2: Rude Service

52% of respondents ranked “rude service” in their top 3 issues with telephone customer service.

Being a call center agent takes a special type of personality, particularly in an atmosphere that is constantly bombarded with negativity. Just ask the representatives at the department of motor vehicles.

Still, experiencing negativity or attitude from call center representative can further anger an already incensed customer.

Businesses should seek to hire call center employees who can exhibit the proper temperament no matter what the customer may say. They should be able to keep their cool at all times.

A business also can take the Zappos approach, with representatives going out of their way to make customers feel valued. The company often surprises and delights customers by looking for ways to build a connection. Employees have been known send baby blankets to customers when they hear a crying baby in the background of a service call.

Frustration 3: Automated Phone Menus

51% of respondents ranked “automated phone menus” in their top 3 issues with telephone customer service.

Automated phone menus are supposed to help a customer get to the right representative or department quickly, but they usually make callers upset after pressing enough numbers on the keypad to place a long-distance call to Mars.

With a further investment in technology, automated menus can be revamped for a more user-friendly interaction. Bank of America, for example, replaced the automated phone system with a virtual assistant named Erica. Customers can interact with the chatbot via voice or text to get help with accessing balance information, transferring and sending money.

Frustration 4: Language Disconnect

44% of respondents ranked “language disconnect in their top 3 issues with telephone customer service.

Whether the call center is located in the U.S. or halfway around the world, having a representative who speaks well is essential to customer satisfaction. There is nothing worse than not being able to understand what someone is saying to you, or having them not understand what you are saying.

Since the top priority of a call center is communication, it is paramount for a business’ call center reps to have proper diction and language fluency.

Frustration 5: Needing to Repeat Information

40% of respondents ranked “needing to repeat myself” in their top 3 issues with telephone customer service.

Repetition often happens when a customer gets transferred from one representative or department to another. There is nothing worse than having to repeat the same story over and again while on the same call to the same company.

Using an online or server-based customer management system (CMS) can alleviate this issue. The CMS provides a text field where the customer’s issue can be documented, and other

representatives or supervisors should read that information first before engaging with the customer.

Go the Extra Mile When Speaking to Customers on the Phone

Customers typically dread having to call a business in order to have an issue resolved or get assistance. By investing in the right technology, providing the proper training, empathizing with customers, and employing the right people, businesses can turn what is expected to be a painful experience into a pleasurable one for the customer.

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Riley Panko is a Senior Content Developer and Marketer at Clutch, a Washington, D.C.-based research, ratings and reviews platform for B2B services. She conducts relevant research that aims to help consumers enhance their business and select the services and software best-suited to their needs.