Impatient Scots line up to explode over long waiting times

PATIENCE is a virtue in scarce supply among frustrated Scots, according to a new study which reveals our short fuses when it comes to queues.

In a damning rejection of the old adage that we are a nation of people content to wait our turn, the average person can stay on hold to a call centre for no more than five minutes before tempers start to flare.

Researchers found Scots are by far the least patient group in the UK, where the average hold time stretches to six minutes, while those in the north-east of England are happy to wait for seven minutes.

Stress experts warned that our lack of composure when queuing ultimately takes its toll on our health, and criticised the increasing demand for “instant gratification” in the modern age.

The study of thousands of Britons found that the so-called “tipping point” which heralds the descent of red mist depends on the type of queue. On average, we will stand in line for seven minutes, but call centres and supermarkets – where people will wait six and a half minutes – test our patience more.

By contrast, most people will allow eight minutes when waiting for help with a technical problem, 11 minutes waiting for public transport, and a generous 13 minutes while waiting for service in a restaurant.

The study, commissioned by a mobile phone network, confirmed that call centres present the most frustrating everyday situation, with more than half of the 2,054 people polled (51 per cent) stating they had become agitated during recent calls to customer service centres.

One of the nation’s biggest bugbears is the music many companies play down the wires when callers are on hold with 64 per cent saying it adds to their irritation. “Elevator music” is the most unpopular with 55 per cent, closely followed by panpipes (51 per cent), classical music (41 per cent) and sounds from nature (40 per cent).

The research also highlighted how frustration levels rocketed among those stuck in a queue. More than two-thirds (67 per cent) said they felt annoyed and 30 per cent experienced stress when they’re forced to wait longer that they feel fair. Nearly one in five (19 per cent) said they became angry, while 16 per cent expressed frustration their custom is not valued.

Dr Roger Henderson, a GP specialising in how stress impacts on health, said: “We live in an age where for many people time is the most valuable commodity of all. The research has found an increasing unwillingness to wait in queues, a phenomenon I call ‘speed greed’ that reflects our growing demand for instant gratification and access to information and service.

“Although it is part of human nature to rarely be satisfied with what we have in life, our expectations are now such that if we do not get the service we expect very quickly, our stress levels increase quickly and significantly.

“When stress levels rise, a range of health problems can begin to develop, including high blood pressure, chronic anxiety, headaches, stomach and bowel upsets, as well as relationship difficulties. When waiting in queues this stress can manifest as a racing heartbeat, sweaty palms, irritability, anger and frustration.”

Jessica Smyrl, founder of Your Stress Management, a Glasgow-based consultancy, said: “It’s estimated that two out of every five people in the workplace are suffering from stress. When it comes to queuing, I don’t think Scots are any more stressed than other people in the UK.”