The century-long hotline

The Industrial Revolution introduced mass production, creating a need for organized customer service teams to handle inquiries and support for a growing customer base.

Businesses began to formalize interactions with customers to maintain loyalty in competitive markets.

Method of response

In-person visits to stores or written letters.

Average response time

Days to weeks, as customers had to travel to physical locations or rely on slow postal services for communication.

Alexander Graham Bell’s patent of the electric telephone enabled direct, real-time communication between customers and businesses, eliminating the need for physical travel. Switchboards allowed multiple calls, making the telephone a cornerstone of customer service.

Operators manually patched calls, creating the first centralized “support desks.”

Average resolution time

days, because follow-up relied on mail.

Private Automated Business Exchanges (PABX) systems emerged, enabling businesses to handle large volumes of calls efficiently. These systems laid the foundation for modern call centers, centralizing customer support operations.

Customer care finally scaled nationwide, but long hold times and one-size-fits-all scripts became notorious pain points.

The term “call center” was officially coined, reflecting the growing sophistication and standardization of centralized customer service operations. Call centers became a critical component of business strategy.

Technologies like Quantum Link’s On-Line Messages (OLM) for Commodore 64 introduced instant messaging and live chat, offering new, real-time online communication channels for customer support.

Method of response

Live chat and instant messaging.

Average response time

Minutes, as online platforms enabled faster interactions compared to telephone or in-person support.

Keypads replaced operators for simple routing. Menus saved labor costs but introduced the infamous “Press 4 for everything else” frustration.

With the rise of the internet, email became a primary customer service channel. Businesses adopted email to handle inquiries, offering a scalable but less immediate alternative to phone support.

Method of response

Email.

Average response time

Hours to days, as email support was often manual, and response times varied depending on company resources and inquiry volume.

The launch of platforms like Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Zoho marked the rise of online help desks, integrated with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. These tools streamlined support processes and improved tracking of customer interactions.

Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, along with mobile messaging apps like Facebook Messenger for Business, became key customer service channels. Customers expected rapid responses on these real-time platforms.

Method of response

Social media, mobile chat.

Average response time

Minutes, driven by customer expectations for near-instant replies on social media and mobile platforms.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation revolutionized customer service with chatbots, predictive analytics, and automated workflows. Platforms like Poiniai enabled instant responses for routine queries, while human agents focused on complex issues (Forbes).