5 ways customer service makes you crazy

When you're lucky enough to actually reach a real, live customer service agent, that doesn't mean your problems are solved. And even when you finally get to tell them your issue, the person on the other line often can't do anything to help.

Whether it's finding a manager or transferring you to another department, it's back into voice jail you go, elevator music included.

"A rep should be empowered to help in almost any way possible without checking with a manager, [but they] also should not be scared to ask for assistance," Solomon said.

Not all companies make it hard to get in touch with someone who's not a low-level employee -- some even go as far to publicize ways to contact the CEO. Amazon's (AMZN) Jeff Bezos has a public email address and is known to read customer complaints, forwarding them to employees who can address the problem.

NEXT: Ploys to keep you on the phone