Between this current thread about the UA phone agent from hell, and this thread about AA EXP phone agents, the current question came to my mind.

I have noticed a significant difference, both in terms of competence and friendliness, between male and female telephone agents, regardless of the airline. To put it bluntly, the women are, on average, significantly more competent and friendly than the men, in my experience.

I was wondering if other people have noticed this? My observation is a generalization across many years on the telephone with airlines, and is not due to any one specific bad experience with a male agent (or any specific good experience with a female agent). However, I have had numerous experiences with rude and/or incompetent male agents, and much fewer with their female counterparts.

In fact, for the past few years, when I call an airline and hear a male voice answer, I hang up and redial.

Have others noticed this difference? Is this just psychological on my part (e.g., there are fewer men telephone agents, so when I have a bad experience with one, I tend to remember it more than I do with a female), or have others noticed the same thing?

(BTW in case it matters, I am a male.)