U.S. Cellular customer service reps work through Christmas to keep everyone connected

WAUKESHA -- While most people have the day off, there's an office building in Waukesha where the phones are ringing off the hook and employees are hard at work. And all these calls are coming in from all over the country.

It's Christmas morning and it's the busiest day of the year Michael Goch. He's one of 60 U.S. Cellular customer service representatives at the call center -- he's helping people get their new phones set up.

"When they wake up in the morning they see a phone under their tree, they want to have that activated right away," said Goch.

All area stores are closed.

"General time-frame is usually around a 15-minute phone call versus having to wait, " said U.S. Cellular Customer Service Manager, Sunshine Alavarez.

The call center in Waukesha is just one of four in the country for U.S. Cellular that is open on Christmas Day and the associates are taking calls from customers near and far -- Texas, Oregon and right here in Wisconsin.

"We anticipate about 9,000 customers to call in," said Alvarez.

"I did for one customer two phones for both their daughters they were so excited I could hear them in the background, 'I want my phone I want my phone,'" said Goch.

Goch is working the morning hours which is peak present unwrapping time. It's his first year working Christmas, but the holiday isn't all lost.

"I am working just a partial day so  I can enjoy the rest of the night with my family," said Goch.

And for the time he and other associates have to spend away from them, it's in the spirit of the holidays to be there for others.

"That's the whole thing about being there on Christmas," said Goch.

The U.S. Cellular call center opened at 5:00 a.m. Christmas morning and will stay open until 10:00 p.m. tonight.