Insurance companies rated the best with 41 percent of respondents happy with their phone manner, while architectural firms drew approval from only 20 percent of their customers.

"Poor call handling is a frustrating experience for the American consumer and can be the difference between attracting new business and putting potential clients off permanently," Mark Williamson, sales and marketing director of PH Media, said in a prepared statement. "Companies who provide a top-class call handling experience can distinguish themselves from the competition and create new positive perceptions of waiting on hold. But the research results suggest accountants still have a lot of work to do in this respect."

The study also discovered 26 percent of males are satisfied with the way accountants answer their calls, compared to their 23 percent of female counterparts. Regionally, 27 percent in the Northeast were satisfied with their telephone experience, closely followed by 26 percent in the South, 24 percent in the Midwest, and 21 percent the West.

Williamson said good practice starts with a clear tone and procedure for answering the phone. but businesses should also use tools such as on-hold marketing—bespoke voice and music messages that are played while callers are on hold.