I have ranted before about call centers and their poor service. It seems like the wait time for your call answer gets longer and longer.
Today the micro manager was waiting for an hour and 20minutes.
That did it. Something has to be done. We can't spend that much of our lives waiting for call centers to answer.
So here's my suggestion. Call centers have to be hit in the pocket book so that it hurts.
My suggestion is that regulations should be made governing call centers. Give them 5 minutes to answer a call. If it takes them longer than 5 to answer then they pay for every minute past 5. So charge them so much a minute for time past 5 minutes. A dollar a minute ? It would have cost them $75.00 for being slow this afternoon. As you can see there are several different options for a scheme like this.
We all complain about call centers but do nothing about it. So lets get loud and suggest some solutions.
We can all have a good rant about that. Because of the tariff I pay I get "free calls", but that only goes up to one hour, after which I pay big time. I feel that once it's clear that your wait is going to last over, say, twenty minutes the call centre should arrange to phone me back, at their expense. I promise that I won't keep them waiting or force them to listen to endless inane music!
ReplyDeleteMost do have an option for call back but it's on their own convenience not mine.
DeleteWhen I am on hold for a long time, I will put the phone on speaker sit it next to me and go read a book until I hear a live person. Lately I have been lucky and the wait was not too long. Take care, have a wonderful day and a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteI use the speaker too but it limits what I can do.
DeleteI try to avoid call centers and now I see why other people hate them, too.
ReplyDeleteHow do we know if we are using a call center?
DeleteMy guess is that the call center would simply allow only the number of people in que that could be answered within 5 minutes and all the rest of you would continually get a busy signal. Another secondary effect is that very little time would be spent addressing the problem you called them about as they would be keen to hang up and get onto the next person.
ReplyDeleteI think I prefer just listening to the elevator music on hold while I'm reading blogs and surfing the internet.
that's okay if that's all you want to do but sometimes I'd like todo something else rather than be tied up by the phone.
DeleteSome will offer to call you back when they are free, but then you never know exactly when they'll call. I mean you could be in a delicate spot. This has happened to me.
ReplyDeleteThe call back is at their convenience not mine.
DeleteBan them. Go online and ask your questions to a chat BOT.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem like the companies who hire call centers get a poor deal.
DeleteCan't believe anyone would be willing to keep the phone going for that long, no matter what! Call centers are chaotic and often poorly managed, cycling new people through all the time, as it's often a crappy and low-paying job. Depending on what the situation is, I opt for email or online chat before phoning anyone, as this often is a quicker response option.
ReplyDeleteWe had a call center in Bower mall at one time. the employees were a sad looking bunch and as you say they were all of the above.
DeleteThe problem with charging a government office is that money they have to pay out, goes around to citizens in tax increases and/or loss of benefits to the community.
ReplyDeleteSadly the government has begun using call centers.
DeleteMy husband loses his mind when the music starts! I find that so annoying too.
ReplyDeleteMany call centers certainly do have very annoying music.
DeleteI feel sorry for the employees that have to work in call centers. I am sure there are never enough to cover the number of callers and so everyone they speak to is angry for having to wait too long. It's not their fault but they have to take the brunt of complaints...
ReplyDeleteThese employees are poorly trained and paid.
DeleteHere, we often have the option of leaving our number and the call us back when it is our turn. I haaaaate listening to the music. It is often so "tinny" that it hurts your ears to listen to it on speaker phone while you do something else.
ReplyDeleteIt is an epidemic...no one wants to provide customer service anymore:(
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that they will all be replaced by AI one day. We seem to be heading in that direction.
ReplyDeleteMore and more we're getting what Debby mentioned. They allow us to leave a message and call back number which I very happy to do.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it nicely