How to avoid being placed in a call centre queue!

beachbeth

I don't know if this is in the right place, so please feel free to move it!

Its a handy tip that was on the Richard Hammond show:

When ringing Sky, as soon as you get an answer and the recorded message starts, start pressing 0 and hash (the button on your phone with the square) repeatedly and very quickly. You will find you are put straight through to an operator.

Doing this apparently confuses their computer which is why it just puts you through. I rang Sky on Saturday and was told by computer that the wait for an operator was 40 minutes! I replaced the receiver and did the above and got straight through!

It works for other companies too although you have to try different things such as repeatedly pressing the star or a number. Try everything until something works! Its brilliant!

Poppycat

This site has bene on TV.

http://www.paulenglish.com/ivr/uk/

beachbeth

Thanks for that! Don't we all just hate these call centres and their computerised answering machines!

roswell

press * but you have to wait il it says ,,, for X press 1 for Y press 2 works every time.

RichyRich

I don't mind the short easy ones, like "Press 1 for a balance, hold for anything else"; these are often used to train staff (i.e. having the new staff on the "1" line to get them ready) but when you get nine options, none of which are relevant, plus a second and third level, and possibly some account validation, and voice recognition, I get really riled.

beachbeth

RichyRich wrote:

I don't mind the short easy ones, like "Press 1 for a balance, hold for anything else"; these are often used to train staff (i.e. having the new staff on the "1" line to get them ready) but when you get nine options, none of which are relevant, plus a second and third level, and possibly some account validation, and voice recognition, I get really riled.

This is what bugs me! I don't mind one short menu which will put me through to the right person to help, but when you get menu after menu and you can't decide which of the options is the one you want it makes me mad!!! :mad: