vent - why companies take information twice

alexlyne

When you call most companies, you go into an automated system where you are asked to key in certain information (account number, dob, order number etc). Then, when you get to an operator, they ask you for exactly the same information again. Surely they should be given it otherwise it's pointless putting it in to start with.
Last time it happened to me, I told the perosn on the other end that I had already entered the information they were asking for again. It completely threw her. I think comms links between here and India aren't what they should be!

Mankysteve

Security that why.

jimbms

Just keep pressing # you soon get through to a human(ish)

Proc

It's just to keep you entertained and to disguise the fact that you're on hold for so long.

alexlyne

very entertaining.

the other thing I forgot to mention... the different 'options' that you select before you go through to the operator, then the operator asks you what you want. Duh, I told the system what I wanted... why can't you at least pretend that you're not all in one big office dealing with all the same queries. and that's not a security issue.

RadoJo

Basically, in a lot of cases it's true that the main reason to enter that info is to put off the moment where they admit you're on hold. A lot of companies want to give priority to sales calls and any other call which will actually make them money, so if you enter an account number etc they know that you are an existing customer and be assigned a lower priority. Unfair as it may seem, in an impatient world, they know that customers won't consider a company which puts them on hold before allowing them to sign up to their service, but once you are a customer you have to wait in order to resolve whatever it is you have called about - it sucks, but it makes sense.