Call queue phoning tesco bank

parent_of_too_many

Sorry, but I've just decided to post on here as it is giving me something to do and stopping me from launching my bloody phone through the window!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

It involves phoning TESCO BANK to discuss a problem logging in online. That is a pain in the backside in itself at the minute, as they are having problems due to changing their security procedure, which is why i needed to ring them to get a new temporary password. I appreciate there may well be a few people phoning them with the same problem at the minute, but nevertheless, phoning them is a joke!!

I phoned last night about 7 o'clock, and was in the call queue for 20 minutes, when for some unbeknown reason, i was just cut off!!:mad: THAT REALLY ANNOYED ME!!

So I slept on it, and tried again this morning. I knew they opened at 8 o'clock, so at 2 minutes to 8 I started to phone, to allow for my clock possibly being slow. They were shut, not a problem.

So I rang straight back, they were still shut. Again, not a problem.

So I rang back again.

This time they were open, and I got to their menu choices, as I expected.

Now bearing in mind they were shut only 10 seconds before this attempt, I personally thought that I surely couldn't be in a massive queue to speak to these people? Sounds a reasonable assumption....?

Yet to my amazement, I was in a "queue" for 45 BLOODY MINUTES!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad:

At this point, I had to go to take the kids to school, so I waited all that time for nothing!!!!

I'm sorry if some people find this trivial, but I feel 45 minutes, when I rang within 10 seconds of them opening, is absolutely disgusting!!

RANT OVER!!

molerat

Having experience of computer migrations before I am afraid that you were not clever enough and did not move all the important money out of their old system accounts before the changeover. (where is the smarmy clever git smiley when you need it) I have lost access to the old system accounts too but my new account on the new sort code / security system is fine I still have not got a clue how they are going to marry the two together. I can live with £3 being in limbo and will just leave it till they sort themselves out :cool:

Azari

I have had experience of phone systems that go from 'out of hours' to 'you are #10 in the queue' in the time it takes to redial. (And this was not for places with massive call centres. One was my doctor's surgery.)

And despite many years of experience in the design of computer systems, including using some pretty advanced queuing algorithms I've never managed to work that out.

parent_of_too_many

I appreciate what you're saying, but the issue isn't that I can't get to my money. I've no wish right now to get to my money, it was purely a vent/rant at being stuck in a call queue for 45 minutes when I phoned within 10 seconds of the bloody call centre opening?!! Surely you agree that is taking the p*** a bit??! I have all the paper work with new sort codes etc, I just tried to login yesterday as that was the day you could login and go through the procedure to change your security details. Unfortunately they took the system offline as I was doing it as they were experiencing problems, and when I tried later on in the afternoon (as their error message suggested) it wouldn't accept my login details and told me to phone them to get a new temporary password.

I didn't have a problem with that, the problem was purely their call queue time considering the time I rang!

vikingaero

Tesco Bank (or rather RBS) did a computer update which knackered their computer systems. Because people were unable to use the online services they were probably snowed under on the phones:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13845243

parent_of_too_many

vikingaero wrote: »

Tesco Bank (or rather RBS) did a computer update which knackered their computer systems. Because people were unable to use the online services they were probably snowed under on the phones:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13845243

I appreciate that, hence, in my original post.....:

"I appreciate there may well be a few people phoning them with the same problem at the minute"

But phoning within 10 SECONDS of opening this morning, and then being stuck for 45 MINUTES...............?!

You can't suggest that is reasonable surely?

vikingaero

It's not reasonable, but within those 10 seconds hundreds of Tesco Bank customers could have flooded their phone lines. You would be number 600+ (or whatever) in the queue. When I got on HotUKDeals and log onto a website at 9am to buy a deal, it's amazing how quickly things sell out will thousands of customers all chasing the same deal.

david39

I wonder whether Tesco bank's call centre is really run by an intermediary company who work for several other outfits.

They may contract certain hours for Tesco (starting at 8.00am) but really run for 24 hours for other companies who pay an extra premium. At 8.00am your call to the Tesco line would then drop into an existing queue along with other callers to the already-open phone lines.

I'm sure this happens with some companies because I called the Vax Cleaner phone line at 9.15am on a Sunday and found I was 15th in the queue! Could there really be 15 people ringing Vax with technical queries on their cleaners at that time on a Sunday. No way! - that line must cater for expert knowledge from many companies - the expert knowledge being read off a scripted chart dependent on what the query is.

Maybe Tesco's run a similar pooled system with other financial institutions.

boybrew

I've been trying to get through on the phone on and off for two days. No joy even after trying bang on 8.00 am and hanging on for 50 minutes. If and when I get control of my account, the money will not be with Tesco bank for long.

parent_of_too_many

vikingaero wrote: »

It's not reasonable, but within those 10 seconds hundreds of Tesco Bank customers could have flooded their phone lines. You would be number 600+ (or whatever) in the queue. When I got on HotUKDeals and log onto a website at 9am to buy a deal, it's amazing how quickly things sell out will thousands of customers all chasing the same deal.

According to their information, there is approximately 800 staff working in their "giant" call centre, a call centre which is solely for TESCO BANK customers, not general shoppers.
Now if 3/4 of them are call handlers, which i think is a reasonable proportion for a call centre, that leaves 600 people answering calls.

Now lets say the average time on the phone to them is 15 minutes, which is pretty generous really...?!

I got no reply after 45 minutes, and phoned within 10 seconds of opening.

Well by my maths, they could take 600 calls in 15 minutes, so times that by 3 for the 45 minutes i waited, giving 1800 calls.

And all these managed to phone within the 10 seconds it took me? Highly unlikely i think?!

parent_of_too_many

vikingaero wrote: »

Tesco Bank (or rather RBS) did a computer update which knackered their computer systems. Because people were unable to use the online services they were probably snowed under on the phones:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13845243

.............. and just because i'm now in an argumentative mood as Tesco have annoyed me, did you read the link you posted? Tesco Bank are not RBS, and haven't been for some time...........!