Quick tip. Just press the button and sail through Customer Services.

MSE_Martin

What's this about?

If you're forever weaving through phone menus when trying to speak to customer services, here’s a solution for you to try.

How it works.

Instead of obeying the voices, try bashing the hash key and you'll often (but not always) be put straight through.

Does this work for you? Please post below if you’re successful and let others know which companies’ numbers it works best for.

And a little plea

I dont mind holding if there's a queue (unless its on an 0870 when I'm effectively paying to be on hold, see Saynoto0870 article). Yet the most annoying thing is having no clue how long you will hold. May I plea for companies to include a 'there are X people ahead of you in the queue' type system in.

This way we can actually judge how long it will take and whether we should stay holding or come back another time. It may also mean we don't have to play such tactics as # pressing. Managing our expectations helps us all feel better!

Martin

lyric_grace

It works if you press 9 alot of times on the sky customer service phone number never tried # but will in future! Thanks Martin great tip!!!

sancho

I use that all the time, read about it a while ago, definately works for Virgin (broadband), talk talk, vodafone and npower, you'll never gues who my suppliers are!!! :P

Cautiouswithcash

I work in a call centre and people do this a lot. The problem it creates is I spend my time transferring you to the right colleague rather than helping people I can, thus making the phone queues longer. Some might say you are 'pushing in' - I hope you don't do the same when you go in the high street shops!

louised

Cautiouswithcash wrote:

I work in a call centre and people do this a lot. The problem it creates is I spend my time transferring you to the right colleague rather than helping people I can, thus making the phone queues longer. Some might say you are 'pushing in' - I hope you don't do the same when you go in the high street shops!

Wll I think these call centres should employ enough staff so we don't have to queue and "push in" or even better don't run incompetent businesses so we have to ring up all the time !!

Cautiouswithcash

So you get annoyed waiting in a phone queue for 3 minutes sat on your comfy sofa, bless. That company could employ 20 new staff costing £20k a year - £400k. You're okay paying an extra 50p on the price to cover that? And when companies outsource to save costs you complain they've got a slight accent! I've seen people when I'm queueing at the supermarket checkout, sneaking to customer services saying can I pay here as i'm more important than everyone else!

hollydays

Oh I am so going to try this-get fed up of wrongly interpreting their poor menu instructions.

goldmercury

i always find not pressing any numbers works the system usually thinks you've got an old style phone "non touch tone" and puts you straight through.

pavlovs_dog

is bashing hash necessary, or does pressing it work just as well?

diluvsdiscounts

pavlovs_dog wrote:

is bashing hash necessary, or does pressing it work just as well?

LOL:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Happy_Bunny_6

Cautiouswithcash wrote:

So you get annoyed waiting in a phone queue for 3 minutes sat on your comfy sofa, bless. That company could employ 20 new staff costing £20k a year - £400k. You're okay paying an extra 50p on the price to cover that? And when companies outsource to save costs you complain they've got a slight accent! I've seen people when I'm queueing at the supermarket checkout, sneaking to customer services saying can I pay here as i'm more important than everyone else!

I actually wait on my very old "plug into the wall" phone in my very cold unheated hall,

Of course I could apply to be on the other end answering the calls, I didn't realise it paid £20k a year.
I could afford a new cordless phone and a comfy sofa on that