Automated phone menus - how to skip through them, and help others do the same!

uksal

I am amazed that any one would think to try and defend the multi layered phone systems used by Sky, BT and many other large companies. The truth is that they frustrate the majority of customers using them. The customers are entitled to a service; they more often than not pay substantial amounts of money already without then having to pay extra to obtain simple customer service. Often people get frustrated with these systems because they are experiencing a fault with the service, or an error has occurred that they need to speak to the company about. With reference to Sky I can say I have only ever spoken to them when their service or equipment breaks down, why therefore should I be inconvenienced because of their fault, in particular since 1 phone call is rarely all it takes. It would be very simple to provide different phone numbers for different departments, which could then be listed on the bill, or have a simple system that ensures the customer can speak to a human quickly because after all if it could be dealt with a computer, most people would not bother with a phone call, but would do what ever they are trying to do on line.
Sure these companies don’t set out to annoy their customers, but they do set out to live up to ill thought out targets (in respect of time to answer calls etc) rather than looking at whether their customers are actually satisfied. To suggest that the companies use the systems to serve you better and allow you to get to the right person is somewhat naïve.
This thread “Automated phone menus - how to skip through them, and help others do the same” is an excellent idea, and one that the companies themselves ought to be promoting, but clearly they don’t have the same agenda.

foominoo

I run a call centre and I'm a customer who has to call other company's call centres. I'm not going to defend the use of IVRs, as poorly thought out ones frustrate the hell out of me (stand up BT).

Feel free to bypass the IVR if you want to speak to an advisor urgently. uksal is right; we are there to provide a service, so we'll be happy to talk to you however you got through to us. Thing is, you may be contributing to your experience being worse next time you call.

The number of people we employ and the shifts we rota them on is determined by the number of calls we get and how long it takes to service them. If calls are going through to the wrong location, we may rota fewer people into the department you want as a result. This means a longer wait next time you call. And those transfers back to the department you want take extra time. Especially if we do a warm transfer, which we try to do so you don't have to repeat your details constantly. Even if a transfer is only 30 seconds each time, that adds up over tens of thousands of calls we take each week and means more advisors tied up on a previous call when you are trying to get through.

We really do use IVR data to try to make the service better. Six months ago we noticed a lot of customers calling us for a particular reason, and invested heavily in making that info available on a self-serve function. A high percentage of customers now happily use that self-serve function which frees up more advisors to speak to customers who need to speak to a person.

I know how annoying it is to get stuck in an apparently pointless IVR (BT again). We recently streamlined ours to be no more than four options deep before reaching an advisor (most routes are two or three deep). We also regularly review the language and options in our IVR based on customer feedback so that is a help not a hinderance.

And yes, we do use 0870 access numbers. I can confirm that we do refund customers who ask us to (especially those that ask nicely!). Plus we are about to make calls for customers calling from the mobile that we support.

BexTech

I would be happy in having one number for one department, another number for another and then for the phone to simply ring out or be busy until someone human answers.

BritBrat

These IVR systems are useless as you can see by the making of this thread.

I try to find the quickest route to a person even if it is not the correct one as they can direct you if they cant deal with the query.

I even resort to phoning a number that I think would be better i.e. sales. Most dont keep people hanging on to make a sale.

If organisations dont start making these systems more user friendly they will become redundant when more and more people find the short cuts.

And this thread is part of that process, if they were more user friendly there would be no point in this thread.

popshed

One of the worst ones I've come across was a government department. Can't recall if it was companies house or government gateway, but the robot answered the phone (costing you money) just to tell you that all the lines were busy and to call back later. then it cut you off. What was wrong with a simple engaged tone? That way I get the message without incurring a connection charge and I can try again immediately. That should be illegal.

reihtec

I read these posts with great interest because I recently joined Virgin Media because I thought the deal was finally in my price range for an acceptable package. Signing up was great and easy, but then I realised that they put me on the wrong package so I thought I would call them to get it fixed. BIG MISTAKE!

My shortest call was 20 mins (because I hung up) and my longest call was 1 hour (and that's just on hold) and every time I got through to someone they told me they couldn't deal with my request even though I put my full phone number and selected the correct options. I was always told "Sorry I don't deal with your area" and then when they said they'd put me through to their colleague, I was jsut put back into the queue. And these waits happened, not once, not twice, not thrice but FIVE times at least.

Now let me tell you, I have absolutely no problem going through a phone system (IVR) and paying 0870 rates, if I get my problem solved. I called Virgin Mobile and they charged me 10p for the call (obviously different from Virgin Media which was Telewest), but they solved the problem there and then! Excellent! I got my money's worth.

Now here's the thing I don't understand, is why no one has made a complaint to OFCOM about this. I mean it is a scam and theft. They are charging you to wait on hold and you don't get a service. You may as well call those numbers from those lottery calls you get.

I mean, you are calling these numbers to get a service. That service is not being given so why are we being charged?

Imagine if you walked into a store like Marks & Spencer or Harrods or even your bank and were told that you had to pay 10p a minute to wait in a queue to speak to customer service, but everytime you got to the counter you were told to go join a different queue and keep waiting. How long do you think that business would stay open? Why is the phone different?

I think there should be a law, if a company cannot put you through to a person in 5 minutes and that person is able to deal with your problem, then they should provide 0800 numbers. Never mind them providing you geographical numbers, they have to be 0800 numbers. Let's see how long companies like Sky and Virgin will last keeping people on hold for an hour like stupid fools while THEY pay for the call.

Vans_101

When IVRs work then they offer a better service to the customer. If you were to speak to an operator to explain your problem and then be transferred to the right department then it would take a lot longer. You would be on hold longer and it would cost you more money and you would still complain about the service. I must admit, some IVRs can be frustrating but a lot of people dont bother listening to the correct options because they just want to speak to someone and this ends up getting them through to the wrong dept. Or some have had a bad experience with another company and assume every other IVR is the same. If you have a problem getting through after you have chosen the correct options then tell the operator this. The company in question may take this on board and try to improve their service.

jonisin

foominoo wrote: »

And yes, we do use 0870 access numbers. I can confirm that we do refund customers who ask us to (especially those that ask nicely!). Plus we are about to make calls for customers calling from the mobile that we support.

That's part of the problem. Why should we as customers, have to pay up front for these hideous 0870/0845 numbers and then beg for a refund for what is often a problem of not our doing.

I have written to my MP more than once and she is sympathetic about the abuse of these numbers but if nobody else writes in and complains then as far as the MP's are concerned everything is OK and I am the only winging person in the country.

It's no use bleating on here about these numbers, PLEASE write to your MP and Ofcom (there is plenty of information on the web that tells you how to go about it if your unsure). If everyone on here that disagrees with how these numbers are used, writes to their MP, then they will be so overwhelmed that they will have to act. In my opionion, Ofcom are basically on the side of the companies and they will only act if pressurised, which again means letters to them as well.

I also write to customer services of any company that use 0870/0845 numbers and get them to explain their policy. They invariably have to ask up higher because they are unaware of the costs and the anger at these numbers.
Consumer power works best if its directed to the right place.

P.S. Would foominoo enlighten us to why their company doesn't use 0800 numbers, which as far as I'm aware can be used in exactly the same way except that we dont get ripped off.

Does anybody know if any other country uses these telephone numbers. I asked a women in MA (USA) and she was flabagasted when I told her about them, because they all use free phone numbers for any customer service number. I would hazard a guess that its all part of (rip off Britain is alive and well)

That's me done, I'm off to stick my nose in my bee hive and hopefully not get stung like I do with many of the companies in this country.

catnatlady

Iffy_Wallet wrote: »

Ringing the RBoS can annoy me. After pressing all the buttons, and specifying the credit card number and answering all the automated security questions, they'll finally let you speak to a human if you really have to:

"Hello, Nat West".

"Er, no. I rang RBoS".

"Yes, but we are also Nat West. Can I go through security with you?".

"Er, you've just had me keying all sorts of security details into the phone. Am I doing that to amuse you? Or perhaps to amuse myself while I wait to talk with you lot?"

"Yes, but that's the automated system, and not us. Now if we can just ...."

This is about the time I start frothing at the mouth and rolling round the floor...

I tried to speak to someone at Alliance and Leicester today. After going through the automated system four times, each time getting a different option (i don't understand how that could have happened), I got through to a message that said that they were experiencing an unusually high number of calls and would have to wait at least another five minutes. I gave up!

dahjoh

Surfer wrote: »

I detest phoning Sky and then hanging on for ages especially if you are requesting account closure.

I used a tip found on saynoto0870 sky customer services forum link: If you phone the geographical number 01506 421712 and do not enter your phone number when requested you get put through much quicker I only waited about a minute.

Also, as I was phoning about an error they made in a letter about increasing my bill, I said I objected to having to pay premiun rate (they weren't to know it wasn't) as a result of there error. I got a credit of £5.00 off my next bill!

PS: Please note that most of the 01506 numbers listed on that forum are no longer available but the one above works still.