O2 - Not enough staff

Techhead_2

Over the last few days I have wasted hours in queues on the phone to O2 or on hold during a "live webchat" (didn't even know that was possible until this week). O2 Twitter have not responded to tweets.

I have tried calling them as soon as they open, just before they close and at various times during the day. Every time I get a message that the lines are unusually busy and I'll have to hold. Eventually after ten, twenty, thirty minutes I give up.

So I tried live chat, was pleased to get through to an agent quickly, only to be told I needed to be transferred to someone else. Was "on hold" for 11 minutes before being transferred to the delightfully named Kent. Unfortunately, Kent didn't seem to want to chat to me, so after another 20 minutes of typing "Hello? Are you there Kent" I ended the chat.

Tried again and after many apologies, was placed on hold. Thirty minutes later I hadn't even been transferred.

I thought I would be clever and tried live chat at 6am. Guess what - all agents busy!

O2, I'm a patient man, but you're trying my patience severely. Are you understaffed, swamped with complaining customers or do you just not give a hoot?

Techhead_2

Bit of an update, I tried the live chat again. Apologetic agent, but unable to resolve as the department I need doesn't open until 8am. So it looks like another day spent holding on the phone.

mattyprice4004

Hardly a day - 30 minutes on hold is a long time, but not out of the ordinary with O2. Leave the phone on speaker and wonder off to do other things, when it rings go back and carry on as per.

ThumbRemote

I used live chat a few weeks back. Connected to an agent quickly, but then took 45 minutes on hold before being transferred to the correct department (the 'retentions' department - seems there are a lot of people cancelling and leaving!)

On the plus side it cost nothing, and I could leave it in the background while using the PC for something else.

Gemma__3

o2 have recently changed their outsourcing providers for some of their call centres from Serco Global (Formally The Listening Company) and they are transfering their own in house contact centres over to Capita.

enough said with capita.

Retrogamer

As above, but not only did O2 sell all their own in house call centres to Capita but 1000 members of staff chose to be made redundant rather than switch.

This, Telefonica selling O2 assets around Europe and O2 UK selling broadband and landline to Sky...it's not looking good for them.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/12/1000_o2_staff_chose_redundancy_over_capita/

Techhead_2

It's all very well advising leaving the phone on hands-free or waiting in chat but if your working or have family then that's not going to be possible for an extended period.

I did finally manage to get through and whilst the agent was apologetic, I really don't have time to be making repeated attempts to get through.

Gemma__3

If customers stopped screwing companies on price then maybe they could afford more staff. there has to be give and take.

ThumbRemote

It took me nearly an hour to get a PAC code from O2 - 45 minutes on hold and 15 minutes trying to get the useless 'retentions advisor' to stop waffling, stop posting links to supposed 'features' O2 offered, and just give me the code.

I've got a way they can serve people faster - just give them what they ask for when they get in touch. Lets face it, after 45 minutes on hold I'm hardly going to be well disposed to staying with the company, am I?