Get off the phones

IvanOpinion

Pollycat said:

I think some companies have been slow to update their websites with information on delays to deliveries.

You are preaching to the converted here.  I have had this discussion on more than one occasion. 
However, without going into detail (sorry for those that crave the minutia), I have come across a couple of (pseudo-)valid reasons for limiting amendments.

dreamypuma

IvanOpinion said:

dreamypuma said:

I'm not condoning unreasonable behaviour to contact centre staff, or unreasonable demands of them. 

But I am getting increasingly annoyed about some companies using the Covid situation to disuade callers with guilt (recorded messages)  when they have no alternate or inadequate means of managing customers enquiries.

I've found myself having to call providers over the last four months. Had I not, I would have faced increased costs or automatic renewals under unfavourable terms.

I feel that some companies are hiding behind the Covid situation to their advantage. They would be quick to penalise consumers if they didn't act in a timely manner.

With this in mind, I see no reason to not contact a call centre if the needs necessitate. Just keep it brief, polite and to the the point. Sufficient to resolve the issue.

Ultimately the provider is responsible for managing the provision of their service that they have been contracted to provide. Not being able to resolve issues with them (pandemic or not) is for them to manage and resource accordingly.

As far as 'using COVID as an excuse', as you say it is just a feeling you have, and I would be interested in seeing any evidence that supports that and which call centres it related to (they should be named and shamed).  Any I have worked for have been professional.and are doing their best in tough circumstances.

I agree with you about contacting 'if the need necessitates', but a high proportion of the calls appear not to be in the category of 'if the needs necessitate' (coming from an analysis of incoming calls carried out a couple of weeks ago).  It is these calls that are the ones blocking 'necessary' calls from getting through.

As far as resourcing, what would you suggest?  Put untrained people on the phones?  The wait time may go down from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, but how do you think callers will react when the only answer they get is 'I don't know'?  How many operators should be taken off call handling and refund/return duties to train up new callers?  This will naturally generate a bigger backlog.

There is no easy solution, people just need to be more patient and understanding

Not specifically evidence, but what is clear is that had I not persisted with my calls, I would have paid an additional monthly cost of £198 per month for the products addressed. 

One solution for businesses could be to be clearer on their communication. An example being an email from Sky today with reference to TV services that fall out of contract next month. The focus is on their summary of savings to the account for continuing with their services. On closer examination, the monthly cost of these services are being increased. Not once does it quote the new monthly cost. Why all the emphasis on saving as opposed to simply saying that the monthly payment is increasing by £4? It's marketing to illustrate the positive as opposed to the actual impact, and quite manipulative.

This type of communication, could generate increased calls seeking clarification.

I don't have a solution, but do want to illustrate how not being able to address your commitments through a contact centre can have an impact on your finances. Particularly if there isn't a robust alternate means of contact.

I do agree, that there are groups of "Karens" that waste contact centre resource through not taking time to understand what they have committed to, or trying to excercise unreasonable demands for non essential requirements. I don't agree with this. The necessity of a call should be on reasonable merit so as to ease the burden. 

I'm quite happy to be patient and understanding, but not at my expense. (Call me selfish, if you wish)

meer53

Nothing will stop people calling companies if they need an answer, even if they've been given the answer already, and a recorded message askes them nicely to go online if they can. Not even a Worldwide Pandemic. And definitely not a post on the MSE Forum. I don't really see the point in your post ? 

Barny1979

IvanOpinion said:

As far as 'using COVID as an excuse', as you say it is just a feeling you have, and I would be interested in seeing any evidence that supports that and which call centres it related to (they should be named and shamed).  

Ryanair is one company that used Covid for the reason they didn't process refunds in a timely manner.

IvanOpinion

meer53 said:

Nothing will stop people calling companies if they need an answer, even if they've been given the answer already, and a recorded message askes them nicely to go online if they can. Not even a Worldwide Pandemic. And definitely not a post on the MSE Forum. I don't really see the point in your post ? 

You could be right, but then people should stop whining about long queues when calling, long delays for refunds, long delays for orders.  They are making themselves part of the problem.

As far as 'the point' is concerned is this not the vent board?  Be careful some posters get really delicate if they think someone is daring to police their board.  If you allow me to paraphrase 'It is a discussion forum, you don't get to dictate how other people post!".

IvanOpinion

Barny1979 said:

IvanOpinion said:

As far as 'using COVID as an excuse', as you say it is just a feeling you have, and I would be interested in seeing any evidence that supports that and which call centres it related to (they should be named and shamed).  

Ryanair is one company that used Covid for the reason they didn't process refunds in a timely manner.

I am not familiar with their set up.  Do you have any specific examples of this - I would be interested in reading.

Barny1979

IvanOpinion said:

Barny1979 said:

IvanOpinion said:

As far as 'using COVID as an excuse', as you say it is just a feeling you have, and I would be interested in seeing any evidence that supports that and which call centres it related to (they should be named and shamed).  

Ryanair is one company that used Covid for the reason they didn't process refunds in a timely manner.

I am not familiar with their set up.  Do you have any specific examples of this - I would be interested in reading.

Have a look on FB, lots of issues and fobbing off to customers who had flights cancelled and requested refunds, they've still not refunded all.

IvanOpinion

A quick catchup.  The group from the previous meeting got together again this afternoon, to review progress - you will be glad to hear that it looks like the quality issue has been resolved (again the problem and solution are company confidential - but we will be randomly monitoring multiple calls over the next few days).  We all had a really good laugh at the early replies to this thread (I hope someone isn't going to get all indignant that their posts have been talked about) - thanks for making a boring day funny (I have explicitly asked that none of them create accounts and post in this thread - some of them are much less PC than me). 

However my mate pointed out something that totally bypassed me (I guess you get so used to some things) ... we are not subject to GDPR.  I did say GDPR was irrelevant (just not for the reasons I was thinking).

IvanOpinion

Barny1979 said:

IvanOpinion said:

Barny1979 said:

IvanOpinion said:

As far as 'using COVID as an excuse', as you say it is just a feeling you have, and I would be interested in seeing any evidence that supports that and which call centres it related to (they should be named and shamed).  

Ryanair is one company that used Covid for the reason they didn't process refunds in a timely manner.

I am not familiar with their set up.  Do you have any specific examples of this - I would be interested in reading.

Have a look on FB, lots of issues and fobbing off to customers who had flights cancelled and requested refunds, they've still not refunded all.

Thanks, but I was looking for something a bit more tangible.  I don't know their set up so would not like to jump to some conclusion without proper evidence.

Barny1979

IvanOpinion said:

Barny1979 said:

IvanOpinion said:

Barny1979 said:

IvanOpinion said:

As far as 'using COVID as an excuse', as you say it is just a feeling you have, and I would be interested in seeing any evidence that supports that and which call centres it related to (they should be named and shamed).  

Ryanair is one company that used Covid for the reason they didn't process refunds in a timely manner.

I am not familiar with their set up.  Do you have any specific examples of this - I would be interested in reading.

Have a look on FB, lots of issues and fobbing off to customers who had flights cancelled and requested refunds, they've still not refunded all.

Thanks, but I was looking for something a bit more tangible.  I don't know their set up so would not like to jump to some conclusion without proper evidence.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/07/ryanair-claims-it-ll-clear-90--of-its-refund-backlog-by-the-end-/