how long it takes to get in a queue for an operator getting longer and longer

Chrysalis

I rang 3 different companies in the past week.
The companies are now trying so hard to get people to hang up instead of speaking to an operator.
First company took me 3 mins 30 seconds to navigate the menu, listen to the voice telling me I can get what I need on the website and to get put in the queue.
Second company over 7 minutes
Third company 4 minutes and 50 seconds.

JJ_Egan

One last week not to bad but i do expect significant Covid delays .

Plus the menus are getting longer for many services .

Fosterdog

Those times are hardly excessive, they were the sort of wait times most places before Covid hit. With Covid unsurprisingly with companies being shorter on staff and having to completely overhaul the way they work wait times will increase.it's less them trying to encourage you to hang up and move it being physically impossible to keep up with demand in the current climate.

NaughtiusMaximus

Chrysalis said:

 listen to the voice telling me I can get what I need on the website and to get put in the queue.

That really annoys me, as I'm not a complete moron I do check the website before calling.

The other big annoyance is when they reel off a list of options, none of them relate to the query I have, but they don't include a 'press x for any other query' line. 

Fosterdog said:

Those times are hardly excessive, they were the sort of wait times most places before Covid hit. With Covid unsurprisingly with companies being shorter on staff and having to completely overhaul the way they work wait times will increase.it's less them trying to encourage you to hang up and move it being physically impossible to keep up with demand in the current climate.

If I'm reading it correctly, the OP is referring to the amount of time you spend listening to automated messages and working through option menus before you even get to the stage of being placed in a queue.

Gavin83

The worst is when you go through the menu options, the automated voice tells you some pointless information you didn’t need to know but considers it enough to then hang up on you.

Tippytoes

MMmmmmm.....yet they generally tell you that your call is important to them.  Not sure if I'm allowed to say on here but there is a way around the queue which works 9 times out of 10.  As soon as you're in the queue, press the phone's # key 20 or so times in very quick succession.  Not sure how or why it works but it does.

Mnoee

I think my least favourite are the companies who ask you to say what your problem is, in a few words. I had one where their system just didn't understand my strange problem so I was stuck trying to reword it in various ways over and over again. 

IvanOpinion

Mnoee said:

I think my least favourite are the companies who ask you to say what your problem is, in a few words. I had one where their system just didn't understand my strange problem so I was stuck trying to reword it in various ways over and over again. 

HMRC uses this and it drives me nuts.  It sort of goes like this
HMRC: Please say what you would like help with
ME: calculating tax code
HMRC: You want help with calculating your tax code - is that correct
Me: Yes
HMRC: You want help with calculating your tax code - is that correct
Me: Yes
HMRC: I am sorry I did not understand.  Please say Yes or No
Me: Yessssssss
HMRC: I am sorry I did not understand. Please just say Yes or no
Me: @$%#&& Yes you $%£##{@ pile of silicon #$%£
HMRC: Please say what you would like help with

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Pen, Paper, Envelope, Stamp!

Mnoee

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth said:

Pen, Paper, Envelope, Stamp!

Useless when you need a quick reply, especially at the moment. Also costs close to a pound, compared to a call that's often free or uses included minutes. 

[Deleted User]

I’ve found 9 times out of 10 organisations have an email address you can you, it’s easier, for me anyway, if you can’t get through on the telephone there isn’t much you can do.