Nuisance calls

AndAyr

I used to work for this 'outfit' and as much as I hate unsolicited calls, if you speak 'nicely', they will either put you as 'do not call' or 'no marketing'. Unfortunately it does take time for it to filter through the system, and they are at the mercy of a computer. No operator wants flack for some IT type person failing in their job. They do not know who will be called, and the name appears when the phone is picked up, so if you have a name that is difficult to spell, or like a set of letters in front of you when playing scrabble, it sometimes takes time to 'decipher'.

I used to give advice to customers, all of whom were MBNA bank customers, especially those who didn't read all the small print, especially the bit that asked if you wanted promotional calls or not etc!

As for blasting a whistle down the phone line, a waste of time as you will more likely damage BT's equipment and be sent a hefty bill. Also the headsets are connected to a 'level devil' which makes all the calls at the same volume level, unless you have a really crap phone.

Customers also often deliberately give wrong numbers, so someome else gets the calls.

Customers think cutting a credit card in two or more cancels it, and wonder why they still get calls! (It's true, believe me!)

They don't tell their bank they won't use the card again, and complain about calls.

They don't inform their bank of a change of address or number, and someone else may get their old number from BT etc.

MBNA issue Virgin, A&L, Abbey and American Express cards, people hear those four letters and hang up, so they don't even know who issues the cards they have.

If you pick up the phone then hang up, you will be recalled, as the call centre staff don't know if it was a customer or not who did it. You don't have the right to decide someone elses bank choices, unless you are a power of attorney etc. It is classed as 'Interupts or hangs up' therefore we don't know who was on the other end. It could have been a child.

People complain about night calls, but thats when most people are in, and most ask to be called. I made about 1700 calls a week, not including answering machines, about 3 on average a week would complain.


No calls are allowed after 9pm. They call out from lunchtime on weekdays, as most people are out at work, getting children to school etc. before that.

I had someone ask me to call them at 8pm, tried, put them on a call back, tried again, then tried for an afternoon call again, and found out 'they dont answer after 7.30! They complained I didn't ring them. My call history backed me up, it registers every click of the mouse, as in, how I disposition it (end it) and who I called, when it was called, how long the call took etc.

So what if you walk away and leave someone sitting, I'd continue my crossword, doodling, juggling, teaching people how to use chopsticks, excercise on a little turntable thing that helps burn calories, chat up the girl next to me, arrange a drink etc with her, you will also have elevated my 'talk time' of which a target has to be reached. You could be doing me a favour. Never mind the advert with the woman having a cup of tea etc. She is being an idiot without realising.

If not talking, the mute button has to be used, if it is on for a certain time, it automatically moves to the next call.

I used to hear people ask someone if they were in, and hear them in the background say 'no'.

In the light of the Madeleine McCann story, a sizeable chunk of the calls I took were answerd by young children, with no parents or responsible adults etc in the house!!!

People put phones near babies they are trying to get to sleep, and complain when it rings!!!

The 08000 Excell number above has changed, they also don't hide their number.

It's not Excell who necessarily want to contact you, it's the client, as in, the bank, they decide, not Excell. The calls are generated from the banks computers, not Excells. They act on behalf of their client. Blame the banks, not the call centre about the excess number of times you get called, or was that too much like common sense.

We had an Indian girl work for us, people said they would rather speak to someone in the UK!! Err, she was, or are ethnic minorities not allowed to work in UK call centres?

A lot of folks don't mind call centres calling, as they enjoy the little chats, and often hear more from them than they do from their own relatives etc!!

People give their place of work as a contact, their bosses complain as do the people who gave the number! I got an o2 shop, a Chinese take-away where the card owner couldn't speak English, he had to get his wife to translate, and it was 6pm! The place was busy! I also got a taxi company in Manchester, a beauty parlour, a check in desk at an airport, plus other 'silly numbers'

I could go on, believe me, I could .....

wchris61

I have been troubled by this company too....I have just called them and they claim to be acting on behalf of "somebody" I have done business with....the woman to speak to is Jan White on 01294 225300...she's very helpful, but quite deluded...she seems to think she is providing some sort of public service....give her your number (the one receiving the nuisance calls) but not your name....why should she need it anyway.?