[PaulyJ]

Going back to around 15 years ago, talking to BT meant phoning them and if there was no one free to take the call, you would listen to the "Engaged Tone" which meant you had not connected and was not being charged for the call, you would then redial until you got a "Dial Tone"

This was annoying but did not cost you a penny.

15 years on and i am continually frustrated at these call centre queing phone system's, that ask you a bunch of security questions, that often need to be repeated after you have connected to a person. Some of them have 5 options to route you to the right department, and then another 5, then another 5. Well we all know how bad they can be but i'd like to know are we better off for there existence.

Pro's
1. You can Que
2. (I'm struggling with a 2rd)


Con's
1. Bigger phone Bills
2. Repeating myself
3. Listening to complicated Menu's
4. Listening to bad pop music
5. Time consuming.

What do you think, would you prefer the Engaged Tone?
Are the Phone companies getting richer from our misery?

[BB_Eye]

I don't mind being asked all those questions, if it means I will get to an operator quicker, but I do wish they would replace the music with something like a busy message.

[Shasown]

Never go through the options menus pressing buttons to stream your call. If the option is available always go for "none of the previous options", puts you through to the next available whats laughingly known as a customer service operator, who will deal with you (hopefully).

You could if the exchange allows not pick an option and pretend you havent got a touchtone phone same result.

[Alf]

the worlds ramed full of greedy people
it's all about making money

[Tom]

I'd personally rather be asked security questions and 'press 1 for ____' if it meant I'd get through to the relevant person as soon as someone picked the phone up

My only complaint is the music!

And generally, the companies I deal with have English call centres as well so its not bad at all

[rapunza1977]

Virgin Media have to be the worst. They call queuing and questions are a joke, your drained by the time you get through

[rapunza1977]

Originally Posted by Shasown

Never go through the options menus pressing buttons to stream your call. If the option is available always go for "none of the previous options", puts you through to the next available whats laughingly known as a customer service operator, who will deal with you (hopefully).

You could if the exchange allows not pick an option and pretend you havent got a touchtone phone same result.

i just hit the # key until i get put through
no patience