Call Centres

[GreenandGlaikit]

It's commonly thought they're currently "The Pits" however a new low awaits : Voice Recognition Software.

Experienced it first hand this morning - 'kin horrific. :grr:


Barclays? :bye: :bye:

[SlickShoes]

It's commonly thought they're currently "The Pits" however a new low awaits : Voice Recognition Software.

Experienced it first hand this morning - 'kin horrific. :grr:


Barclays? :bye: :bye:

The odeon cinema used to use one of these and me and mrs would be booking tickets to springfield quay in glasgow, every week, it would say ' You want films and the odeon in Phliwelli'

Was a nightmare thank god they do online booking now!

[Hibs Class]

It's commonly thought they're currently "The Pits" however a new low awaits : Voice Recognition Software.

Experienced it first hand this morning - 'kin horrific. :grr:


Barclays? :bye: :bye:

Agree. The best way to deal with these is to bark / cough / etc. down the phone, until the system recognises that it doesn't understand you, and that you are transferred to an operator. The same approach often works if when asked to press the hash key you ignore it.

[Peevemor]

Many moons ago a few of us were staying at a hotel in LA. One of my mates when trying to call home from his room picked up the phone and got a recorded voice saying something like "For room service dial 1, for an alarm call dial 2, if you want to make an international call say operator.....".

He proceeded to say "operator", correctly but with a Scottish accent.

In reply he got "For room service dial 1, for an alarm call dial 2, if you want to make an international call say operator....".

He tried again 2 or 3 times before he finally said "aperadurrr" in the campest LA accent he could muster and got through no problem. :thumbsup:

[JoeT]

Agree. The best way to deal with these is to bark / cough / etc. down the phone, until the system recognises that it doesn't understand you, and that you are transferred to an operator. The same approach often works if when asked to press the hash key you ignore it.


The operators from the other sde of the world aren't much better than the voice recognition system

[Full Time Supporter]

The operators from the other sde of the world aren't much better than the voice recognition system

I was on the phone this morning to the Norwich Union call centre somewhere in India. It was a nightmare and I was speaking to someone!!! :grr:

[krobertson12]

I was on the phone this morning to the Norwich Union call centre somewhere in India. It was a nightmare and I was speaking to someone!!! :grr:
i politely tell them that i can not understand a word that they are saying, as i have a problem understanding their accent. i then apologise for any offence i may cause by asking to speak to another operator, if they refuse i just hang up and phone again!

[Mixu62]

I remember when I called up the Orange mobile call centre. I'm guessing it's somewhere in Merseyside by the accent of the operator but might as well have been on the moon.

"Wot's yer address?"
gave my address which ended with "Edinburgh"
Reply - "Edeenbooorreh? Is tharra town or a county?"

FFS!! I nearly lost it.:grr::brickwall

[panshibby]

I was on the phone this morning to the Norwich Union call centre somewhere in India. It was a nightmare and I was speaking to someone!!! :grr:

I used to work for NU when I stayed In Newcastle, they wanted a bunch of us to go across to Bangalore for a few weeks and train them to do our Jobs then sack us! (sorry redeploy!!!) apart from the arsenal lickers they were told to get to ****. :brickwall:grr:

[Gatecrasher]

I was on the phone this morning to the Norwich Union call centre somewhere in India. It was a nightmare and I was speaking to someone!!! :grr:


i left norwich union because of that,

i dont buy a product that doesnt have call centres in the UK, the minute i know its a foreign one i leave

[scott7_0(Prague)]

i left norwich union because of that,

i dont buy a product that doesnt have call centres in the UK, the minute i know its a foreign one i leave

Why?

[Full Time Supporter]

i left norwich union because of that,

i dont buy a product that doesnt have call centres in the UK, the minute i know its a foreign one i leave

Funnily enough, now that they are trying to convince me to take their insurance quote I am getting calls from the UK! (Won't take it because it's expensive, but wouldn't anyway because of the fact that they are abroad.) Their loss, not mine.

[Gatecrasher]

Why?


why should i take a product from a company that doesnt employ people from the UK.

and if i phone a company i should expect to speak to someone without repeating myself 3 or 4 times just so they understand what im talking about.

i left norwich union after having an argument about whether the royal mail delivers on a saturday or not, the guy was a complete moron. i cancelled my insurance the next week

[Gatecrasher]

Funnily enough, now that they are trying to convince me to take their insurance quote I am getting calls from the UK! (Won't take it because it's expensive, but wouldn't anyway because of the fact that they are abroad.) Their loss, not mine.


its not as if your restricted for choice, there are penty of good ones out there that you get to speak to people from the UK and have good quotes as well. :thumbsup:

[scott7_0(Prague)]

why should i take a product from a company that doesnt employ people from the UK.


A bit stupid if you ask me!

So on that theory you will not buy for example Nike or Adidas as they are produced in a sweat box factory in Thailand and not a nice air-conditioned factory in Rutherglen!!

[GreenandGlaikit]

A bit stupid if you ask me!

So on that theory you will not buy for example Nike or Adidas as they are produced in a sweat box factory in Thailand and not a nice air-conditioned factory in Rutherglen!!

The difference is there's never a need tae verbally communicate wi a person manufacturing shoe-ware.

Co-incidentally, need tae 'phone BT this morning .......

"I may be some time" :boo hoo:

[Gatecrasher]

A bit stupid if you ask me!

So on that theory you will not buy for example Nike or Adidas as they are produced in a sweat box factory in Thailand and not a nice air-conditioned factory in Rutherglen!!


The difference is there's never a need tae verbally communicate wi a person manufacturing shoe-ware.

Co-incidentally, need tae 'phone BT this morning .......

"I may be some time" :boo hoo:


nike or adidas are global brands, when you buy the product you go to a local sports shop and buy the stuff from a UK business (JJB).

foreign call centres are from mostly UK companies just out to save a few bucks by dumping british jobs and sending them half way around the world

[robinp]

It's commonly thought they're currently "The Pits" however a new low awaits : Voice Recognition Software.

Experienced it first hand this morning - 'kin horrific. :grr:


Barclays? :bye: :bye:

I phoned up to pay a bill, what was I faced with.....VOICE RECOGNITION!

"If you want to do ...... say yes or no now........if you want to do...."
2 minutes later and after numerous failed yes and no replies i get "please speak your account number now..." "**** Off"........"Transferrring you to an adviser." :thumbsup:

Must try it again from the start. :greengrin

[GreenandGlaikit]

nike or adidas are global brands, when you buy the product you go to a local sports shop and buy the stuff from a UK business (JJB).

foreign call centres are from mostly UK companies just out to save a few bucks by dumping british jobs and sending them half way around the world

The thing is. Its false economy. They lose many customers because folk are fed up spending ages wasting their time calling Indian and the like Call Centres.

Phoned BT friday morning re resetting ma 'phone accounts password. (being fairly computer literate believed there's a fault wi their software which in this case prevented me resetting Online)

Took 3 separate phone calls tae the same number - each time navigating menus, typing in ma phone number, verbally repeating ma phone number and address and each time explaining the problem before they eventually sent a E-Mail which resolved it.

Time 20 mins. It should've taken 2.

If a viable alternative tae BT appears Ah'm offski. :bye:

[Hibby D]

The thing is. Its false economy. They lose many customers because folk are fed up spending ages wasting their time calling Indian and the like Call Centres.

Phoned BT friday morning re resetting ma 'phone accounts password. (being fairly computer literate believed there's a fault wi their software which in this case prevented me resetting Online)

Took 3 separate phone calls tae the same number - each time navigating menus, typing in ma phone number, verbally repeating ma phone number and address and each time explaining the problem before they eventually sent a E-Mail which resolved it.

Time 20 mins. It should've taken 2.

If a viable alternative tae BT appears Ah'm offski. :bye:

I called BT yesterday for the first time in a long time. I managed to get a refund of £179 to be paid directly into my bank account without speaking to a soul :greengrin

I then called them back and pressed the keypad to let them know I was thinking of leaving and wouldn't ya know - 20 seconds later I'm speaking to a real live person :greengrin

20 minutes after that I've re-negotiated my call-plan, reduced my broadband by £8 a month and my line rental by £1.10 a month by agreeing to paperless bills, & finally a free home hub and a free printer by signing up for another 12 months - (which I was not adverse to doing anyway :wink:)

Overall a fine bit of business if I don't say so myself :smug:

[matty_f]

I've worked in a call centre for 9 years, and I have to say that I really enjoy it. Where I work is so progressive, their technologies are so far ahead of the competitors it's not true.

I have to bank with them as a condition of my employment, but having worked for them and seen what the difference is between our service and everyone else's, even when/if I eventually leave I'll be keeping my accounts with them. The only other bank I would consider is First Direct who score top in literally ever customer satisfaction survey going, and even then they are part of the same group.

I do get a bit defensive when folk slag off call centres in general, as my experience is that I work with people who work exceptionally hard to give top class service to their customers, and for a company who has a massive focus on getting things right for customers too.

Without call centres we would all be paying for banking already, and branches would not be able to cope with the number of people coming in or phoning.

[Gatecrasher]

I've worked in a call centre for 9 years, and I have to say that I really enjoy it. Where I work is so progressive, their technologies are so far ahead of the competitors it's not true.

I have to bank with them as a condition of my employment, but having worked for them and seen what the difference is between our service and everyone else's, even when/if I eventually leave I'll be keeping my accounts with them. The only other bank I would consider is First Direct who score top in literally ever customer satisfaction survey going, and even then they are part of the same group.

I do get a bit defensive when folk slag off call centres in general, as my experience is that I work with people who work exceptionally hard to give top class service to their customers, and for a company who has a massive focus on getting things right for customers too.

Without call centres we would all be paying for banking already, and branches would not be able to cope with the number of people coming in or phoning.
:agree:

i agree that call centres are a good thing as i also work in one, but there is certain aspects of it that companies use to try and cut the middle man altogether (call centre worksers) by using things like the OP was about. and this leads to more frustration for the customer by not speaking to anyone at all

[GreenandGlaikit]

I've worked in a call centre for 9 years, and I have to say that I really enjoy it. Where I work is so progressive, their technologies are so far ahead of the competitors it's not true.

I have to bank with them as a condition of my employment, but having worked for them and seen what the difference is between our service and everyone else's, even when/if I eventually leave I'll be keeping my accounts with them. The only other bank I would consider is First Direct who score top in literally ever customer satisfaction survey going, and even then they are part of the same group.

I do get a bit defensive when folk slag off call centres in general, as my experience is that I work with people who work exceptionally hard to give top class service to their customers, and for a company who has a massive focus on getting things right for customers too.

Without call centres we would all be paying for banking already, and branches would not be able to cope with the number of people coming in or phoning.

Sorry, in BT's case they could be the hardest workers in the world - its irrelevant if the customer (that pays their wages) generally find their communications skills frustrating and their competency lacking epecially if they end up causing delays, misunderstandings, and wasted time.

The cheaper option - whether its using foreign labour or introducing absurd voice-recognition systems - might look great in BT's and other board-rooms, however, customer service and satisfaction is usually degraded in the process.

[GreenandGlaikit]

I called BT yesterday for the first time in a long time. I managed to get a refund of £179 to be paid directly into my bank account without speaking to a soul :greengrin

I then called them back and pressed the keypad to let them know I was thinking of leaving and wouldn't ya know - 20 seconds later I'm speaking to a real live person :greengrin

20 minutes after that I've re-negotiated my call-plan, reduced my broadband by £8 a month and my line rental by £1.10 a month by agreeing to paperless bills, & finally a free home hub and a free printer by signing up for another 12 months - (which I was not adverse to doing anyway :wink:)

Overall a fine bit of business if I don't say so myself :smug:

In other words, BT were heavily over-charging ye in the first place . YA MUG !!! :hilarious