Call Centres!!!AHHH!

[sam100]

Why is it when you call a call centre you spend 20 minutes on hold, get passed around the building and each time you call somehwere you get told something different???!!!
What happened to customer service and consistency!!!

[andy-hughes]

Call centres are seen by company accountants as a way of maximising customer contact, with minimal staffing levels - hence the wait.

This situation is compounded by the fact that most call centre operatives are woefully under-trained, and thrust on-line with the bare minimum of knowledge and experience.

They tell you the answer to your problem in good faith, based on what they perceive to be a solution, which, as everyone knows, is often vastly different from what the person sitting next to them would say.

The final nail in the coffin of actual service, is the extremely high turnover of staff - the abuse they suffer from lack of experience and training means they leave before gaining significiant amounts of either - and so the entire Catch-22 nightmare rolls on.

It's inefficient, it causes stress, it doesn't work - it;s the call-centre mind-set but .... ta-dah.... it's CHEAP!!!!

So what was your problem again?

Click bbbrrrrrr........

[WaldoMcFroog]

<Thank you for sending a question to the Answerbank. Qestions may be monitored for training porpoises.>

I'm sorry sir, I can't answer your question as it doesn't appear on the list on my script. Have you tried turning it off and back on again?

[sam100]

how bizzare???

[kev100]

When you hang around these places it COSTS YOU MONEY DUMBO, HAVE YOU GOT IT YET?

[neesy]

Andy-hughes's answer is spot on!

I have had to call a call centre on many occassions and have also had the unfortunate experience of working in one. Both situations were extremely frustrating. It's awful working in a call centre when you know you are unable to answer specific questions and knowing that the customer will also no doubt be frustrated with the limited help you can give without passing them onto various departments etc.

The worst job I have ever had!!!

[nantyboy]

It is simply a cost saving measure, hence the number of call centres in the East. The company will probably deny this though. It is to maximise their profits regardless of the service they provide to the customer.

[sam100]

who you calling dumbo Kev?????

I acknowledge call centres are a wonderful way of getting cash out of people but i just wish that when you speak to two different people that they coukd give you a similar answer not something completely different???

I think brininging call centres back to the UK are a definate plus...is it the Halifax that have already done so??

[gina32]

not only is it frustrating to have to get in contact with a call centre thats doesnt have any answers but it is 1000 times worse when you have to contact a call centre where you cant even understand them, as a vast majority are in india and there abouts thus making is even more frustrating