Do you hate call centres and if so, why?

Answer 1

Depends on the circumstances. If they're calling me to sell me something then yes, if they're there because I need help and they provide it, then no.

However, getting someone on a 'phone in Bangalore just because your PC has frozen for the 8th time then having them not understand either you or the computer system, has to rank up there as ruddy annoying!

As are the ones where you have to 'Press 1 to be redirected to someone who knows what's going on, press two to be redirected to someone nice but dim, press three to hear another annoying messge, press four to wait for another half hour, press all of them in rotation to try and make the system explode and release your inner tension...'

;)

Answer 2

I hate most call centres and top of my list at the moment is british gas. Phoned them up last week to enquire about something to do with my gas account which hasn't been set up despite numerous calls........ anyway, was on hold for 15 minutes which was bad enough, but as well as the cheesy music, they had 'top tips' interspersed all the way through such as.......... "as dusk comes why not shut your curtains to stop heat escaping through your windows" and "during winter, why not invest in some thicker curtains to keep in the heat" - I was ready for smashing my phone off the wall when this woman answered and asked me how she could help. I explained I wanted to change my meter rates as they are wrong, she agreed that it had to be sorted, put me on hold then I GOT CUT OFF!!!!! So had to phone again and go through all of that again!!! Half an hour of my life wasted because their email system is crap (never received a reply to anything yet) and their call centre workers are untrained.

I do however feel sorry for the people who work in them as they must get subjected to all manner of abuse down the phone. One of my friends used to take calls for Sky - and he was given death threats just because somebody's Sky was cut off due to non payment.

I am always polite when on the phone and that has always worked for me. People respond better to that than to verbal abuse.

Answer 3

Hate 'em. I worked in a call center for 11 years talking to angry customers and having to defend a company that I thought was getting bad. Taking 100 calls a day kind of wears on you after a few years.

Answer 4

They are not in the same country as I am
They do not speak the same language as I do.
The call takes twice the time because I can`t understand them.
I have wasted my money and time.as I had to `ring` off.
I was no better off after the call and I didn`t get the information I wanted.
They are taking away jobs from people in our own country.

Answer 5

Hate, yes.

1. Automated systems where you have to press 17 zillion buttons to get the "we can't help you" message, or
2. Offshored call-centres - someone whose native tongue is not english, but is cheap to employ.

I once tried to make an enquiry about the cost of a train ticket (UK) and some guy in India was perfectly happy to help me provided that either the starting point OR the ending point of my journey was Milton-bluddy-Keynes. Banbury sounded like MK to him. Marylebone sounded like MK to him. Paddington sounded like MK to him. When I gave him the traditional "go forth and multiply" phrase, he said "what time would you like to depart frm MK?"
I drove.

Answer 6

Simply because most of them are in a country where either the English language is NOT the first language, OR it's spoken with such a strong accent that it's hardly understandable, and on 0870 numbers at 10p a minute, I object to having to have everything explained to me by having them spell me the words I can't understand - and even worse when THEY can't understand ME - speaking English ! ! !

Answer 7

I hate the language barrier, with me being scouse it often leads to confusion. A few weeks ago, my ebay account was hacked into, I tried to cancel my bank account to be on the safe side and the lady I spoke to couldn't understand me and I couldn't understand her. A week later I spoke to a Scottish bloke and finally had my account cancelled!

Try this web site:

http://www.saynoto0870.com/

It gives alternative numbers for 0870 or premium numbers. I too am sick of being ripped off.

Answer 8

Meh sometimes i do when your trying to say a question or a problem and then they ask you loads of pointless questions that you dont care about and make your phone bill higher. Also when they put you on hold forever with cheesy **** music... just to make you more angry and frustrated and when they get angry and you they call you by your last name like miss clarke... it does piss me off but some of them can be nice... that is all.

Answer 9

Just cannot under stand the guys and you have to keep pressing
buttons then when you get to department you want they keep
you hanging on whilst telling you about products they want to
sell you.
just done it with Sky took ages till i got through to a guy in India.

Answer 10

Totally agree with emma plus you can never get through to the department you want and also if you ask to speak to someone else with the hopes of being able to understand anything they are saying there is never anyone else available.