Automated "service"; how long do YOU wait?

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Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Twenty minutes, then I hang up (as I just did).
Direct Line insurance - if you make me wait longer than 20 minutes when I am trying to make a payment, then how bad is your service if I ever have to make a claim? :angry:
 

Bobby Mhor

Wasn't born to follow
Location
Behind You
It's that fecker Winston Wolf...
they dumped the wee red phone on wheels for him...
He's shifty lookin
 

Turbo Rider

Just can't reMember
Mm, bit naughty but I only call these companies from work - that way I get to dust off any random admin, which I can't usually be bothered with, at the same time. Shame I can't do the same in a busy supermarket really, but any company that keeps you waiting to pay them is seriously taking the pee.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Twenty minutes, then I hang up (as I just did).
Direct Line insurance - if you make me wait longer than 20 minutes when I am trying to make a payment, then how bad is your service if I ever have to make a claim? :angry:
5 1/2 hours. They then hung up.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
I don't wait for anything or anyone more than 20 minutes. If people don't want your business or your company after 20 minutes of waiting, they don't deserve you. My Dad was very very clear on that point.
 

w00hoo_kent

One of the 64K
Writing these things is a tiny part of my job so I tend to sit with them on speaker and do something else. I like to listen for the time breaks to see when they've put their conditionals in to their programming.

I'll leave it going until it's answered, or I have something else to do generally but if it's run for 40 minutes and it's not a weird thing (like Glastonbury tickets) I'd hang up and try again later assuming they were chronically low on agents. Also I'd probably try other things if I really needed to get through, like ringing but choosing no options as if my phone didn't do tones, or picking obscure options to make getting to a human quickly most likely. Although this is a bit desperate and if the system is set up right shouldn't do any more than end up with you back in the call centre queue.

Also, if I needed to sort it, I'd see what other methods they had. A lot have online chat now which is often very effective. I'd do that while hanging on the phone. Finally, I never take the 'callback' option, if they don't have the agents available to take incoming, then they definitely dont have the resources to be making outgoing.

I'm not surprised by bad service on enquiries, but I agree that if a company can't sort out taking my money quickly then they are doing something badly wrong.
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Once i had sky phone me back on my mobile as my broadband/phone was not working right and they put me on hold and forgot about me.The line auto disconnected !
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
I changed banks to First Direct a while back as I was sick with my previous banks on hold and 'dial this number for' shenanigans.
It still surprises me when they answer the phone almost immediately any time of the day or night.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
10 min max.
There are normally on line options for anything nowadays, I look into them first, before phoning.
 
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