Who do people (Companies) pick up the phone when they cannot handle the call??

Orionaut

Orionaut

Orionaut

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This really grinds my gears!

Scenario.

I am phoning a shop/business,

Phone rings for a few seconds before being picked up.

"Hello, this is "XYZ" , can you hold?"

NO!

In principle at least (Basic PAYG Mobile for instance) It costs money to hold (Sometimes not an insignificant amount either). It doesn't cost money to listen to the phone ring until the other end can handle the call!

Why do so many companies seem to think boosting the profits of the telecoms corperations is part of their business? :mad:
 
Generally bad business to let a phone ring off. Answer the call and put it on hold lets the customer know they've been acknowledged.

Use a landline.
 
While you are on hold you could always take the penny farthing down to the cornershop, purchase a top up card for your handheld telephone, and maybe buy a physical magazine to read while you wait, Grandpa.
 
Bennie-Mac said:
While you are on hold you could always take the penny farthing down to the cornershop, purchase a top up card for your handheld telephone, and maybe buy a physical magazine to read while you wait, Grandpa.
Click to expand...

As if all the world's customer service issues are easily solvable via email or webchat...

Get a clue, wippersnapper
 
Orionaut said:
This really grinds my gears!

Scenario.

I am phoning a shop/business,

Phone rings for a few seconds before being picked up.

"Hello, this is "XYZ" , can you hold?"

NO!

In principle at least (Basic PAYG Mobile for instance) It costs money to hold (Sometimes not an insignificant amount either). It doesn't cost money to listen to the phone ring until the other end can handle the call!

Why do so many companies seem to think boosting the profits of the telecoms corperations is part of their business? :mad:
Click to expand...

This is no different to companies which have automated answering services/menus. If it's so detrimental to your life then simply don't deal with companies who do this (or get a proper phone tariff ;))

If I were you, I'd be on the phone to your mobile provider right now to complain!... oh wait... :p
 
I do this at work - If I'm covering a busy reception desk on my own, I'll ask you to hold while I finish what I'm doing. Stops the phone from ringing out, makes sure you don't lose your place in the "queue" (we don't have automated messages - they're frustrating) and stops you thinking I'm just sat watching the phone ring, because everybody knows the NHS don't do any work anyway ;).

Also, since it's a GP surgery, it gives you the chance to say "no it's an emergency" in which case I can prioritize the call (or tell you to get off the phone and ring 999, because y'know, ambulance).

Slightly different to a retail setting I suppose though?
 
what! i actually prefer this system to letting it ring out until they are free. could you imagine as the caller just hearing "ring ring, ring ring" for 10 minutes straight. no thanks. i'd rather know they're there just doing something else and i'm next in line.
 
In many of the companies I've worked for this usually means "you interrupted my inane/banal conversation with my colleague please hold [go away] while I finish talking about what I had for breakfast 3 days ago".
 
so would the OP rather just be left at the end of a phone ringing continually?! yea it can be annoying when that happens but as others say I'd much prefer someone to actually answer and put me on hold than have the phone just ring and ring.
 
Bennie-Mac said:
I was more having a dig at pay as you go still being a thing, with all the sim only offers and contracts available.
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PAYG still has uses, not least is for occasionally used phones or those getting mainly incoming calls.

I have one for "on call" use only. I don't make calls on it, and it's off when I don't want to be called. I don't give my (contract) personal number to business contacts.

There are many people for whom PAYG is the best option.
 
Rroff said:
In many of the companies I've worked for this usually means "you interrupted my inane/banal conversation with my colleague please hold [go away] while I finish talking about what I had for breakfast 3 days ago".
Click to expand...
This also always happens when you need to see the boss..

There always to busy on the phone to there boyfriend/girlfriend/etc talking about what there going have for dinner or some other crap..
 
What really annoys me is the other side of this. When phone calls take priority over the face to face customer.

You have waited in line or what ever. Eventually its your time....you start the conversation explaining what you need....the phone rings and they answer it. How did that happen??

I even get it at work. Having a work chat with someone and the phone rings and somehow this has taken precedence over the work conversation you are having??


Might just be people dont like talking to me. But really annoys me :) Thanks for listening to my rant.
 
A lot of companies have targets, if the target is answer the phone within a certain time so customers are happy mid management can claim they are hitting the target by having the phone picked up.
 
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