Someone will phone you back. Is this the best number …?
Insidiously companies have sacked staff, and no longer answer calls. When you’ve pressed 5 for repairs, then 1 for accounts, 1 again for payment by card, then listened to a long automated paying system, hung up, pressed 5 then 1 then 3 for “any other problem” you might just finally find a human. Though not with every company.
They check your name, address, date of birth, password, and possibly blood type, and should be asking your blood pressure by now. Then they announce
Someone will phone you back …
When?
This morning.
Can I speak to someone now?
No, we’ll call you back.
The prime reason is We’re experiencing a high volume of calls.
This translates as We don’t employ enough staff.
Then the reason is We’re having problems with our phone system (from our burglar alarm company). Their engineers are all Telecom engineers. Deal with it … but then we have the important rule of business communication. Customers don’t want excuses. They’re not interested in your problems. Never, never make excuses to complete strangers based on “your problems.”
So now I have to hang around by my phone.
Better not take the bins down to the street in case I miss it.
Don’t want to start that job in case I’m interrupted.
Better not have a shower.
Better not go to the loo, due to sod’s law meaning that phones only ring when you’re seated on the toilet.
The other thing is that the phone query is about a mistake on their part landing me with a huge bill. I’m angry. I’ll stay angry until I resolve it. This makes me stressed.
I hate it that every time we have someone do anything in the house, there’s a call back survey. (SEE ALSO: https://peterviney.wordpress.com/rants/surveys/)
So the central heating guy was really nice and helpful. The next day British Gas phone to ask about my satisfaction with the job. If I decline, will he lose points or a bonus or whatever?
My attitude is I’ll accept:
Was anything wrong?
No.
Fine.
People say “You can switch on an answerphone.”
Sorry, it’s on my desk. The beep and recording interruption is still there.
Or “You can pull your phone out of the socket.”
No, I can’t. I’m the backup emergency number for three schools for my grandkids. We have elderly relatives. I want the phone for emergencies, but I don’t want interruptions.
I’m a complete bastard on unsolicited phone calls. A charity phoned me for the third time in a month. I’d asked them not to cold-call me after the first. I repeated it on the second, On the third, I stopped my standing order and told them the money would go to a different worthy cause. There are plenty of them.
So what do I do while I’m waiting for that call back, unwilling to start work because of my concentration being broken?
Well, what I do is Google alternative suppliers. That’s how my car main dealer lost my business permanently.
I will direct all future “We’ll call you back” companies to this article.