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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to expect calls made in quiet areas and basic details ready for contact centres?

44 replies

ZML · 27/05/2026 09:39

do wish people when calling contact centres and other organisations such as doctors surgeries, ring them with little background noise.

My work is a mix of admin and contact centre work - probably split 1 hour on phones for every 3-4 admin work. I often have customers ringing with TV on full blast, dog barking.

Then yesterday, I took a call from someone sitting in a park and could hear loads of kids screaming and a zip wire (guessing).

Then have your various account numbers, bank card to hand. They don’t. Some companies don’t have details populate the systems when people ring.

When I do ring a contact centre for my things, I call in a quiet place and have things to hand. The agents are pleased with this then ask - do I work for a contract centre. Yes I do!

OP posts:
Foraor · 27/05/2026 10:09

myavocadoisgrowing · 27/05/2026 09:45

Finding somewhere quiet is sensible, however having every thing to hand is more problematic. I can have everything I THINK I need but you can guarantee they will ask for something I don’t have.

Sure. And some people aren’t troubled by making calls in noisy environments — I see it with DH, who used to work for a sports agency and would be taking serious calls in a big, noisy open plan office with tvs showing different sport events clients were in, and thirty people talking. I can’t do that at all, I’m far too distracted by ambient sound.

Lomonald · 27/05/2026 10:08

chirrupybird · 27/05/2026 09:47

And you may start in a quiet place but after 5 minutes of 'your call is important to us...' you just get on doing what you're doing.

I mean this, "you are 48th" in the queue you get distracted and do other things. Like take your kids to the park so you get a chance to make your call.

Original poster
ZML · 27/05/2026 10:07

Bishbashbush · 27/05/2026 09:51

Or the people who call when they’re in the bath or taking a piss. YANBU.

I had them do a 💩 before! Hear the splash and the sigh of relief

OP posts:
Original poster
ZML · 27/05/2026 10:05

Talltreesbythelake · 27/05/2026 09:48

Confusing, I was wondering why she had to call a contact centre on her own behalf.

Show quote history

I have my utility bills, banks etc.

OP posts:
AgnesX · 27/05/2026 09:58

Having worked in a call centre (last century) I agree. What I hate more though are noisy call centres where the background noise at their end is phenomenal. Usually coupled with a rotten connection and a heavy overseas accent - although not always.

If I can't understand because I can't hear properly I'm going to get really tetchy or I'm not going to stay on the call.

Heatwaveintheoffice · 27/05/2026 09:56

20 years ago you would not have been unreasonable. But most call centres expect you to wait a considerable amount of time to speak to someone these days and people do not have enough spare time to wait in a quiet room. I'll usually start off in a quiet room but by 30 minutes in one of my kids needs me, by an hour in I have somewhere else I need to be etc.

CoverLikelyZebra · 27/05/2026 09:53

You must be suffering from "blessed and beautiful life" syndrome to think this is possible for everyone. Given that there's no telling how long you'll be on hold for and many people have too many responsibilities to shut themselves away from the noise an clamour of their families, yabvu to expect people to be able to call with no background noise. Yanbu that they should have availabile any details that they could reasonably expect would be needed but you may be overestimating people's capacity to predict what will be needed
.

Rizzz · 27/05/2026 09:52

The agents are pleased with this then ask - do I work for a contract centre. Yes I do!

Go away do they ask you that! 🤣🤣

Making a phone call from a quiet place and having what you need to hand is completely normal - far too normal for them to ask everyone who does it whether they actually work for a contact centre!

Yes obviously some annoying people don't do it, but you must be telling them your line of work!

Bishbashbush · 27/05/2026 09:51

Or the people who call when they’re in the bath or taking a piss. YANBU.

youalright · 27/05/2026 09:50

Talltreesbythelake · 27/05/2026 09:48

Confusing, I was wondering why she had to call a contact centre on her own behalf.

Show quote history

Yeah it confused me to I thought of the place you go visit your kid supervised when they've been taken into care

TeenToTwenties · 27/05/2026 09:49

It depends. Some places you can be on hold for 30mins or more, so I get on with other stuff whilst waiting.
But would always mute the TV when I finally got through.

youalright · 27/05/2026 09:48

I never understand how people can talk on the phone with background noise i find it so stressful and hard to concentrate

Talltreesbythelake · 27/05/2026 09:48

SlayTheJAway · 27/05/2026 09:45

Call centres and very often called contact centres.
Pretty sure the OP knows the name of the place she works.

Show quote history

Confusing, I was wondering why she had to call a contact centre on her own behalf.

chirrupybird · 27/05/2026 09:47

And you may start in a quiet place but after 5 minutes of 'your call is important to us...' you just get on doing what you're doing.

Bjorkdidit · 27/05/2026 09:46

YANBU but I'm just here for the whataboutery.

myavocadoisgrowing · 27/05/2026 09:45

Finding somewhere quiet is sensible, however having every thing to hand is more problematic. I can have everything I THINK I need but you can guarantee they will ask for something I don’t have.

SlayTheJAway · 27/05/2026 09:45

Talltreesbythelake · 27/05/2026 09:44

Do you mean a call centre? A contact centre is where feckless parents get to see their children for a few hours in a supervised environment.

Call centres and very often called contact centres.
Pretty sure the OP knows the name of the place she works.

Branleuse · 27/05/2026 09:44

Maybe the park one was the only time her kids were occupied and she had 5 mins to make a call?

I don't know why people don't turn the TV down

Talltreesbythelake · 27/05/2026 09:44

Do you mean a call centre? A contact centre is where feckless parents get to see their children for a few hours in a supervised environment.