'We are currently experiencing a high demand for our services...'

[BiffChipsandKippers]

So bloody sick of hearing this. Drs, hospital, bank, energy company (Energy company!!? You're making enough money, employ and train some more people!!). And then some further bloody automated message about doing things online- unfortunately not everything is possible online.

And then you often get through to someone who is grumpy and short (probably because of previous callers being pissed off at the wait for the phone to be answered/maze of options to navigate before you can speak to someone).

I am always polite and thankful for any help I receive but FFS, I'm not calling for the fun of it

Coop bank are only open till 6pm yet their queues to get through in the day are 30-60 mins easily, im working, I can't sit on the phone all day
Pre covid they were open at night, open your call centre!

There should be a new Consumer Act for a range of bad customer practices. This would be low down the list but should still be on there.

You claim to normally be polite, the way you jumped on this poster shows you are clearly nothing of the sort.

Agree, never enough staff on.

It's a nightmare getting on the phone today.
What if your busy how can you hang on for ages and ages.
The doctors at least tells you where you are in the queue, most don't.

And, don't forget "your call is important to us".........
Important? My arse!😡

I had an answer machine, press 1 for. Up to six. After five minutes of this the machine said. Due to current covid restrictions. ....... They're still trying that one on?? 🙄

With some companies, the “we’re exceptionally busy spiel is just bullshit. If you sit through all their ‘just fuck off to our website’ announcements for 5 mins, you can get through pretty quickly. So they’re liars as well as shit.

I highly recommend American Express. Amazing customer service 24/7. There is an actual human picking up the phone and no infuriating answering machine!

if the message is put out occasionally, then I don’t see a problem.

However, if it’s repeatedly, then the organisation should employ more staff!

You've never tried to recruit staff to work in an energy company have you OP? 😂It was hardly an attractive proposition before the massive price hikes, I bet those poor sods on the phones are spending 8 hours a day being called all the names under the sun, mixed in with people threatening to do something stupid over the size of the bills .

'Your call is very important to us' then get some more bloody staff then!

I think some companies just haven't updated their messages. I had to ring a B&Q shop today and their message included "as an essential retailer, we're remaining open".
Maybe they just like to remind everyone they're essential..

This sounds so appealing- not.
If you want staff working like a robot with no respite between calls then pay for it. For just over minimum wage you can fuck off.

Rather than having business paying properly for that chunk of your life, the government is bringing in childcare vouchers so they can force people to work for a pittance.

Companies playing the messages about running a reduced service as they are keeping people safe due to covid need to get a grip as well.

For people who think staff cannot be bothered to answer the phone (especially whilst WFH) it's not the case for any organisation who use modern call centre technology. I monitor inbound calls and agent responses as part of my job- staff do not have the option of not taking a call or they get me asking them what the problem is. I am not a monster before anyone accuses me of that!!

I work for a local authority and we have to try and get the balance between taking calls and actually getting the work done.
When you call us you are not speaking to a call centre- you are speaking to a person with the knowledge/skills/authority to solve your issue.

EG If I have 10 agents who can process the work and are capable of taking calls (which are mostly asking where is my money) then if I can manage to have one taking the calls and nine doing the processing then that is what happens. If we had nine taking calls and one processing the call volumes would be through the roof in days as nothing would be done so more would call us- people would get a quicker response on the phone but no money. No budget for more staff - takes around a year to fully train someone anyway to the point they are useful.

People are so bloody rude these days as well and expect staff to take personal insults as standard- All the staff know any over the top swearing/personal insults they give a warning then hang up.
We don't have any 'covid' messages playing still though- that is truly lame!

Was just coming to say this! That and online bookings still referring to having to bring a covid certificate etc!

My DH lost it with the GP surgery after 40 minutes on hold and went to book an appointment in person.

Took him 20 minutes round trip. The surgery was empty and receptionists chatting to each other, no non stop phone calls - his words.

We believe its the way the phones have been set up to discourage people booking appointments.

Go on the manufacturer's website live chat and they will get somebody from that dealership themselves to speak to you.

When I worked for a GP the phone calls were taken out the back wherever possible. Trust me, they never stop.

Oh tell me about it! I am so tired of it too. DWP phone calls - on hold for over an hour. Never used to be like that. I end up just hanging up and writing them a letter. Who has time to be on hold for hours on end??

It's rife, everywhere, i even had BA and American Airlines both automated messages just say that they'd not even be able to take my call and hung up!

Re: Energy companies : I’ve found Octopus really good. They answer emails within a day or two and are sensible and helpful.

British Gas however… it was impossible to actually speak to anyone. An automated live chat that made no sense and a messaging system that was never available 🤯