Call Centre - put through to handler WFH

[Harvestfestivalknickers]

Just had to renew my insurance today. I needed to make a small amendment so rang their call centre. The call handler I was connected to was obviously WFH. I gave her my details but she had to clarify them several times as there was what sounded like a dog barking. The line was so bad she said she'd call me back. She did so but the barking continued. I made the comment that the line was still really bad and I could hear a dog barking. She didn't respond to that but carried on talking. As she came to the end of the call, the dog started barking quite clearly again. I was surprised that a large insurance company would tolerate this, surely this isn't acceptable, calls are recorded aren't they?

We had major concerns about this during lockdown. When discussing child protection, with social
Workers working from home. Who else was in the room.

Because, as others have said, WFH contact agents have to have video calls with their managers to show they can work in a room with a closed door that no one else is going to come in during the day. If this isn’t available to them, they have to work in the office (in my place of work).

That sounds unbelievably easy to fake.

Many WFHers are actively looking for ways to fool their managers.

I have lots of experience of call centres. I ring them every single day with work, whether HMRC, local councils, insurance firms, banks, etc. Barking dogs, door bells ringing, children crying is far too common, as are poor telephone/internet lines, etc. What is also very common is them not doing what they say they will, meaning having to call back again after x days/weeks when it's clear they've not done what they were asked to do (no doubt because they were distracted!).

I had to make a total of 23 calls to Churchill when a moronic neighbour left her handbrake off and it rolled down her drive and wrote off our car! It was her insurance firm, and they were an absolute nightmare to deal with. Never ringing back when they promised, never paying out the amount/timing promised as final settlement, never organising the hire car they promised. I'd not touch them with a bargepole for my own insurance after that fiasco.

I just find that attitude towards someone trying to earn a living to be unpleasant.

I would of hung up and rung back to get someone else

Goodness me, what a thoroughly unpleasant attitude.

I don't think the dog will tell anyone.

To be fair it's very unprofessional

That’s what he was barking at.

To be fair that's always happened. That's not a wfh phenomenon. Also in call centres you can often hear the 5 other people who are sat inches away from your call handler talking and in all honesty I'd prefer the dog

I work at home with a dog who may bark. I go into another room to make important calls. I give him a doggy puzzle toy or something to occupy him. It isn’t ok to have a dog barking so loudly on a call. I wouldn’t complain but I’d be unimpressed. It’s ridiculous!

Evidence for this claim, please.

Not at my place. The call agents have to have random video calls.

Go to Amazon and search for undetectable mouse jiggler.

There are thousands of people a month buying devices that make it look like a computer is being used when it isn't. A key selling point is that these are undetectable to IT departments.

Who's buying them?

How on earth would call centre agents be using these??

Who’s answering the calls?

I didn't say call-centre agents. I said WFH people.

Headphones?

It’s how things work now. Saving on office costs by having staff working at home means lower premiums for you. Usually (though not always, as you found to your cost) a private home will be quieter than a busy call centre.

It is how things work. Yes you're right.

Things are now worse.

I think most call handlers wear headphones don't they, plus they aren't going to stop customers hearing the background noise which is what some people seem to have issue with.

It's totally unprofessional and I can't understand the argument that it's only a dog, and that if the handler was in a call centre there would be background noise.

Really? Well what if OP said she rang a call centre and someone else kept interrupting by shouting "Oi!" every 5 seconds? I guarantee the response on here would be to go full KAREN and DEMAND they all get sacked. But because it's a dog barking and they're all fluffy and cuddly and whose a good boy, us non-dog lovers have to put up and shut up.

I've had a lot of not very good/unprofessional phone calls with people who are obviously WFH with the latter being the obvious distraction - baby crying, washing machine noise, dog barking etc. It's not great for the client is it.