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?

I’ve spoken to call centres before and had a bad line and heard other employees in the office in the background, especially as they are usually large open plan offices, so WFH or not there’s always a chance for distraction / noise/ disturbance.
So YABU.

WFH is a brilliant option that enables many people who cannot go into an office daily for many reasons to continue in their employment, including mental and physical health problems.
Yes they should have shut the dog away but it could have been the neighbours dog, office dog, a service dog, or just an accidental oversight eg back door left open by someone else in the family .
Mistakes happen.

It might not even be her dog. I don't have a dog but my neighbours have three and if they start barking and I have the windows open it sounds like we're in the same room due to the way the flats are laid out.

WFH militia are out in force again. Trying to make excuses when it is clearly unacceptable level of customer service to have someone serving customer without a good a connection and a barking dog in the background.

These are the people that are ruining WFH for everyone. You can’t blame managers for mandating people back into the office when the culture around it is so bad that this is seen as acceptable.

Why do you think?

Its not rocket science to figure out why.

I have had regular conversations recently with Paul in Manchester from Vodafone due to a work mobile issue. He's absolutely lovely, and has a dog which barks at squirrels when they are in his garden. I didn't mind at all.

I don't think you're being unreasonable, OP.

I work from home and do my best to ensure a level of professionalism when on calls or in meetings.

My office is noisier than my home, but a call centre with other taking calls is different (and expected) to a dog barking, children screaming, partners fighting, washing machines rumbling...

I wouldn't be impressed at all.

A lot of people it seems need to invest in noise-cancelling headphones. Marvellous things.

I imagine that headphones that cancel out all noise except the person you are speaking to must be expensive?

People in this thread are defending wfh while looking after small kids. Utter insanity

YABU to have renewed your insurance with this company, OP. I would have ended the call and gone with someone else.

I had a call back from a Doctor who was obviously calling from home. I was discussing my fanjo and I could hear kids tv and a child in the background. Was a bit weird!

If you can’t hear them and if they can’t hear you then no, it’s not acceptable. You may not know what you’re agreeing to when they lay out their terms and conditions towards the end of the call.

I am happy with people who wfh generally, however, when it involved financial transactions, how do you know there is not someone else in the room, may be a partner, may be a friend, listening and looking in as your personal details are displayed on the screen and the worker talks to you about your bank account, pensions, credit cards etc. Seems very insecure to me. As least, in an office, anyone one else who can look in or listen work and have been vetted by the company.

🤣🤣🤣

Unprofessional. There is a reason dogs, in most instances, are not allowed in the workplace. Nor children. WFH is a great step forward for flexible working and the work-life balance, but far too many are taking the piss.

YANBU OP. It’s totally unprofessional to have distractions if WFH & I’d complain. Couple of years ago DH called British Gas to set up our account. Operator was WFH & admitted she was distracted as expecting a delivery! She didn’t seem to be focused on the call, set the account up totally wrong & there ensued over a year of wrangling with BG, wrong bills etc until we had to involve the ombudsman to sort it out! If people have the privilege of WFH then they should make arrangements that enable themselves to operate professionally.

I work in health and wfh. You have to use a vpn to access people’s data, plus a card registered to you, plus passwords etc. how is this any different to accessing it in an office full of people?

Ditto. I WFH and am very transparent with anyone I talk to about being in a room with a door so can’t be overheard.

Shoot the dog

Yes, you have every right to be annoyed. Personally I am sick and tired of this WFH nonsense. If the receptionist at my GP decides you need to speak to another member of staff she cannot transfer the call as WFH. Having taken 20 - 30 minutes to get through this is more than a little annoying. I have also had this with the council tax people only it was nearly an hour to get through, the person could not access my details and suggested I call back and ask for accounts. Yes WFH if you have a dedicated home office and the company have a joined up phone and computer system. Otherwise I do not want to waste hours of my life dealing with amateurish set ups!

Its absolutely disgraceful how members of the public, clients, customers are being treated by many of those WFH !

And given the population is aging and more customers are hard of hearing or wearing hearing aids, the background noise is frankly disabling.

Aids will pickup the loudest background noises and mute certain tones, so often speech becomes incomprehensible.

For those WFH, its discriminatory not to ensure a good, clear, noise free line of communication with those you are serving.

I find it really annoying when I can't hear a phone call clearly enough to do whatever I'm trying to do. Background chatter, dog barking, strong/unfamiliar accent, crackly line.
I can hear fine when talking to people in person.
I would be annoyed by the dog too.

I thought it was quite common for call centre people to work from home since Covid. I've phoned call centres and barely heard the people due to background noise in their work place. I phoned 3 network who are based abroad (India ?) and they have a warning that you may hear small children/animals in the background.

On the other hand, I used to be a call centre person in a large open plan office and one of my callers, heard swearing from one of my colleagues, who obviously wasn't taking a call. Another of my customers, threatened to commit suicide over a water bill they couldn't pay and that person heard laughing and thought it me !! So glad, I don't do that job anymore

Sorry, you think a call centre is noise free?

I work from home in a quiet room with no pets or children

the complaints i get from customers about noise is only when i am working in the office…which i find quite funny