Cold Callers Selling Stuff + Damn Autodiallers

Neil Jones · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 17.31

Two things that really piss me off:

1) Cold callers. Cold callers are bad enough but when they come from some callcentre in India, they're very annoying. Haven't got a clue what they're plugging and are easily thrown off their spiel sheet by you saying "Pardon?" a few times

2) Automated call centre computers that ring and then hang up when you answer because there's no operator available to take the call. Damned annoying. Four of these today alone.

Discuss.

cat · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 17.33

If they annoy you so much, why don't you just phone up BT and ask to be taken off the list?

Stop complaining about it and actually do something.

DAS · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 17.34

Neil Jones wrote:2) Automated call centre computers that ring and then hang up when you answer because there's no operator available to take the call. Damned annoying. Four of these today alone.

Tell me about it. A company's obviously trying to get old of us because we've had hundreds in the past couple of days. It's because the operators call 3 or however many people at once and speak to the one who picks up first.

It's a breathtaking game of destiny, chance and bravery.

Gavin Scott · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 19.17

Our busy work switchboard was getting calls which started, "This is an important call from Egg. Please press any key to continue...", which promptly disconnected the call. Presumably as no operator was available for the call they initiated.

Absolutely shameful business practice. There's no excuse for it.

Attempting to squeeze milliseconds more 'effectiveness' out of their staff should not come at the cost of customers time being wasted.

I phoned their head office to complain and was told that, "Somebody obviously gave the number as a daytime contact" - fundamentally missing the point of the complaint.

I intend to take it further.

markyboi · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 22.34

*works for a call centre* But we don't cold call, we call existing customers, so it's a courtesy call

markyboi · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 22.35

oh yeah, and we do have an automatic dialer, but sometimes the calls take a while to get through to us, so cue many "hello, hello, SPEAK NOW!"'s from customers.

heh

Neil Jones · Wed 21 Jul, 2004 23.35

markyboi wrote:*works for a call centre* But we don't cold call, we call existing customers, so it's a courtesy call

I'm talking about the cold calls that come from India, the place that all our jobs keep buggering off to under the guise of "cheaper labour costs".

Strange though, those calls are usually made by individuals employed by this company wishing to save money. They [the individual] clearly have no idea how to conduct a call (obviously reading from a sheet of A4) and then try pitifully to either sell some obscure product or inform you that you have won something "but we need your bank details". Well, either that or the automated diallers I just whinged about that then hang up.

dvboy · Thu 22 Jul, 2004 00.48

Telephone Preference Service

They even allow businesses to register now. Ooooo.

Neil Jones · Thu 22 Jul, 2004 10.29

WIll TPS also help stop these marketing calls from the Indian callcentres as well? I see it's based on UK and EU law, TPS.

Larry Scutta · Fri 23 Jul, 2004 00.40

I've never had a cold call from India (as far as I know anyway!) but have got through to Indian telephonists a few times. They are far better than many English telephone operators.

Last time I contacted Sky I spoke to a very nice girl in Delhi, had a nice chat about the weather while we were waiting for the computer to process (I think they tell them: 'if you've nothing else to say, talk about the weather')

Compare this with the call from Sky I got the other day:
'Hello Is that Mr Scutta? I'm calling from Sky. mnnnmmmmnmnmnmnpackagenmnmmnmnmnmnmnmoffernmnmnmnmnmnmoviechannelsmnmnsports
channelsmnmnmnmnmmnmnn10poundnmnmnmmnmnmnm'

Not the way to sell package upgrades

DAS · Fri 23 Jul, 2004 00.44

Larry Scutta wrote:I've never had a cold call from India (as far as I know anyway!) but have got through to Indian telephonists a few times. They are far better than many English telephone operators.

Last time I contacted Sky I spoke to a very nice girl in Delhi, had a nice chat about the weather while we were waiting for the computer to process (I think they tell them: 'if you've nothing else to say, talk about the weather')

Compare this with the call from Sky I got the other day:
'Hello Is that Mr Scutta? I'm calling from Sky. mnnnmmmmnmnmnmnpackagenmnmmnmnmnmnmnmoffernmnmnmnmnmnmoviechannelsmnmnsports
channelsmnmnmnmnmmnmnn10poundnmnmnmmnmnmnm'

Not the way to sell package upgrades

Though in their defence, I'm sure they're as interested as you are! I think if I had to do that all day, I'd go slightly insane.

I think it's bizarre that Indian call centre staff are briefed on what happened in EastEnders! You'd think it's a joke, but it's true. And yet it's still cheaper than British staff who actually watch the programme...