If you need to spend more than 5 options on a phone tree to get to a customer rep, it's okay to start the call already pissed off. amirite?

I wish there was a website that had the phone tree options listed for big companies people frequently call. Nothing like having your choice be option 8 three times in a row but you're forced to listen to the others waiting to hear yours.

by Financial_Guess_5572 9 months ago

I love this idea but I feel like it's the exact reason you so often hear "listen carefully as our menu options have changed"

by Hayesjeffry 9 months ago

A hospital I used has their billing department switch from 123, 456, 789 for 3 options every month or so. If you hit whatever it isn't that month, it just disconnects you.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Coming into a call hot isn't going to get you anywhere.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I've started just being ridiculously nice when I notice I get pissed off on a phone call with someone. Most of the time it isn't their fault, so I'm not going to take it out on them. Besides, as someone who works in customer service, when someone is angry and rude because they have an issue, I do the bare minimum to get them to go away. But someone who is nice and understanding, I will go all out to solve their issue.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Yeah but being mean to the people who have no control over that is not okay.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I'm not responsible for the incompetence of the company they work for

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Neither are they, but you are responsible for how incompetent you are at coming to simple conclusions.

by BeginningWolverine83 9 months ago

You underestimate how easy it is to change a process at a company

by Anonymous 9 months ago

After I change the process at the company should I go to the bank and impress the guy with my firm handshake to make sure I get a loan for a house?

by BeginningWolverine83 9 months ago

You're responsible for how you treat others

by Anonymous 9 months ago

you're responsible for your own actions. taking it out on some underling is not cool.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Okay, but are you responsible for your own emotions?

by OwnJob 9 months ago

It is okay to start the call pissed off. It is NOT okay to express that in the way most people do. Being rude to a helpless customer rep isn't going to help anything, so don't express your frustration by being rude. But, if you want to say "I know you're not personally responsible for the phone tree, but I found it really difficult to use and it was difficult to talk to a customer rep and I just wanted to give that feedback to someone". Sure, go ahead. This is more effective too. If everyone did this, the message would be very clear to all customer reps and the company that people do not like the phone tree. If you're rude, the customer reps will just think most people are rude. Unfortunately, most people haven't matured beyond a 4 year old in this respect, and instead of using their words like a big boy, they're just assholes. Remember, kindness is not a hindrance to getting what you want.

by OwnJob 9 months ago

Yes, but it won't help you to be pissy to phone support if you actually need help

by Anonymous 9 months ago

It works 100% of the time, every time. If I'm calling support for any reason I'm already pissed.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Doing your part at making the world a better place!

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I used to take phone calls for a company, and people like you never got my best service. And... there's so few of you that it never hurt my stats or my survey responses. The only impact those people had? We had a call to listen to and laugh at during the dead hours.

by Ok-Peanut 9 months ago

That's great. I get my problem solved. Your "best service" can't be all that great.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I used to give out free months of service to the nice customers...

by Ok-Peanut 9 months ago

I recently got 3 months free from Spectrum. I prefer my method

by Anonymous 9 months ago

You can be upset and annoyed, that's fine. The feelings are valid. That's not an excuse to take out your emotions and verbally abuse the customer service rep who almost certainly has now power in those decisions and is just a person trying to get by.

by SleepOk 9 months ago

I work for a government program, and our IVR is ridiculously long. They have to listen to and choose many options, identify themselves, and usually listen to music and announcements. Our hold time is very long most days. When I answer, they are usually relieved. Relieved and frustrated. They tell me how long they have held, and I offer a sincere apology and assure them that I'm going to help with their issue. If they are calling my department, they have problems and they are worried. I'm kind and patient even if they are losing their patience. They almost always praise and profusely apologize for taking it out on me. I might end the call with someone still being angry once a week, if that. So, it is OK to be angry about the IVR and even ok to vent to the agent, but don't be disrespectful. Most of us care about you. We want to help, but we're unable to if you don't get out of your own way.

by tristianjakubow 9 months ago

did you know that a lot of companies use systems that detect when the person on hold is getting aggressive and they will even cut off the phone call before you reach a human if you are sounding like you're going to be a problem? i used to talk back to the recording until it happened to me

by Financial-Step 9 months ago

that's what i always did too cuz it's funny to me i get it, tho

by Financial-Step 9 months ago

Tax breaks for corporations who bring back humans in customer service call centers. Double taxes for everyone else.

by Schinnerhoracio 9 months ago

Dear god why can't these be the go to with this kind of crap. I've got to deal with the 'speak or press ... to activate' ones at pharmacies regularly enough it's almost easier to use the web links to see if things are ready. Problem is those aren't accurate, the phonecall is more likely to be accurate since at least part of the time you actually talk to the pharmacy you're going to depending on what you're doing exactly. It's a decent system it just sucks there's limits to how it can be bypassed depending on what you need it for, plus you have to listen to the first few seconds 'press 2 for spanish' and such before it even takes commands. The problem with the 'mumble to get a person' is they won't connect you to the pharmacy unless you say you need it when calling their automated phone system, which leads you into the 'I can do that for you!' which doesn't help if what you need has to contact the doctor for the refill, but neither does the first call center they connect you to. They obviously have a human call center but you have to use this system to even contact them, so it knows where to put you in the first place since there's more then just the pharmacy. My old one just had one number for its pharmacy separate from the rest instead that could potentially connect you to the rest if need be through automated transfering.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

The problem with the 'mumble to get a person' is they won't connect you to the pharmacy unless you say you need it when calling their automated phone system, which leads you into the 'I can do that for you!' That's why you say pharmacy at the start and then nonsense after it knows what department you need.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Pretty much what I'll consider next time I do have to talk to them but I haven't had a reason yet even if I did just check on something with them today. It was just as easy to talk to the machine for this part.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

This is why we can't have a revolution. Everyone is so determined that the only way they get their needs met is by being fake nice. What a world we live in.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Have fun in 10 years when no one knows what a phone call is.

by Simple_Landscape 9 months ago

This is not an upopoular opinion, you speak for us all!

by elainamcdermott 9 months ago

9

by elainamcdermott 9 months ago

Throwing a fit and taking out your frustrations on innocent people is not ok if you're above the age of 5

by lysannerohan 9 months ago

The hell is a phone tree??

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Ooohhh. Gotcha. An automated directory makes more sense. I get it now.

by Anonymous 9 months ago