10 Reasons to Hate Automated Phone Systems

When you have a problem with a utility or service, or even a product you have received from a local or long distance company, the first thing you want to do is call customer service and get the issue resolved. However, today’s customer service options have changed in such a way that it is almost impossible to talk to an actual representative without going through all kinds of hoops. Automated phone systems have shown themselves to be a cost effective way to provide customer service without the tremendous labor cost that normally accompanies it.  However, they can be real drudgery to get through at least that’s our opinion.  Accordingly here are 10 reasons why we hate automated phone systems:

1. Starts with the same long message every time. Sure, the first time you called, the information you received was helpful, but after calling more than 4 or 5 times, it becomes redundant and a waste of time and will have you ready to get to the main menu, even cussing out the automated voice.
2. If you miss it once, you have to start all over. How many times have you finally gotten to the main menu, and someone started yelling or your baby started crying as soon as it got to your choice? Now you have to go through everything all over again, which can be such a grueling process.
3. Never offer what you need. You can listen to the menu a hundred times and will still be at a loss for the option that is best for you. Why? They always seem to be so broad, you don’t know what to choose, but many times it doesn’t even matter, as you get transferred many times before getting to what you want.
4. Always ask you to input information that never makes a difference. The worst part about automated phone systems is the fact that you can input your information a million times, as it often doesn’t even register at first, but once you get to the representative, you aren’t any closer than you were before, often having to give the info all over again.
5. Extremely slow and tedious. Using automated phone systems can be such a long and tedious process, as you will be dealing with a slow system with several options. You can go through many different menus before even getting to that which you really need, if you find it at all.
6. Led into menus just to start over. There are many customers that hate automated phone systems because it doesn’t matter what you are calling for, you end up led through the wrong menus, having to keep starting over again and again. This is such an obnoxious process for those that are just looking for quick help.
7. Getting lost is extremely easy. When you are going through automated phone systems, you will find yourself lost many times, not even knowing where to go, ending up just where you don’t belong. The representatives will also have the nerve to put you back through if you end up in the wrong department, which has become appalling.
8. Automated systems can lead you through long menus even when call center is closed. Have you ever gone through the several menus to get to a CSR representative only to find that the office is closed? This can be one of the most annoying situations as you are frantic to get to the appropriate person and you just aren’t getting anywhere.
9. Sometimes the call just ends. When you go through an automated system but find your way lost through the maze of menus, you will also find that with many the call will just end. There won’t be another word, just a busy signal that indicates the call is no longer connected.
10. No personality. When you are calling customer service, there is a reason you want to speak to a person. There are many questions you may have that aren’t answered with just one answer, and you need a caring CSR to help you through the way.

Automated phone systems may be beneficial to businesses that are cutting costs, but just don’t prove to be as beneficial when it comes to real customer service. So many people just throw their hands up or shout explicative and give up.


(source: www.landlinephoneservice.net)
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