I was at a NESTA [National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts] conference yesterday in London and came across a company called Orderlyq that sells a service to call centres so that callers don't have to wait in queues.

It seems that callers are told how long they will be held in the queue before giving them the option of waiting, or hanging up and calling back after the quoted time. When they call back they are reinstated in their original place in the queue. Seemed quite brilliant to me - id rather do that than wait around for 10 minutes at 0870 rates, or wait for the call centre to call me back hours later as some do.

I don't know if this is new, but it should be compulsory for Sky et al.

97 wrote on Oct 25^th, 2006 at 2:41pm:

I was at a NESTA [National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts] conference yesterday in London and came across a company called Orderlyq that sells a service to call centres so that callers don't have to wait in queues. It seems that callers are told how long they will be held in the queue before giving them the option of waiting, or hanging up and calling back after the quoted time. When they call back they are reinstated in their original place in the queue. Seemed quite brilliant to me - id rather do that than wait around for 10 minutes at 0870 rates, or wait for the call centre to call me back hours later as some do. I don't know if this is new, but it should be compulsory for Sky et al.

Surely if they are too busy to take your call at the time your ring they ought to ring you back at their expense when they are free if they want to be perceived to offer good customer service.

Imagine having to stand there looking at your watch for 10 minutes and ring back at the allotted hour only to find they still don't have anyone free................................................

97 wrote on Oct 25^th, 2006 at 2:41pm:

I was at a NESTA [National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts] conference yesterday in London and came across a company called Orderlyq that sells a service to call centres so that callers don't have to wait in queues. It seems that callers are told how long they will be held in the queue before giving them the option of waiting, or hanging up and calling back after the quoted time. When they call back they are reinstated in their original place in the queue. Seemed quite brilliant to me - id rather do that than wait around for 10 minutes at 0870 rates, or wait for the call centre to call me back hours later as some do. I don't know if this is new, but it should be compulsory for Sky et al.

It's a good idea, and some companies have been doing it for a while, mainly the option to receive a call back from them, though perhaps these are mainly from companies with 0800 numbers.

There are others that have a call-me-back button on their websites, again useful to them as it is cheaper than providing an 0800 number. It may well be possible to save a stripped-down version of this call-me-back button as a wap/gprs bookmark in a mobile phone. Maybe I'll try it with a couple

Quote:

Surely if they are too busy to take your call at the time your ring they ought to ring you back at their expense when they are free if they want to be perceived to offer good customer service. Imagine having to stand there looking at your watch for 10 minutes and ring back at the allotted hour only to find they still don't have anyone free................................................

I would like a time to call back as I don't want to give control of the situation to them. I could be waiting hours for a call back and might be out when they do so. And I don't think I would be daft enough to stand around for 10 minutes, or whatever, waiting for my time to come around. I could get on with my life for a while, nip to the pub for a quick pint for example.

I've waited for call backs before: sitting around drumming fingers on desk; not being able to call anyone else; not feeling able to go out; not being in control of the situation. My understanding from the demo I saw was that when I ring back I take my original place in the queue based on some complex calculation. A bit like having one of those paper tickets at a deli counter was the example used.

97 wrote on Oct 28^th, 2006 at 9:00am:

I've waited for call backs before: sitting around drumming fingers on desk; not being able to call anyone else; not feeling able to go out; not being in control of the situation. My understanding from the demo I saw was that when I ring back I take my original place in the queue based on some complex calculation. A bit like having one of those paper tickets at a deli counter was the example used.

Surely the answer is to give them your mobile phone number to call you back on unless you don't have one?  And also taking the Deli counter analogy what happens if you are no longer in hearing distance of the deli counter when they call your number?  The people who operate call back correctly always call within the hour.   Only certain abuser companies call back 2 days later.

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 28^th, 2006 at 9:19am:

And also taking the Deli counter analogy what happens if you are no longer in hearing distance of the deli counter when they call your number?

I don't have to hear. I can call back at any time after the time announced to me and I'll be at the front - ish.  


Quote:

The people who operate call back correctly always call within the hour.

Not in my experience they don't. I really object to having to having to wait that long, and having to carry my paperwork around with me if i'm on the move. I'd like to ring them back when I'm ready, ie, not in the queue at the supermarket which happened once. The caller had to then schedule another call for later, which I missed 'cause I was on the loo. It seems I'm doomed.

97 wrote on Oct 28^th, 2006 at 11:36am:

The caller had to then schedule another call for later, which I missed 'cause I was on the loo. It seems I'm doomed.

How about taking a DECT phone with you when you visit the loo?

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 28^th, 2006 at 12:14pm:

97 wrote on Oct 28th, 2006 at 11:36am: The caller had to then schedule another call for later, which I missed 'cause I was on the loo. It seems I'm doomed. How about taking a DECT phone with you when you visit the loo?

I hope nobody I ring answers the phone whilst on the loo!!  It doesn't paint a nice picture  ;D

bbb_uk wrote on Oct 28^th, 2006 at 12:23pm:

I hope nobody I ring answers the phone whilst on the loo!!  It doesn't paint a nice picture  ;D

I can't see the problem as long as we aren't all forced to adopt video phones on which we can't turn off the cam since as you will know bbb the vital loo operation itself (during which I agree holding a conversation might be difficult) usually only takes a few seconds although the preparatory work if you are female or also for those more infrequent loo movements even if you are male is what takes the extra time. ;) ;D

NGMsGhost wrote on Oct 28^th, 2006 at 12:14pm:

97 wrote on Oct 28th, 2006 at 11:36am: The caller had to then schedule another call for later, which I missed 'cause I was on the loo. It seems I'm doomed. How about taking a DECT phone with you when you visit the loo?

:D

Gives another meaning for "Can you hold on please"  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Shiggaddi wrote on Oct 29^th, 2006 at 2:37pm:

Gives another meaning for "Can you hold on please"  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

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