watch what you say when on hold

[renegade600]

see this


"Monitoring is intended to track the performance of call center operators, but the professional snoops are inadvertently monitoring callers, too. Most callers do not realize that they may be taped even while they are on hold." taken from cnet.

[hypnotizeminds]

"Recently, Pike stumbled onto a call where a young male customer was flirting with a female service agent at a cell phone company. After some giggles and banter, the woman relented and gave her personal phone number to the customer. Pike quickly alerted the cell phone company to the phone date."

I think that was me, lol. Seriously, though, a phone operator at Sprint had a really sexy voice once and I got her to give me her cell phone number. Too bad she wasn't a Sprint customer herself, I don't date chicks I can't call for free.

[Vercades]

I just put my fingers over the reciever when I'm on hold and rant all I like. Been doing that since I can't remember.

[smurfy]

Well this is my bread-and-butter.

We record our calls in our call centre for two reasons:
1) Dispute resolution - no more "He said Vs She said"
2) Contact Centre Agent performance management

Depending on whether the recording is done trunk-side or extension-side, yes it is possible to record the "on hold" period of your call.
We have prosecuted claims fraudsters on the grounds of what is said while the agent had the customer on hold...
imagine if you will the idiot that says to someone in the background while listening to our dodgy hold music "Hey, they are buying this load of sh@# and we're going to get away with it!"

Vercades, if your phone has a "mute" function, use it, because finger over mouthpiece will muffle but not completely shield your voice.

[Bad Dog]

Since I'm usually on hold longer than actually getting something done on the phone, they hear some very choice words from me. I hope their volume control is on automatic because I scream right into the mouth piece. I always hoped that they could hear what I was bit**'n about and now I'm happy as a new pup.

Oh yeah, I also bang the mouth piece on the counter or door sometimes. I sure hope that makes someone else happy besides me.

Besides that infernal message of recording calls, my other favorite pet peeve is the recording, "Please listen to the following options carefully as our menu has changed."
I hear that same message for a year sometimes. Don't they ever get through changing their frigg'n menus?
SHEESH!!!
BD

[Baser-X]

Originally Posted by Bad Dog

Don't they ever get through changing their frigg'n menus?
SHEESH!!!
BD

Honestly... the phrase "Please listen to the following options carefully as our menu has changed" has three meanings:

1) The menu really has changed (10%)
2) The menu has not changed, but most people pay no attention and just push buttons and then have the nerve to be upset when they get themselves to the wrong department. This is not only an inconvenience to the customer who will now need to be transferred and probably have to hold again, but it is also costly for the companies and it screws up the IVR stats. (40%)
3) The menu has not changed, but the company wants you to think it has so the customer will actually listen to the whole marketing blurb before the menu options are ever given. (50%)

My company utilizes #3. We have so many dropped calls because the marketing blurb literally lasts for almost 3 minutes before the menu options are ever given. Our blurb can be bypassed by pressing 0 as soon as it starts, but 0 is not a menu option. The menu options are a joke since no matter what option you choose you will end up speaking to me or 1 of the other 9 people in this office. The only option that is available that will direct you somewhere other than a live person in this office is #5, the automated balance info. It's a serious waste of time since options 1 - 4 get you to me and the option you selected is not even displayed so I still go into the call blind. The funniest part about our IVR system is that you are required to enter your account number but we can't see that either so we still have to ask for the account number when the call begins.

If I had $1 for every time a customer has pissed and moaned about having to give the account number after having just entered it into the IVR, I wouldn't have to work and I could afford my own island paradise somewhere in the Pacific.

[cyberman]

Originally Posted by Vercades

I just put my fingers over the reciever when I'm on hold and rant all I like. Been doing that since I can't remember.

Me too, Vercades. Always, always , always. And I'm 50 this year so that's a loooong time. Motto - no matter where (or who) you are always assume someone is listening.

[Bad Dog]

I choose door number 3 as the real thing.
"3) The menu has not changed, but the company wants you to think it has so the customer will actually listen to the whole marketing blurb before the menu options are ever given. (50%)"

Here's another: Please wait for the next available agent (service person).
And this wait usually last just long enough to hear all the company propaganda.

The phone company is probably the worst (along with SSA):
"The next available agent will speak to you in about.........27 days."
Seriously, 20-30+ minutes is not uncommon with these people.

Please hold while I answer this call. ........"I hear you."

[Vercades]

Aha, when I'm on "hold" its usually my friend or family member has to go get someone, only time I can remember when I was put on hold to a company was when I was calling the cable company about the internet and how to install it via my router. Usually when I'm on hold in that case I'm just saying silly words like doo di doodly dah. I hope they can't use that against me, cause well ........doo dee dooooodly dah.

There was this one time when a telemarketer called and it was a machine, "Please hold for the next available telemarketer".................................."ha ng up"

[hypnotizeminds]

That's when you say things that make the listener on the other end extremely uncomfortable, like "Man, these crabs are runnin' wild down there! Look at 'em go! See if you can catch one in a zip-loc and we'll put it in the boss's coffee tomorrow morning! *ahem* Am I still on hold?"

After something like that, I'd say your in the clear for pretty much saying whatever you want. Besides, what could they possible use against you? I don't see how a person could incriminate themselves via Customer Service.

[Vercades]

Originally Posted by hypnotizeminds

I don't see how a person could incriminate themselves via Customer Service.

OMG that's so hilarious,

[Bad Dog]

I don't see how a person could incriminate themselves via Customer Service.

I don't know, give it a try next time you're on hold and scream,"I'm going postal and coming down there with an AK-47 if someone doesn't pickup fast."
The next knock on your door may be somebody interesting.

[hypnotizeminds]

Originally Posted by Bad Dog

I don't know, give it a try next time you're on hold and scream,"I'm going postal and coming down there with an AK-47 if someone doesn't pickup fast."
The next knock on your door may be somebody interesting.

Don't encourage me. I come up with enough bad ideas on my own.

[Baser-X]

Originally Posted by Bad Dog

Here's another: Please wait for the next available agent (service person).
And this wait usually last just long enough to hear all the company propaganda.

At my job, that just means everyone is on a smoke break/lunch or whatever and the one person who's supposed to be answering the phones is doing something more important like replying to posts on CTH.