PDA

View Full Version : Sorry, our agents are currently busy

Mal
22-03-2005, 10:12
Sorry, our agents are currently busy...
I hate that phrase. After spending 20 mins on hold to a company, this really annoyed me. :afire:

I'd rather just listen to the repetative music, because at least you know when it cuts off, it's because your call has been answered.

It's not like it means anything. It would be okay if it was actually a real live person coming on saying it (I know, impossible), but it's just a recording, the same as the music, so your call can still be lost.

So, would you prefer to have just music or would you like the recorded voice?

:)
Gareth
22-03-2005, 10:24
I'd rather have a robotic voice say once at the beginning that they 'cannot take my call for the moment cause all their agents are stood at the coffee machine right now' and then play music all the time till they get back.

One of the American offices for the place I work doesn't have any talking, and the hold music is their local radio station... which is nice.
Earl of Bronze
22-03-2005, 10:31
Music with the voice was my vote.

Though I'd prefer it if the music was somewhat better, and the voice didnt mouth sound so feckin cheerful. Its not likely that I'm gonna take any more of a companies products/services, when I'm on the phone to cancel or report a fault. :rolleyes:
punky
22-03-2005, 10:42
I hate it when you get that recorded voice comes on. It sounds like someone is answering, so you get ready to say what you have to, and then you realise it is recorded, and its a big let down. Almost like its taunting me.

I prefer some decent music... and credit where it is due, sometimes it can be really good.
goldoni
22-03-2005, 10:50
Just the music, but the lines that give information like you are number x and you call will be answered in x minutes are cool. I just hate the ones that state, †œYour call is important to use please waitâ₠¬Ã‚
SMHarman
22-03-2005, 11:16
I hate it when you get that recorded voice comes on. It sounds like someone is answering, so you get ready to say what you have to, and then you realise it is recorded, and its a big let down. Almost like its taunting me.

I prefer some decent music... and credit where it is due, sometimes it can be really good.
Exactly - I was dysoning while on hold to NTL yesterday PM (it's in another thread) and everytime they wanted to tell me about the latest bollywood release I had to stop the dyson to make sure it was not a CSR on the line.
ian@huth
22-03-2005, 11:32
Wondered what the hell dysoning was when I first saw it but all was explained later. :D

I like the music with the voice but hate the frequency of the voice messages on some switchboards and the content of some of the voice messages.
Mal
22-03-2005, 12:17
I hate it when you get that recorded voice comes on. It sounds like someone is answering, so you get ready to say what you have to, and then you realise it is recorded, and its a big let down. Almost like its taunting me.
That's exactly my point :)
Graham
22-03-2005, 13:13
Provided it is *GOOD* music, rather than some tinny repetitive piece of musical wallpaper I'd go for music only.

What's really annoying is when they are playing good music, but interrupt it every ten seconds with an announcement that "All of our operators are busy", yes I bloody well *KNOW* they are because you've already *TOLD* me that a dozen times!

Also if they're playing music, I can put the phone to one side and listen for when the music stops so I know when someone's actually picked up, but if I keep getting a recorded voice I've got to *keep* listening to the damn thing :mad:

The only recorded announcements I *do* like are the ones that say "you are at position X in the queue" which are at least informative and useful, rather than just *irritating*!
Salu
22-03-2005, 13:51
Sometimes I would actually like the engaged tone ...as at least then YOU arent paying the bill for their busyness...
Theodoric
22-03-2005, 19:09
Quote:
Sorry, our agents are currently busy...

I hate that phrase. After spending 20 mins on hold to a company, this really annoyed me. :afire:
<Snip>

:)
You may hate that phrase, but at least it's true. What I really hate is that downright, shameless, bare-faced, brazen, do-you-take-me-for-an-idiot lie, "Your call is important to us." No it isn't, so why do you keep ramming it down my throat!
Bex
22-03-2005, 19:33
i seem to spend most my mornings at work, on the phone to our suppliers, generally you get the robotic voice telling you they are busy and then crappy "elevator" music. but a couple actually seem to play pop music which isn't so bad.... when we are quiet (ie no customers in the store) we've actually started inflicting the music on our collegues now.

more annoying than the robotic voices is when you have been on hold for ages and then they just cut you off. :mad:
Theodoric
22-03-2005, 19:39
<Snip>
more annoying than the robotic voices is when you have been on hold for ages and then they just cut you off. :mad:
Ah, yes, it's the complete sense of life's injustice that this engenders. You've patiently waited. You've suffered in silence. And then someone up there decides that you should be cut off for no reason whatsoever!
Strzelecki
22-03-2005, 19:58
Eclipse Computer in coventry has a good one, I had to deal with them once and got the 'you are number 2 in the queue'....10 minutes later ' you are number 1 in the queue' 10 minutes later and still number one in the queue I decided to call them on my mobile whilst on hold on the landline and got 'you are number 1 in the queue', how, when my landline call is number 1!? Needles to say I never got through to them that day!
Graham
22-03-2005, 22:40
Sometimes I would actually like the engaged tone ...as at least then YOU arent paying the bill for their busyness...

Thing is, if you keep getting the engaged tone you're liable to give up which will lose business for the people you're calling, so they won't like to do that.
andygrif
22-03-2005, 22:57
I'd rather they just answered the chuffing phone.
greencreeper
22-03-2005, 23:13
I spend a lot of time on hold whilst phoning doctors. The longest was 5 minutes - "Can you hold". It wasn't a question. Magic roundabout seems to be the favourite - nasty plink plonk music that reminds me of a kids show circa 1950. I've also had very, very dark and sombre violin music a la Schindler's List. Not good if you're ordering a repeat script of anti-depressants. "Hello - sorry to keep you. How can I help?" <sound of gun shot> I don't like cheesy pop - strikes me as totally appropriate for a doctor's surgery. Only had that once though.

Sooooo - I prefer music but only if decent, otherwise don't bother.

Oh and believe it or not, some doctors have an automated system - "Press 3 if your call is an emergency". I kid you not.
Graham
23-03-2005, 00:42
Or of course there's Dogbert's Technical support:

(Wally is phoning Technical Support)

Dogbert: This is Dogbert's technical support. How may I disconnect you?

Wally: What are my choices?

D: I recommend the abrupt disconnect: simple, gets the job done.

W: I had that last time, What else do you have?

D: You might like our "please hold," followed by the "wrong button" disconnect.

W: Too predictable. Do you have anything new?

D: Try our "Kevorkian disconnect." I put you on hold and play an annoying message until you disconnect yourself.

W: (listening to) "Your call is important. Please hold while we ignore it... Your call is important..."

W: Not bad.

:D
Halcyon
23-03-2005, 11:32
I would quite like this option:

You are currently in a queue, please select your holding music.
Press:

1 for Classical
2 for Dance
3 for Electronic
4 for Garage
5 for RnB
6 for Rock
7 for Metal
8 for ambient
9 for rap
10 for chart cheese.
carlingman
23-03-2005, 23:42
Well working for an organisation on a small scale but with a fully configurable call routing system limited though to the hold music we can play for licensing/copyright resources.

A survey we carried out recently suggested that 70% of callers would prefer to hear an engaged tone when we were busy rather than wait any length of time.

Although they do then have the option to e-mail us as when they get the engaged signal they are aware we are busy.

:D
Bex
24-03-2005, 12:14
what makes me laugh when we phone our head office is they say press 1 for blah blah and 2 for blah blah or you can hold..... but they don't give us touch tone phones so we have to hear the options every time and then wait for someone to answer, only to be told your through to the wrong department and they will transfer you......