Conversations with Telco "Customer Support" Operators

**architect** · January 31st, 2008 02:15 PM

I applied for a group plan last Saturday and was promised a 24 hour activation turn-around time. Since up to this morning the lines have not been activated, I tried calling their customer support.

So I dialed the number, pressed 1 for English, pressed 2 for Postpaid, pressed 0 for activation follow-up.

(not exactly verbatim)

Operator: Good Morning, this is______. How may I help you?
Me: I would like to follow-up on my application.
Operator: Ah okay. Let me transfer you.
Me: Transfer where?
Operator: To Postpaid.
Me: But I selected Postpaid.
Operator: I am in Prepaid, Sir.
Me: So why did I get Prepaid?
Operator: Because there is a queue in Postpaid.
Me: So why did I get transferred to Prepaid?
Operator: Because if there is a queue in Postpaid, calls are routed to Prepaid.
Me: So you can help me?
Operator: Sorry, I can’t, I am in Prepaid.
Me: So why transfer me to Prepaid?
Operator: So I can transfer you to Postpaid.

When getting transferred to Postpaid, I get cut off. After several attempts each with a different operator, I finally succeeded in getting through to Postpaid directly.

Operator: Good Morning, this is______. How may I help you?
Me: I would like to follow-up on my application.
Operator: Ah okay. What is your number?
Me: Don’t know. The lines are not activated yet. But my current cel number is my reference number. It’s 09xx xxx-xxxx.
Operator: Okay, sir. I need to transfer you to Activation.
Me: But didn’t I just press 0 for activation inquiries?
Operator: Yes, sir. This is postpaid. I will transfer you to the Activation Hotline.
Me: Why wasn’t I routed directly to the Activation Hotline when that is what I selected?
Operator: Because it is Postpaid, sir.
Me: Uh, okay. Can you please give me a direct line just in case I get cut off?
Operator: No sir, I can’t do that.
Me: Why not?
Operator: Because it is the Activation Hotline. We can only transfer you.

Another conversation, this after being cut-off several times while being transferred. Each time I have to initiate the call.

Me: I am just wondering – aren’t you guys trained in common courtesy, like calling back the customer when he gets cut off?
Operator: No.
Me: Why not?
Operator: The system does not allow us.
Me: But your system keeps cutting off customers when they are being transferred.
Operator: Sorry, sir. But we don’t do call backs.
Me: So you expect the customer to keep calling you?

No reply.

**impulzz** · January 31st, 2008 02:26 PM

happens to me too, every time I have an inquiry be it my cellfone or ISP (same company) either you get rerouted to someone who can't help you, get cut off when being transferred, get the irritating music while waiting then after 15 mins of waiting you get cut-off.. hay....

**JCBalunsat** · January 31st, 2008 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by architect

I applied for a group plan last Saturday and was promised a 24 hour activation turn-around time. Since up to this morning the lines have not been activated, I tried calling their customer support.

So I dialed the number, pressed 1 for English, pressed 2 for Postpaid, pressed 0 for activation follow-up.

(not exactly verbatim)

Operator: Good Morning, this is______. How may I help you?
Me: I would like to follow-up on my application.
Operator: Ah okay. Let me transfer you.
Me: Transfer where?
Operator: To Postpaid.
Me: But I selected Postpaid.
Operator: I am in Prepaid, Sir.
Me: So why did I get Prepaid?
Operator: Because there is a queue in Postpaid.
Me: So why did I get transferred to Prepaid?
Operator: Because if there is a queue in Postpaid, calls are routed to Prepaid.
Me: So you can help me?
Operator: Sorry, I can’t, I am in Prepaid.
Me: So why transfer me to Prepaid?
Operator: So I can transfer you to Postpaid.

When getting transferred to Postpaid, I get cut off. After several attempts each with a different operator, I finally succeeded in getting through to Postpaid directly.

Operator: Good Morning, this is______. How may I help you?
Me: I would like to follow-up on my application.
Operator: Ah okay. What is your number?
Me: Don’t know. The lines are not activated yet. But my current cel number is my reference number. It’s 09xx xxx-xxxx.
Operator: Okay, sir. I need to transfer you to Activation.
Me: But didn’t I just press 0 for activation inquiries?
Operator: Yes, sir. This is postpaid. I will transfer you to the Activation Hotline.
Me: Why wasn’t I routed directly to the Activation Hotline when that is what I selected?
Operator: Because it is Postpaid, sir.
Me: Uh, okay. Can you please give me a direct line just in case I get cut off?
Operator: No sir, I can’t do that.
Me: Why not?
Operator: Because it is the Activation Hotline. We can only transfer you.

Another conversation, this after being cut-off several times while being transferred. Each time I have to initiate the call.

Me: I am just wondering – aren’t you guys trained in common courtesy, like calling back the customer when he gets cut off?
Operator: No.
Me: Why not?
Operator: The system does not allow us.
Me: But your system keeps cutting off customers when they are being transferred.
Operator: Sorry, sir. But we don’t do call backs.
Me: So you expect the customer to keep calling you?

No reply.

That's what I call customer service. DAMN!

**mazdamazda** · January 31st, 2008 02:45 PM

Your applying for a Sun postpaid line?

I think there's a bug with the call routing system (since another friend reported a similar problem to me).

PM about your details so that I can escalate this.

Thanks,

**architect** · January 31st, 2008 04:28 PM

Hi M2,

You got PM. Thanks for the offer. But with a little effort (and a lot of patience), I finally got them to activate all lines.

Thanks again.

**badsekktor** · January 31st, 2008 04:34 PM

that's why i dont like to work in call centers.... ok yun company pero madalas yan case na ganyan and the agents cant do anything about it

**CVT** · January 31st, 2008 10:07 PM

Kawawa rin ang mga tao sa call centers... They get all the flak from the customers...
Like this, they cannot do anything but explain something that will not make sense with us, customers, because they're limited by the system.....

5202:threadmil:

**pat3k** · February 3rd, 2008 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by badsekktor

that's why i dont like to work in call centers.... ok yun company pero madalas yan case na ganyan and the agents cant do anything about it

ganyan talaga mga local call centers dito sa pinas...walang kwenta! lalo na nga sa mga ISP's at TELCO's na yan, sa bank naman mejo ok ung service, saksakan lang talaga ng tagal ang hold time.

**boybi** · February 3rd, 2008 11:53 AM

Mas ok nga mga CSR ng banks/credit cards. And they sometimes do call back the customers.

**pat3k** · February 3rd, 2008 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by boybi

Mas ok nga mga CSR ng banks/credit cards. And they sometimes do call back the customers.

yes they do call the customers back, especially kapag indi pa nakakapag bayad ung customer!

kidding aside, ung mga CSR ng banks nga lang yata ang merong customer service training dito sa pilipinas eh...un yatang mga agents sa ISP's and TELCO's eh basta may technical knowledge lang eh pwede na!