Automated Telephone Services

I hate talking to computers. Why does anyone think that is a good business practice?

I've actually hung up and used other companies when all I can get is a computer voice ... that never gives me the choice I need

mikeatrpi wrote: I hate talking to computers. Why does anyone think that is a good business practice?

There really does have to be a better way to do it... but if I have to process 300k calls a day like AMEX, I need a robot to pick up and stall them until an operator is ready or I'll go broke paying humans. I imagine that is true for a smaller business that can't afford a dedicated secretary too.

I've heard that Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voicemail, eventually was disgusted by how it came to be used. Can't find a direct citation at the moment, here's his obit.

http://articles.latimes.com/2002/mar/01/local/me-mathews1

Funny, I need some kind of robot for my business phone. I can't be dropping what I'm doing (usually dirty) to answer the phone just to find out it's solicitor I'm going to say no to anyway, or somebody looking for directions/hours/etc. when they could easily get their information elsewhere without bothering me directly. It's not that I mind the phone (although I do - I greatly prefer texts, and it's better for my business), and I'm happy to take calls that legitimately need my attention, but 99% of it is a significant impediment to my productivity.

Any suggestions on how to best deal with that for a one man operation, short of hiring a secretary?

alex wrote: Funny, I need some kind of robot for my business phone. I can't be dropping what I'm doing (usually dirty) to answer the phone just to find out it's solicitor I'm going to say no to anyway, or somebody looking for directions/hours/etc. when they could easily get their information elsewhere without bothering me directly. It's not that I mind the phone (although I do - I greatly prefer texts, and it's better for my business), and I'm happy to take calls that legitimately need my attention, but 99% of it is a significant impediment to my productivity. Any suggestions on how to best deal with that for a one man operation, short of hiring a secretary?

This is what I use.

ringcentral.com

direct links through my toll free number to 3 cel phones of employees plus the console on the PC that my office manager uses. Less than 15 bills a month.

A lot of times I would rather deal with a automated telephone service rather then talking to ten people all of which send me to the wrong place and half of them speak English as a second language and I can't understand a word they are saying.

Well, valid points on both sides of the fence. What got me going today was talking to the computer. "Hello! Thank you for calling XYZ Corporation! Your business is important to us. I'll help you. Tell me what's wrong. For example, say 'Pay my bill' if you wish to pay your bill, or..."

By the fourth "I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. Hello! Thank you for calling XYZ Corporation! Your..." I was ready to throw the phone and strangle the next unlucky person to enter my office. When I finally got to a person, they said "Oh I can help with that..."

I work with IVR/VRU design every day.

There is a very fine line to talk between cost savings (what they are for) and customer satisfaction. A well designed IVR/VRU can do both things fairly well. However, there are some people (myself among them) who have voices that the system just won't ever be able to handle, no matter what. For reasons I don't completely understand, we're called "goats."

That said, there is a reason I tell people I work in "communications technology" instead of saying what I really do.

I actually had a guy sound shocked when I answered the phone yesterday. He was expecting a recording. That's a first. Took him a moment to recover.

Then he asked me if we were related to Go Miata and really didn't seem to believe me when I said no. I guess he'd ordered something there and seemed skeptical when I couldn't provide any information about his backordered product. I guess we do have the same last name

The one thing that torques me off about voice mail systems is when a bank asks for my credit card/account number - then, when I get to a person, they don't have that info on screen.

Keith wrote: The one thing that torques me off about voice mail systems is when a bank asks for my credit card/account number - then, when I get to a person, they don't have that info on screen.

Some places have to ask again even if they have it in front of them to make sure that they don't accidentally give out somebody else's information. Why do they ask you for it up front? Probably because they have tiered routing- gold card customers or customers with a balance of xxxx or an otherwise extensive portfolio get a higher priority to an agent. For super multinational companies, they might even be sending you to an agent that can speak the language of the cardholder, but how likely is that, right?

I can see the first - but for the tiered service, give 'em a different phone number. That's what the frequent flyer companies do. Makes people feel special too, even if the number does just go into the same pool

Our company used to use Medco for drug refills. There have been times I got so mad trying to talk with someone that I wanted to bash the phone with the receiver.

We finally switched to another company. First call to the dreaded toll free number resulted in an extremely pleasant young lady who was happy to help me. Now that is how to run a company.

You realize that your talking to a computer now, right? Most of the top posters are actually computerized robo-posters that GRM uses to boost their board traffic. You thing that many people really like the Miata? Please. Keith? Actually an IBM 27492. I myself am a Macbook pro running iPost 2.0.

alex wrote: Any suggestions on how to best deal with that for a one man operation, short of hiring a secretary?

Have you looked into one of those multi-business secretaries? The ones that sit in one office and based on the phone used answer for many different companies?