Phone#/Zip/SSN

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

New phone maze when I dialed The Club this afternoon, I had to enter phone number, Zip Code, and last four of SSN. System seems to be very slow and when you get to the CSR they have no idea who you are or why you entered that data, but said they had a new system.

When I called right back again, the old phone maze was back again.

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

They make you enter all that stuff to keep you busy. Its one of my pet peeves, when I've entered it all and then "they" ask you for all of it again when you are connected to a human.

Whenever I have the opportunity, I punch in the Operator O repeatedly instead of following menus.

Fern

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

They make you enter all that stuff to keep you busy. Its one of my pet peeves, when I've entered it all and then "they" ask you for all of it again when you are connected to a human.

Whenever I have the opportunity, I punch in the Operator O repeatedly instead of following menus.

Fern

That isn't true. In most cases the information they request is suppose to automatically pull up the CSR record on the terminal of the agent that recieves the call from the queue. It is implemented to cut service time and improve productivity.

When you do lose patience with these call prompter scenarios your best bet is to not put in anything. There is nearly always a default for customers that don't posess touchtone services.

In Sunterra Diamond's case it sounds like a bad cut-over and they backed out of it. Wouldn't surprise me if the system were reinstated over the weekend and was working Monday. Why they chose to implement during the work week to begin with is an entirely different story.

[Fern Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fern]

Lawren,
Maybe it is suppose to, but it doesn't always work that way. In fact, with the companies I've dealt with it seldom does (except for RCI). Its generally used as a way to occupy the time of the person waiting. Either that or they have people who are extremely poorly trained and don't know how to retrieve the info or read their screens. Something.

Fern

That isn't true. In most cases the information they request is suppose to automatically pull up the CSR record on the terminal of the agent that recieves the call from the queue. It is implemented to cut service time and improve productivity.

When you do lose patience with these call prompter scenarios your best bet is to not put in anything. There is nearly always a default for customers that don't posess touchtone services.

In Sunterra Diamond's case it sounds like a bad cut-over and they backed out of it. Wouldn't surprise me if the system were reinstated over the weekend and was working Monday. Why they chose to implement during the work week to begin with is an entirely different story.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren,
Maybe it is suppose to, but it doesn't always work that way. In fact, with the companies I've dealt with it seldom does (except for RCI). Its generally used as a way to occupy the time of the person waiting. Either that or they have people who are extremely poorly trained and don't know how to retrieve the info or read their screens. Something.

Fern

Fern there are different strata or layers that we are talking about here. There is the Call Prompter which is in the network "cloud". Usually those are the ones that will announce "You have reached XYZ company. If you want to continue in english press one."

THOSE are basic timewasters. EXCEPT when you are prompted for an area of service or type of service, they can and do route you to the center best able to handle your call. Needless to say if you get stuck in one of those network prompters those are the ones in which choosing to not select any entry will default you somewhere to a someone.

Then there are on-premise information collectors like the one Spence describes in the OP or in your example Cendant/RCI. There you are asked for specific personal &/or account information. If things are designed and implemented correctly (and running optimumly) there is a "data dip" and the in-coming callers customer record SHOULD transfer over to the CRT at the agent's desk that is receiving the call.

More technical than most here needed or wanted to know. I designed and implemented these for Fortune 500 companies for more years than I like to admit and every once in a while I had to deal with Cendant in a coverage scenario. Glad at least that one works the way we designed.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

Phones

Diamond now has caller ID! Was on the phone for a VERY long hold, heard the CSR come back on and then click - if you'd like to make a call......
Was trying to get back through the phone maze and another call came in (call waiting) and lo and behold it was the Diamond CSR calling me back at my parent's house (not a number on my account). Yea!!!

[Kay H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kay H]

Fern,
I agree with you. Every time I enter all thr asked for info, I have to repeat it all when a person gets on the line. They never have any idea to whom they are speaking and it infuriates me.

[dale7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dale7]

I had to call about a billing problem what a pain to get a real person.