Heads up - How to jump the call centre queue

[Lignum]

Amazing but true. Heard this today and it works. After you make your call (say Telstra etc) and are re-directed to an Indian call centre, soon as the automated voice starts talking press zero seven times and it will immediately ring and be answered by an operator. No more long waiting times. Try it. Get your phone bill out and ring the help inquiry number, press zero 7 times and bingo.

[echnidna]

I heard that too,

I wonder how long before that operator is swamped and the tactic ceases to work

[Groggy]

I wonder how long before that operator is swamped and the tactic ceases to work

Let's find out

[joe greiner]

Haven't tried all 7 zeroes, but I suspect it's too obvious to be universally true. Some sites seem to use more of a "secret handshake" to bypass the menu.

Cheers,
Joe

[Lignum]

This morning on the radio they tried Vodaphone, Nokia and Telstra and it worked straight away. Last week the 3 network was down and I rang on Thursday and it took 35 minutes to get through. Today I tried for the sake of it and was connected in 20 - 30 seconds

[Barry_White]

That's interesting because even the Telecom Techy's don't know that because I have had them here working on my lines and they have had to ring in and they have had to wait in the queue. I have said to them don't you have a direct number you can call instead of waiting and he said no.

[Lignum]

Maybe they arnt calling the Indian call centers but their own tech guys

[Chesand]

There was also a website (something like "Idontlikewaiting") that gave all the bypass numbers for the big companies. Heard it on the radio many months ago and it had a long list of companies.

I tried to find it last night but have not had any luck so maybe it has been pulled.

[Salubrious]

Sorry Barry but Technicians and Lineman DO NOT ring the call centres ..... they either ring their despatcher / supervisor on dedicated numbers or they call the exchange direct etc ....

Ex Telstra Tech.

That's interesting because even the Telecom Techy's don't know that because I have had them here working on my lines and they have had to ring in and they have had to wait in the queue. I have said to them don't you have a direct number you can call instead of waiting and he said no.

[bsrlee]

The 'hit zero lots of times' trick probably works because that is how you get the operator on US phone systems - to them it is 'O' for Operator, so if the switch board software was written for the US market (most of them) then pounding zero will work - managers care about the cost of 'fixing' software, not the abuse their employees get.