Anyone who has ever called one of the large telecommunications companies or a government department, waited in a phone queue or attempted to navigate an interactive voice response (IVR) menu system will know the frustration advances in technology can brin
Anyone who has ever called one of the large telecommunications companies or a government department, waited in a phone queue or attempted to navigate an interactive voice response (IVR) menu system will know the frustration advances in technology can bring to dealing with monolithic institutions.
But a Perth entrepreneur has found a technological answer to that very problem.
Jason Jordan has created an innovative website, youcallme.com, to combat the frustration so many people feel when their calls are stuck on hold.
Customers log their details into the website's automated database, click on the supplier they want to contact and leave the reason for the call. The information is sent directly to the participating company's Trouble Ticket/Helpdesk system, to alert them to the customer's request - placing the onus on the company to make contact.
"I came up with the idea almost two years ago after my dad complained about how long he had spent on hold with the tax department," Mr Jordan told WA Business News.
"And every time he spoke to someone they told him he was in the wrong phone queue.
"I wanted to come up with a way to make sure you could speak to the right person, the first time and get your solution."
Although response times vary from between minutes and never - depending on the organisation being contacted - youcallme.com has received praise from the Australian Teleservices Association (ATA).
According to ATA chairman Steve Mitchinson, first contact resolution is the key to customer satisfaction.
"As businesses constantly grapple with growing customer queues, cost pressures and the increased expectations of their clients, they are all looking for sources of competitive advantage," Mr Mitchinson said.
"I believe youcallme.com delivers on all fronts: it reduce costs, improves the quality of the customer engagement, smooths call demand allowing for more effective use of resources, and most importantly in my view, it hands decision power back to the customer, a trend that is emerging globally among leading service providers."
Customer Service Council of WA chairman Peter Ormond said while the website wasn't foolproof, it was a step in the right direction to improving customer service practices.
"The complaints I hear all the time are exactly that, the unresponsiveness of organisations," he said. "If you're made flexible in how you plan to deal with customers, I believe it works towards more successes."
Mr Jordan said with the advent of the internet and IVR technology, service appeared to be lacking from many organisations.
"Why should we have to wait in a queue to be dealt with? If we're paying them, they should call us," he said.
Mr Jordan said although the site didn't compel organisations to return a customer's call, listed companies which continue to ignore requests would be removed from the system.
