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A bit of a rant about phones
The Vivaldi dilemma is becoming cyclical. I have come back from holiday to a long list of cases that need reviewing. That means lots of phones calls to the hotline and lots of time listening to Vivaldi.
The problem comes where I am spending so much time listening to The One Season that JCP cannot get through to me to discuss those cases where I need them to ring me back.
Ourobouros comes to mind.
If ever there was a case for an intermediaries number this is it.
Could you arrange for your phone to play Crass’s “Do they owe us a living?” at such times?
Could you arrange for your phone to play Crass’s “Do they owe us a living?” at such times?
I’m thinking more along the lines of “No Mercy Fool” by Suicidal Tendencies at the moment. Deffo not that Friday feeling here.
Mekons- “Never work” would also do it…
I agree totally about the need for an intermediaries line. Don’t suppose it would ever happen though…... It would mean someone would have to be accountable!
In the meantime I have resorted to raising a complaint every time I am kept waiting more than 10 minutes.
In the meantime I have resorted to raising a complaint every time I am kept waiting more than 10 minutes.
That would finally destroy what’s left of my will to continue.
18 minutes of Vivaldi’s doing a pretty good job of killing my fighting spirit as I type.
Edit; then I had to ring the other number… weep!
[ Edited: 19 Aug 2016 at 01:48 pm by Dan_Manville ]
On a serious note, at the 45p a minute charged by some providers, claimants are being financially penalised for JCP’s inefficiency. If someone is only on £73.10/week, £13.50 for half an hour on hold represents a substantial proportion of weekly income.
DWP should not be allowed to get away with this appalling lack-of-service and denial of accountability. The standard excuse of “unprecedented call volume” is just another way of saying they have insufficient staff to cover the work. Perhaps they should, (God forbid) “help people into work” and create a few more call-centre jobs?
[ Edited: 19 Aug 2016 at 02:43 pm by Benny Fitzpatrick ]I am in the process of trying to wind up my MP about it. Hopefully we’re going to do an official measuring exercise next month so we’ve got some real data rather than anecdotal stuff then see where that might take us. I need to brush up my excel skills first though.
It’s appalling.
It took me the best part of three hours to make three calls earlier this week. Two out of the three resulted in call-back requests and in one of the cases, whilst we did receive a call back, I wasn’t available and the officer concerned left a phone number which was permanntly engaged so I had to ring again (and spend another 40 miinutes on hold).
We’re allowing clients to use our phones to ring the call centre as they have insufficient credit to do so (most of our clients have pay as you go mobiles). It’s doing absolutely nothing for our phone bills.
I think today is possibly the worst yet.
I’ve been listening to Vivaldi for the best part of an hour now. That’s just for one case. I have another four that need chasing up but there’s just no point in even contemplating it.
I think today is possibly the worst yet.
I’ve been listening to Vivaldi for the best part of an hour now. That’s just for one case. I have another four that need chasing up but there’s just no point in even contemplating it.
The other four cases - the same benefit? Are you finding the contact centre will not allow you to enquire about more than one claimant in the same call?
It does seem to vary between call handlers “we are only allowed to deal with one case during a call” [i.e. because I have no way of re-setting the target time for dealing with a call to zero if you ask me about a diffrent claimant?] to “yes, fire away!”
Do any of you have much luck in trying to progress multiple cases in one call?
On some occasions I reach somebody helpful who will deal with 3 or 4 enquiries in one go, and other times I reach somebody who tells me the system does not let them look at multiple claims during the same call…
never had any luck in persuading call centre to deal with more than one ESA case per call. Staff on the PIP call centre will sometimes do it but never had a result on the ESA/JSA/IS line.
I’m seriously getting to the end of my tether with it. Finally got through after an hour only to speak to someone who could tell me less than nothing. Am on the inevitable 3 hour call back but bet I won’t receive a call.
Back on hold with Vivaldi…. did I actually leave the office last night?
...‘or you may prefer to call back later’....
May prefer to cut your throat more like.
40 minutes now.
...‘or you may prefer to call back later’....
May prefer to cut your throat more like.
40 minutes now.
Nurse! 1964 is out of bed again!
I feel your pain. Sitting here myself… listening to Vivaldi.