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03456088545 - evidence for waiting times
30/11/16
8.10am
Centre n/k
16 minutes
30/11/16
11:15
14 minutes
CC n/k
30/11/16
12:30
10 minutes
CC n/k
Cut off immediately
21/12/16
15:33
2 minutes
Barely got to the end of the recorded message, the phone rang twice and I turned to tell someone they could speak to me as I was now on hold when the call was answered. I was so surprised I missed what office it was.
Been really busy with the run up to Christmas and not been logging the details but in general from my end I can report a significant improvement in waiting times, especially in the last couple of days where calls are being answered in less than 5 mins and often being answered almost immediately. Call centre staff also seem to me to be very helpful and on the ball at the moment.
Hope it lasts 😊
Still lasting Sam…. (crosses fingers that Monday 9th when the world goes back to normal won’t change things…..)
Today’s calls:
10:58
2 minutes
Missed the office
11:44
2 minutes
Blackburn
I rang our ESA escalation number (Stockton) last month and was told by the person who answered it that it is not used for that purpose any more and they had been told that a lot of people have been moved from Benefit Centres into the helpline and contact centres with a view to improving response times and standard of information and assistance provided.
I have no idea whether this is correct, and if so, it is a very mixed blessing - the person I spoke to who was an ESA manager was actually very helpful on that occasion but I was definitely left with the impression that they do not want us using the escalation numbers any more and that calls might very well go unanswered.
11/1/17
6 minutes
Exeter
Grounds for optimism
Has anyone else noted that call backs have gone from 3 hours to 24?