jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Remember the good old days when you could pick up a phone and call a company? I tried to make a reservation at a Marriott in PA today - online. I would get just so far, and it would tell me that I had to start over. Then it got to the point where I couldn't get to their reservation page. I tried the phone, and I got a recording that asked me a dozen questions so it could direct me to the right agent. Since I was calling Reservations, I would think that would be the right agent. I was finally put through to Reservations. "Your wait time will be about nine minutes."

I was calling the hotel directly. Couldn't someone there answer the phone?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

I share your frustration with todays situation in trying to contact an actual person for anything in large corporations. The invention of IVRU systems is the worst possible thing that could happen to customer service. Many companies talk how they provide great customer service but most do not walk their talk. Customers have to navigate automated menu choices, most of which don’t include the specific path to resolution of the customers question or problem. I usually just press 0 or say “Representative” and many times will get forwarded to an actual person, who may be in the Philippines, Mumbai or who knows, but they sometimes can help. The definition of good customer service these days is letting the customer solve their own problem with your service or product.

Stan

LXK0930 Loc: Souh Jersey

You THINK that you were calling the hotel. My experience is that even if you dial the hotel number, you end up being transferred to a central reservations site.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

Similarly, yesterday I was trying to order take-out. The website encourages to order online. After finding the nearest location I tried to order, but it kept asking for my zip code and then couldn't find the nearest location. After a few attempts I called the place and got the order done. This has happened with other restaurants - they must be using the same website developers!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I'll look online to peruse the menu, but I like to call our local restaurants and speak to a person so they get order details correct.....
Sometimes the online food "options" are not complete........

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

Correct.

In a similar way, even if you do a Google search for a hotel reservation site, you might not actually get the hotel's reservation service. We stayed in a Candlewood Suites, having made our reservation online using an online site which said that it was the Candlewood Suites Reservation site. Turns out that it was actually a third party site (not labelled as such) and not affiliated with the actual hotel at all. When we arrived and tried to check in, the hotel had no clean rooms available because their housekeeper had failed to show up that a day and they had no backup due to no one wanting the job. When we requested a refund, the hotel declined. In order to get our refund, we had to jump through hoops with the third party reservation service, which the hotel clerk kindly helped us with.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, that could very well be. "All numbers lead to home."

Another favorite is, "Due to higher than normal call volume..." Nonsense! Do the CEOs have to wait to get their checks because the bookkeeping department is too busy? I had to hand deliver a request for a prescription renewal to my doctor because I couldn't get through on the phone. I tried calling the billing dept of another doctor, and I could never get through.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

My former Tracfone was so old that I had to call India every time to get time added. What’s really frustrating is when in mid sentence the computerized voice tells you goodbye and hangs up on you. Repeatedly. I then knew how telemarketers felt.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

I remember the days when travel agency cigarettes good deals when flying overseas.

buckbrush Loc: Texas then Southwest Oregon

WHAT????

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

I remember the days will travel agents could get you a good deal on travel.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Autocorrect.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Was looking for a United Customer Service desk at the airport last week. Instead, I was greated by a large sign which said that customer service was located right on your phone in the United AP. Finally found a phone number.... "Why was my credit card just charged $9 by United? I didn't buy anything during the flight"? The answer: "You can open the Ap and check the receipt". I advised her: "There IS no receipt - my card was just charged". They had no idea why they had just charged me $9, and told me I needed to call the credit card and dispute the charge! Sheeesh!

These days in so many places humans have been replaced - have you driven down a toll road lately? There are no toll booths on many - like the Mass Turnpike. Even if you don't have the transponder, they will bill you by your license plate. It is faster and cheaper to have software track you down and send you a bill for $1.37 than to pay someone to stand in a tollbooth (all night long, weekends and holidays, probably with union wages and benefits....). I feel sorry for displaced workers, but enjoy not having to sit in line to pay a toll!

Ratskinner Loc: Copalis Beach WA

The biggest gag I get is when various corporations refer to the customer service dept. When I actually get some
helpful service I am amazed. One of the reasons I treasure Amazon is they really give service when requested.