“I can understand complete sentences. Please speak in complete sentences.”
Please connect me with a service representative.
“I can help you with that.
I need your first name and last name.
I’m sorry, I didn’t understand that.
Would you please repeat your first name and last name?”
First name. Last name.
Slower and Louder the second time.
“What is your billing address?
Please include your full address:
Street,
Apartment number,
Town,
State,
Zipcode.
Please clearly state your full address now.”
Full Address
“Please tell me the first name and last name of the person on the account.”
First name. Last name.
“And who am I speaking to today?
Please tell me your first name and your last name.”
First name. Last name. A.G.A.I.N. Seriously?
“What is the phone number associated with your account?
Please state the entire 10 digit number.”
Phone number.
“What is your account number?
This is the 10 digit number associated with your account.
There are no letters.
They are all numbers.
Please tell me if you need time to get your account number.”
Account number.
“How can I help you today?”
I have no phone or internet service. Please connect me with a service representative.
“I can help you with that.”
Today is DAY NINE. One service tech visit later and two hours of working internet.
One brief interlude.
Now gone.
Anatomy of phone calls . . .
The shortest time from a call to a “real person” is five minutes and two seconds.
And guess what that conversation is once I am connected to a “live” person:
“Could I have your first and last name?
Could I have your 10 digit phone number?
Can I have your address?
. . .
What is acceptable in terms of service response time?
A lack of internet is a HUGE problem for me.
(Teaching an online class, work tasks, twitter, messages & pix from all)
To Windstream?
Apparently not!
On the upside, I have read more in the last week.
On the downside, my patience with any technology issues is now -10 and dropping rapidly!
Advice? Suggestions? Similar situations?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
Resource - Full 
So frustrating. When my phone went out, I had to get grumpy with the online “person” before I was connected to a talking human.
Silly. There is NO way around the computer. After daily calls, questioning every live person, and “timing” just to collect data! 🙂
I had to laugh even though I totally understand since the same thing has happened to me. Yesterday I was on the phone, on hold listening to ramblings, that it took me a while to realize that an actual person was finally on the line. I swear that by the time I get trough listening to all of the options I forget which one I needed and have to listen again.
So repetitious. I’d love to keep reading through the announcements and questions but focus is such an issue when it takes so long. And day after day . . .
Hit 0. Usually I get a person – then ask to be connected with a manager. Always ask for the name of the person before you give your name. Once I get a manager/supervisor I always get it fixed. They will try to avoid this at all costs — hold firm – wait them out. Get a manager/supervisor. Good luck!!
Bless you! I will try this! 🙂
I was frustrated just reading this…and I wasn’t even on the other line! Our phone has been out too. The last time it happened (about a month ago) the technician came and unplugged a bunch of cords and said OK you are ready to go. I thought why didn’t they just tell me to do that on the phone!
Oh, yes, unplugging is always step one! I’ve left it all unplugged up to an hour and NO luck yet!
By the time I finished your post, I was feeling irritated 🙂 And when you finally get a real person, they don’t know anything… and put you on hold! My husband spent hours switching a land line number we’ve had for years to mobile. I was impressed by his patience as he repeated and repeated and repeated the information.
Alice,
Hours . . . I have NOT spent that all in one sitting, but I deeply resent the 21.43 minutes last night.
IF they would communicate ANYTHING to me, I would be most appreciative. However, don’t say, “I will call and check on Monday” and then NOT call on Monday, or Tuesday, or even Wednesday. I cannot believe that a week is an acceptable service time. Blows my mind and my blood pressure!
And it is happening far too frequently…