How is it calculated ?
The Phone Rage Index is based on a range of factors.
Initially it is based on analysis of the phone menu data for all the 200+ companies and 600+Services held on Please Press1.
The factors are weighted and include the following.
How many total options does the phone menu have ?
How many options on average per menu level ?
Too many options in a phone menu create caller confusion, and
increases the time taken to get through to talk to someone or join
a queue. All too often, many totally irrelevant options are
presented. If you call a 'Car Insurance' phone number, why
are you presented with 'House Insurance' as an option ? If you ring
a 'service' line, why are you given 'sales' options.?
Companies should tink more about what the customer has to go
through and the "customer experience".
How many levels of menu does the phone menu have ? Basically the fewer the better. I believe that many people will tolerate short well designed menus with just a few options per level over a couple of levels. But when you get to 4,5 or 6+ levels of buttons i.e you have had to listen and select your way through 6 levels of menu options, the customer frustration is naturally starting to build - this doesn't help them or the company or organisation they are calling and is likely to result in a less productive conversation.
How long do the introductions take
?
Before the menu options are even listed, there is frequently a
long spiel about who the company is regulated by, call recording
for quality (evidence?) purposes, efforts to redirect you to their
website etc etc These messages often take at least 30-40
seconds and some go into 1-2 minutes. Companies should ask
themselves..."Is this message really necessary ?" and then ask
again "No, really. Are we absolutely sure it is necessary ?"
Too often, they are taking the fearful route with the
regulatory messages to cover themselves. But, for example, there
are principles around "Treating the Customers Fairly (TCF)" - how
does their phone menu design for against those principles. Is the
company covering themselves with their regulators or helping the
customer ?
How long does it take to reach the service you require
or at least get put in a queue ?
Some phone menus can take up to 6 minutes to get through.
How much is that costing the customer ? Not just in
terms of call charges but their own time ? If you add up all
the time wasted by consumers and businesses navigating phone calls,
how much is that costing the UK Economy ?
About 1 billion calls are made each year in the UK in call centres. Improved, more thoughful phone menu design could shorten the calls by say an average of 1 minute @ 10p a minute could save £100 million ! Not only that, 1 billion minutes equates nearly 8,000 working years ! What could be achieved with that time and money ?
What do the Users/Customers think of the service
?
Please Press 1 has given the platform to the voice of the
frustrated consumer who make hundreds of comments about the phone
menus and service they receive from companies. Some give praise and
credit where it is due, but the majority are tales of frustration
and bad customer experiences.
What can companies do about it ?
As well as improving their phone menu design, companies and
organisations can post their phone numbers and menus on Please
Press 1 for FREE - they can show they care about their customers
and that they want to help them. Perhaps that will help ensure they
do not appear in the next Phone rage Index...