Mobile By Matthew Humphries Aug. 14, 2014 3:37 pm
Everything Everywhere, better known as simply EE*and as*the largest UK mobile network,*has this week introduced a controversial new charge for its customers. This isn’t a charge for services related to their*smartphones, instead the company is*letting users*pay to jump the queue when phoning the customer support line.
We’re all used to calling*about an issue with our service, and typically we’re given a few options to choose between before listening to elevator music for several minutes until a support agent is available to chat. If you phone at a particularly busy time the wait can easily be an hour.
EE has decided to let you jump that queue for 50p (about 85 cents). Paying up will see your name jump to the front of the queue, the music will stop, and someone will answer your call almost immediately. All the people unwilling to pay the charge will just have to wait that little bit longer, or maybe will be left in a constant state of wait if new people keep joining the queue and deciding to pay up.
It’s a money grab pure and simple on the part of EE, and a system that in no way promotes good customer service. EE has no incentive to improve the non-paid-for support line, and may even decide to dedicate more of its existing support staff to the priority queue if it makes financial sense. There’s also the problem of if too many people decide to pay you just enter another queue. It may be shorter than the queue of people who didn’t pay, but you’re still left waiting and out of pocket.
I believe EE is the only network in the UK to have such a service, and let’s hope it stays that way.
More...
We’re all used to calling*about an issue with our service, and typically we’re given a few options to choose between before listening to elevator music for several minutes until a support agent is available to chat. If you phone at a particularly busy time the wait can easily be an hour.
EE has decided to let you jump that queue for 50p (about 85 cents). Paying up will see your name jump to the front of the queue, the music will stop, and someone will answer your call almost immediately. All the people unwilling to pay the charge will just have to wait that little bit longer, or maybe will be left in a constant state of wait if new people keep joining the queue and deciding to pay up.
It’s a money grab pure and simple on the part of EE, and a system that in no way promotes good customer service. EE has no incentive to improve the non-paid-for support line, and may even decide to dedicate more of its existing support staff to the priority queue if it makes financial sense. There’s also the problem of if too many people decide to pay you just enter another queue. It may be shorter than the queue of people who didn’t pay, but you’re still left waiting and out of pocket.
I believe EE is the only network in the UK to have such a service, and let’s hope it stays that way.
More...
