Why do automated phone systems ask you to key in your account number...

[grinningghost]

...and then when a human comes on the line, they ask for your account number AGAIN?

That drives me batty.

 

[chell]

Drives me nuts!

 

[Serena]

Annoying isn't it.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I always say "I just gave it to the automated system, don't you two talk to you each?"

 

[grinningghost]

Originally posted by momof3disneyholics
I always say "I just gave it to the automated system, don't you two talk to you each?"

Good one. I need to start using that.

 

[Parrothead1964]

I wrote an automated system to change passwords where I work. Our employees call in and say their ID, and it matches their previously-saved voiceprint against what they just said, and if the match is good enough, their password is changed and the system tells them what it is so they can log in.

However, if it doesn't match, you are transferred to our support people, where they promptly ask for your ID. We get the same question -- "I gave it to your other system, so why do I need to give it again?" In our case, the answer is because the automated system that we purchased does not have the tie-in to our support people, so it is not transferred with the phone call. Therefore, when you get to the support people, they don't know who you are.

It has been on my "to do" list for a long time to repair this problem, but other things always have a tendency to get bumped up in priority and I can't get to it!

 

[NMAmy]

It's always driven me crazy, too. And it seems to happen anytime you call ANYWHERE. I just moved and had to change phone, cable, electricity, etc and it happened EVERYwhere.

I've come to look at it this way: I think they're just giving us some busy work to do while we're on hold. Keeps us occupied.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Originally posted by momof3disneyholics
I always say "I just gave it to the automated system, don't you two talk to you each?"

I've always wanted to say that, but just follow their direction and give the account number again.

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

How about this one:

The automated system asked for my phone number, so I keyed it in. Then it asked for my account number followed by the # sign. which I did not know (power company), so I just keyed in the # sign. Then the automated system tells me where I my bill I can find my account number and asks me again to key it in followed by the # sign. Since I had just paid my bills, I did not have one handy to read my account number, so I just keyed the # sign again. And again, I get the directions on where to find my account. By now I am getting frustrated, so this time I enter nothing. Then the automated system tells me it does not recognize my entry, please enter my account number. After a few more rounds of this, I finally just said "SHUT UP!" the next time that automated voice came on. Next thing I know, I was transfered to a human.

After reporting my power outage, I then complained about the automated system. Specifically about not having an option to get to a human when you don't know a piece of information the automated system is requesting. Very frustrating!

The joys of automated systems!