Sir, – In the past few weeks I have had to call Eir “customer care” on an number of occasions. Irrespective of the time one calls, an automated voice informs listeners that the “estimated wait time is over 30 minutes”. And, generally speaking, they are not joking.
Callers are also encouraged to resolve their issues by connecting with a representative “online”. I have tried this to find that I was dealing with someone in India who did not have the necessary information to hand and who advised me to call Eir. Thus the cycle began all over again.
This morning I had occasion to call Eir again. After the customary very long wait, I dealt with a representative who, after 10 minutes, informed me that I would need to speak with the Eir mobile technical unit. I asked him if I would have to wait for as long as it took me to reach him, and he said that as it was an internal line, it shouldn’t take as long. It took over 10 minutes longer.
Eventually the call was answered and the young woman I spoke with told me that I had been put through to the wrong number! At this stage I was becoming impatient as I had my own work to do and considered this level of service an imposition on paying customers. The young woman assured me she would be putting me through to the correct number. I asked her if she would stay on the line with me to ensure I was answered. “Unfortunately”, she said, “I am unable to do this.”
She then proceeded to put me through to the correct number, which turned out to be a fax machine.
Over an hour of my time wasted. And now I must go through the same frustrating process again.
Is this common, not just with Eir, but with other service providers in our modern Republic?
An investigation by The Irish Times on behalf of customers might help to establish which companies are customer friendly and who understand that customers, especially those who are working, do not have this kind of time to waste. – Yours, etc,
DON MULLAN,
Perrystown,
Dublin 12.