So this is why WE have to call Wanadoo, and they NEVER call us back - simply put, they lose money!!!
0870 numbers are known as NationalCall numbers, and along with 0845 Lo-Call numbers, have their own special pricing arrangements. Although the name suggests otherwise 0870 NationalCall numbers are vastly more expensive than national calls made to normal phone numbers, and the gap is widening, as normal calls costs plummet.
In comparison, though they're not called it, 0870s are at a premium rate. Worse still, anyone paying a monthly fee for ‘free calls to landlines’ at certain times from their home phone, will find 0845 and 0870 numbers aren’t included.
To put the problem in perspective – on BT’s Together discount package, a normal national call costs 3p/min daytimes, while an 0870 number is well over twice that at 7.5p/min.
Other providers are similar, and One-Tel is even worse. On some tariffs it charges 8p/min to make 0870 calls at all times, yet make a normal call at weekends and it’s just 1p.
So why do companies (e.g. WANADOO) issue them?
If they’re so expensive why do high street names including Sky, Argos, Wanadoo and even Carphone Warehouse issue them? The shameful answer is because 0870 numbers are revenue makers.
Getting a big company to confirm this isn’t easy, yet a 10 second web search is convincing. Telecoms adverts entice companies to issue 0870 numbers, which simply divert through to their existing numbers, as they’ll earn up to "2.5p / minute” when their customers call.
It’s no wonder we’re left on hold more and more; a simple calculation shows the impact. A big company with 2,000 callers a day, each on hold for an average of 10 minutes could generate £180,000 a year.
In fact 0870 numbers are so lucrative, some telecoms firms allow you to make international calls simply by dialling the 0870 number first, without any further cost – this at least means 0870 numbers do have some consumer benefits (read this article on cheapest international calls).
Lo-Call 0845 numbers aren’t as bad. Usually companies don’t earn revenue, but receive a free automated call system instead, occasionally they even pay for such numbers. Yet many small businesses are being misled, buying into the number seller’s “look more professional and attract custom”, without realising they’re often costing their customers much more.
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Last edited by admin on Sun Jun 04, 2006 9:28 am; edited 1 time in total
"So this is why WE have to call Wanadoo, and they NEVER call us back - simply put, they lose money!!!"
You are wrong there. Wanadoo staff tend not to call back because front-line agents have a very high volume of calls to deal with and it's difficult for them to call back given that level of volume (i.e. call waiting times would suffer seriously). Call backs do occur for more difficult problems, line faults that are being traced / problematic tech difficulties etc. It really isn't because of cost, it's practical difficulties.
"It’s no wonder we’re left on hold more and more; a simple calculation shows the impact"
LOL. Do you really think that the individual call centre agents on something close to the minimum wage that you come through to is considering the costs to the company when they put you on hold??!! I think not!!
Also agents are monitored on variour statistics of thier calls one of them being the average call length. Too low and it's assumed they're not doing the job properly, too high and they gain more attention over why their calls are longer than other peoples. This isn't to say they can't take long calls, sometimes it happens and it usually works out in the averages.
Wanadoo don't want long queues for people calling, it makes them look bad. As most companys they'd prefer a balance where there's no or a very short queue, meaning their staff are being used efficiently.
Except in the cases where there are extremely long queues to get through they won't make any sort of profit off the calls. Lets say they get an optimistic 5p a minute from each call, thats £3 per hour. Thats not even minimum wage and they still have to pay for the buildings, electricity, water, heating, internet, cleaners, supervisors, managers, etc, etc. All it does is earn them back a little to offset the costs.
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