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Google tests a feature that calls businesses on your behalf and holds until an agent is available | TechCrunch (techcrunch.com)

submitted 9 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Google tests a feature that calls businesses on your behalf and holds until an agent is available | TechCrunch::Google is testing a feature that places a call to a business , waits on hold and then give you a call once a representative is available.

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[–] Harpsist@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I don't understand how we've had telephones for 150 years and this is only now a thing.

Didn't bell experiment with this back in the 90s? Bell call answer service or something? Would wait on hold for you then cal you back.

That existed in this universe right?

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

I don't know why businesses don't just do this. At least, those who want to deal with customer calls in good faith.

In Canada there's a healthcare support line where you can call and talk to a nurse, like if you have something going on where you're not sure if you should go to the ER or just wait it out. They get pretty busy, so when the wait is going to be a while, they'll have you enter a callback number and then just give you a call when it's your turn.

Then they don't need to have phone line capacity for all active agents plus everyone in queue (which can be much higher than the number of agents), they just need capacity for agents plus everyone going through the process to get added to the list plus everyone who decides to just wait instead.

And I don't need to sit around giving my attention to my phone any time their hold music gets to a lull or they play a patronizing recording with PR speak about important my call is to them.

[–] Murdoc@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Not technology but economics I suspect. No one wanted to pay for it. Which would make sense if Google is trying this since they have money to throw at things.