I went to call Centrelink yesterday to update my income and assets, got the usual recorded voice saying "Due to the large volume of calls there is a 90 minute waiting time". 90 minutes ! Cripes, yes, I could ring back another time but what is to say it is going to be any different.
So I decided to bit the bullet and wait, played a few games on my pc, then got tired waiting and listening to the pathetic music they play while you're waiting so decided to have a lay down and hope I didn't nod off. Luckily I was only semi-comatose and heard the operator come on the line eventually and updated my income and assets. I asked the operator for their complaints number also.
Now I may add that the day before I went to where Centrelink had their nearest office only to see they had moved (the building was locked up and signage etc removed) however there was no sign on the empty building window inside to say where they had moved to. I had other things to do so moved on.
Do it online! Yes, great, except last time I enquired they told me that although their recorded voice says you can it was not operational yet, don't know this time as I didn't check.
So rang their complaints number which is 1800 050 004 and after getting a recorded voice saying abuse was not tolerated the voice said I had a 10 minute wait. When my call was answered, I explained to the operator that my complaint was not about staff but about the antiquated Centrelink system and ridiculous wait times.
I also said that it was time Centrelink was dragged into the current Century, explaining the banks, insurance companies, phone companies etc has call staff on 24/7 and with the higher volume of calls that Centrelink woul have compared to them Australia wide surely they could have staff on 24/7 at their call centres even if it meant only having a skeleton staff on in the early hours of the morning/late night etc.
The operator who was very sympathetic promised he would pass my complaint on. I won't hold my breath for any action though.
After all, I am only trying to update my income and assets as it is a Centrelink requirement and you can be fined or asked to backpay any deemed interest if your assets have risen and have been for some time but not reported (eg; get frustrated with the waiting and hang up). If they want people to do the right thing then they should provide the service for their customers to do so in an easy manner.
-- Edited by Duh on Thursday 17th of October 2013 02:17:35 PM
jimbo said
10:12 PM Oct 17, 2013
Interesting! I would not have had your Patience
Happywanderer said
10:28 PM Oct 17, 2013
Last week I rang Centrelink to cancel a couple of payments. The automated said a wait of 40min or leave a number and they will ring back in the same order.
The next day I rang again staying on the line 40 - 45 minutes. Finally got through and did what I had to.
I told her about the day before, shesaid I would still get that call as there was a backlog they were trying to catch up on.
I'm still waiting.
Duh said
12:16 AM Oct 18, 2013
I didn't even get the "we'll call you back - leave your number option" Marj........How do people who only have a prepaid mobile while travelling get on????
No wonder people don't bother ringing them at all!
rockylizard said
02:33 AM Oct 18, 2013
Duh wrote:
~~SNIP~~.How do people who only have a prepaid mobile while travelling get on????
Gday...
I don't ring them ... I always visit a Centrelink office - at least I can sit in their office, fairly comfortable. I don't necessarily get "served" any more quickly than on the phone. I do 95% of my activity with Centrelink online, but if I have to lodge a form etc I go to the next office I travel near, or past.
Don't turn this into a political thread - but I have a close friend who works for Centrelink (middle management). She heads the team that was set up 18 months ago to handle the growing number of inquiries from customers - a team of six TEMPORARY positions filled by TEMPORARY employees. These temporary positions were discontinued mid-Sept by the incoming Minister, and the temporary employees have not had their contracts renewed.
One can expect there will be further public service 'savings' as the year progresses given the openness in this regard by the incoming government during the election campaign.
Cheers - John
Dougwe said
03:19 AM Oct 18, 2013
Yep, sounds right Vic, I now have it all set up so I can do as much as possible on-line, what I can't will be done in the office closest to me when needed as Rocky said. I prefer the face to face contact if not done on-line. It will all get tested in December.
Grams said
04:58 AM Oct 18, 2013
I do everything I can online, if I absolutely have to, I go to their office...as a last resort I ring them. Always in that order.
Grams
hako said
06:15 AM Oct 18, 2013
With the reduced staffing, imagine how much more easy it will be now for dishonest people to defraud CentreLink.
Duh said
07:33 AM Oct 18, 2013
Thanks for the replies, I just hope that eventually they may have a 24/7 helpline, even the Centrelink staff member agreed it would be help ease the pressure of the numbers of calls they receive in a smaller time frame.
He also pointed out that there are many older or handicapped people who cannot get to an office or are not online who have to use the phone.
He also said that an after normal business hours helpline would assist those working who do not have access to a phone at work during the day or cannot afford the long wait times in a work environment.
dorian said
11:35 AM Oct 18, 2013
I have a document from CentreLink which I've mounted in a photo frame. Some idiot added an extra zero to my mother's assets and turned her into a millionaire. As a result, her pension, and that of my father, were terminated.
When I went to sort things out, I was assured that everything would be corrected. Sure enough, my mother's records were amended, and her pension was reinstated, but my father's was not. Since their pensions were calculated on the basis of a combined incomes and assets test, I'm wondering why both pensions were not reinstated at the same time. Anyway, I had to visit the CentreLink office a second time and ask them to correct my father's records.
I had numerous other problems with CentreLink over the years. These included data matching errors (theirs, not mine), falsely removing my parents' entitlements to rebates on their water bills, incorrect financial data, and a plethora of other mistakes. I eventually stopped reporting any and all changes to their assets and incomes. On one occasion I informed them that my parents had closed one bank account and transferred their funds to a higher interest bearing account. CentreLink recorded the opening of the new account, but did not record the closure of the old account, resulting in a doubling of their assets.
If CentreLink ever ask why I no longer inform them of changes, all I would need to do would be to refer them to a file full of their own mistakes.
-- Edited by dorian on Friday 18th of October 2013 11:37:05 AM
Grams said
02:51 PM Oct 18, 2013
The only thing is, they have to train everyone to give the same answers...I think that may be just too much for a government agency.
Grams
Duh said
04:04 PM Oct 18, 2013
Thanks everyone for your comments. I just can't understand why they don't do something which is a service sadly lacking in management and personpower.
They must have the largest "customer base" in Australia compared to other call centres so why can't they have a 24/7 call centre in some form.
I also feel for the staff who are under the pump in their call centres, most do their very best.
Dorian, I can remember about 1980 when they had CES (Commonwealth Employment Service), I had applied for several jobs there and put my name down for anything that came up. This was in the days before equal opportunity (age etc) came into being.
I got a letter from CES (wish I had kept and framed it) which said they were having trouble placing me because I was 40 and most employers did not want people that old so they could not help me. Anyway, I ended up finding my own job, but looking back I could not believe the attitude towards age at the time.
-- Edited by Duh on Friday 18th of October 2013 06:53:24 PM
shekon said
05:05 PM Oct 18, 2013
This is a topic of conversation amongst friends of mine and not just about Centrelink, it seems the words customer service no longer exist in the language. Only conclusion is that the computer world has taken over and those younger than about 40 have no idea how to relate to a human, other than to speak as if they were texting or on FB. And do not ask them to do something that is not on the script because they seem to have no idea about thinking out of the box.
I had the same issue trying to cancel my land line, poor guy kept trying to save me money with different plans, in the end I told him I would love to have one of his plans but I did not think the telephone cord would be long enough. Had to end up explaining to him in detail for the 3rd or 4th time I was going to travel and not be in one spot, so therefore THE TELEPHONE CORD WOULD NO BE LONG ENOUGH. Ended up hanging up on him and going to a Telstra shop, which while not as bad still took some explaining that I would no longer require a landline or ADSL.
As a call centre trainer and supervisor for Wotif.com in a previous life my first lesson was to teach my newbies to listen, actually listen and then try to help.
Ok that is my rant to this topic. Understand your frustration Vic.
herbie said
09:59 PM Oct 18, 2013
Agree in what you posted Vic,re phn service or lack of it,after giving up and going into the office and making a appointment face to face...Really think it is a cunning way for people to just give up and maybe in there view just go away.Can understand why so many people come unstuck re not changing personal details or change in circumstances.
kandagal said
11:16 PM Oct 18, 2013
Because we only have a mobile phone & therefore calls to Centrelink would be timed I always go into nearest office But I always remember to take a book or a crossword puzzle with me.
valnrob said
12:51 AM Oct 19, 2013
Hubby rang C.Link and as usual told x amount of minutes waiting time, then was told to leave his number and they would ring back. Left mobile number only to be told they won't ring back mobile numbers? ?? It's the only phone we have!
dorian said
01:53 AM Oct 19, 2013
On a monthly basis I need to complete an IAS for my now dormant business. I do this via the Tax Office's automated phone service. For reasons that I haven't managed to determine, this service only operates during normal business hours. One would think that a machine would have no objection to working 24/7 ...
neilnruth said
03:03 AM Oct 19, 2013
Maybe they have to have a person to turn it on and off. Hehehe
Happywanderer said
03:07 AM Oct 19, 2013
I only have a mobile. I don't get charged as it's a 13 number.
Also I have been rung back on my mobile in the past.
Duh said
02:38 PM Oct 19, 2013
Happywanderer wrote:
I only have a mobile. I don't get charged as it's a 13 number. Also I have been rung back on my mobile in the past.
I thought 13 numbers were charged like normal calls and only 1800 numbers were free?
-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 19th of October 2013 02:43:58 PM
1300 numbers are free in my included no's on my plan
-- Edited by Clare46 on Saturday 19th of October 2013 02:55:01 PM
dorian said
04:32 PM Oct 19, 2013
neilnruth wrote:
Maybe they have to have a person to turn it on and off. Hehehe
Reminds me of this joke ...
NASA decided they'd finally send a man up in a capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions.
They fire the man and the monkey into space.
The intercom crackles, "Monkey, fire the retros."
A little later, "Monkey, check the solid fuel supply."
Later still, "Monkey, check the life support systems for the man."
The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA, "When do I get to do something?"
NASA replies, "In 15 minutes feed the monkey."
Clare46 said
06:40 PM Oct 19, 2013
After hanging on for 45mins on Thursday to update my assets a very nice young man told me he could not do it as their system was down. No good getting upset as that is what happens with modern technology
Duh said
07:22 PM Oct 19, 2013
As far as I am aware, online you cannot update your income and assets (ie; update bank account balance or add or remove assets (eg; sold or purchased RV, home etc) online and need to do this by phone. You can view them, but not update them, see;
-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 19th of October 2013 10:13:17 PM
Murraman said
09:56 PM Oct 19, 2013
dorian wrote:
On a monthly basis I need to complete an IAS for my now dormant business. I do this via the Tax Office's automated phone service. For reasons that I haven't managed to determine, this service only operates during normal business hours. One would think that a machine would have no objection to working 24/7 ...
I have found the online Centrelink service didn't work outside of Business hours and definitely didn't work on weekends, Haven't logged on for a while as it may have changed.
I found the best approach to Centrelink was tell them nothing has changed all the time for when I did tell them something changed it took a month for them to get it right again. So in the end I told them zero.
Baz421 said
10:23 PM Oct 19, 2013
Here's a good story,
went to C/Link Thurs PM,,, Dad lost pension card and medicare card.
Welcoming woman late 30's,,,, very friendly,,, ordered new pension card on on her tablet as I was being welcolmed. TheN booked me into the medicare que. Short wait there and actioned.
OUT THE DOOR WITHIN 20 MINUTES ---- WELL DONE CENTRELINK MARION SA
-- Edited by Baz421 on Saturday 19th of October 2013 10:24:27 PM
-- Edited by Baz421 on Saturday 19th of October 2013 10:24:46 PM
Duh said
10:48 PM Oct 19, 2013
Clare46 wrote:
Duh wrote:
Happywanderer wrote:
I only have a mobile. I don't get charged as it's a 13 number. Also I have been rung back on my mobile in the past.
I thought 13 numbers were charged like normal calls and only 1800 numbers were free?
Thanks Clare, I only have prepaid mobile, so not sure about that.
I'm pretty sure we get charged for them on our home phone last time I checked our bill.
Clare46 said
10:49 PM Oct 19, 2013
Murraman wrote:
dorian wrote:
On a monthly basis I need to complete an IAS for my now dormant business. I do this via the Tax Office's automated phone service. For reasons that I haven't managed to determine, this service only operates during normal business hours. One would think that a machine would have no objection to working 24/7 ...
I have found the online Centrelink service didn't work outside of Business hours and definitely didn't work on weekends, Haven't logged on for a while as it may have changed.
I found the best approach to Centrelink was tell them nothing has changed all the time for when I did tell them something changed it took a month for them to get it right again. So in the end I told them zero.
I have never had any trouble logging on to Centrelink regardless of the day or time.
Any time I've made changes they have showed up online within about and hour with no trouble. Maybe I've just been lucky.
Clare46 said
02:28 AM Oct 20, 2013
Duh wrote:
As far as I am aware, online you cannot update your income and assets (ie; update bank account balance or add or remove assets (eg; sold or purchased RV, home etc) and need to do this by phone. You can view them, but not update them, see;
No worries Clare......I hope they make it so you can do those particular tasks online, it certainly would take some of the pressure off the number of phone calls etc.
I went to call Centrelink yesterday to update my income and assets, got the usual recorded voice saying "Due to the large volume of calls there is a 90 minute waiting time". 90 minutes ! Cripes, yes, I could ring back another time but what is to say it is going to be any different.
So I decided to bit the bullet and wait, played a few games on my pc, then got tired waiting and listening to the pathetic music they play while you're waiting so decided to have a lay down and hope I didn't nod off. Luckily I was only semi-comatose and heard the operator come on the line eventually and updated my income and assets. I asked the operator for their complaints number also.
Now I may add that the day before I went to where Centrelink had their nearest office only to see they had moved (the building was locked up and signage etc removed) however there was no sign on the empty building window inside to say where they had moved to. I had other things to do so moved on.
Do it online! Yes, great, except last time I enquired they told me that although their recorded voice says you can it was not operational yet, don't know this time as I didn't check.
So rang their complaints number which is 1800 050 004 and after getting a recorded voice saying abuse was not tolerated the voice said I had a 10 minute wait. When my call was answered, I explained to the operator that my complaint was not about staff but about the antiquated Centrelink system and ridiculous wait times.
I also said that it was time Centrelink was dragged into the current Century, explaining the banks, insurance companies, phone companies etc has call staff on 24/7 and with the higher volume of calls that Centrelink woul have compared to them Australia wide surely they could have staff on 24/7 at their call centres even if it meant only having a skeleton staff on in the early hours of the morning/late night etc.
The operator who was very sympathetic promised he would pass my complaint on. I won't hold my breath for any action though.
After all, I am only trying to update my income and assets as it is a Centrelink requirement and you can be fined or asked to backpay any deemed interest if your assets have risen and have been for some time but not reported (eg; get frustrated with the waiting and hang up). If they want people to do the right thing then they should provide the service for their customers to do so in an easy manner.
-- Edited by Duh on Thursday 17th of October 2013 02:17:35 PM
The next day I rang again staying on the line 40 - 45 minutes. Finally got through and did what I had to.
I told her about the day before, shesaid I would still get that call as there was a backlog they were trying to catch up on.
I'm still waiting.
I didn't even get the "we'll call you back - leave your number option" Marj........How do people who only have a prepaid mobile while travelling get on????
No wonder people don't bother ringing them at all!
Gday...
I don't ring them ... I always visit a Centrelink office - at least I can sit in their office, fairly comfortable. I don't necessarily get "served" any more quickly than on the phone. I do 95% of my activity with Centrelink online, but if I have to lodge a form etc I go to the next office I travel near, or past.
Don't turn this into a political thread - but I have a close friend who works for Centrelink (middle management). She heads the team that was set up 18 months ago to handle the growing number of inquiries from customers - a team of six TEMPORARY positions filled by TEMPORARY employees. These temporary positions were discontinued mid-Sept by the incoming Minister, and the temporary employees have not had their contracts renewed.
One can expect there will be further public service 'savings' as the year progresses given the openness in this regard by the incoming government during the election campaign.
Cheers - John
Grams
Thanks for the replies, I just hope that eventually they may have a 24/7 helpline, even the Centrelink staff member agreed it would be help ease the pressure of the numbers of calls they receive in a smaller time frame.
He also pointed out that there are many older or handicapped people who cannot get to an office or are not online who have to use the phone.
He also said that an after normal business hours helpline would assist those working who do not have access to a phone at work during the day or cannot afford the long wait times in a work environment.
I have a document from CentreLink which I've mounted in a photo frame. Some idiot added an extra zero to my mother's assets and turned her into a millionaire. As a result, her pension, and that of my father, were terminated.
When I went to sort things out, I was assured that everything would be corrected. Sure enough, my mother's records were amended, and her pension was reinstated, but my father's was not. Since their pensions were calculated on the basis of a combined incomes and assets test, I'm wondering why both pensions were not reinstated at the same time. Anyway, I had to visit the CentreLink office a second time and ask them to correct my father's records.
I had numerous other problems with CentreLink over the years. These included data matching errors (theirs, not mine), falsely removing my parents' entitlements to rebates on their water bills, incorrect financial data, and a plethora of other mistakes. I eventually stopped reporting any and all changes to their assets and incomes. On one occasion I informed them that my parents had closed one bank account and transferred their funds to a higher interest bearing account. CentreLink recorded the opening of the new account, but did not record the closure of the old account, resulting in a doubling of their assets.
If CentreLink ever ask why I no longer inform them of changes, all I would need to do would be to refer them to a file full of their own mistakes.
-- Edited by dorian on Friday 18th of October 2013 11:37:05 AM
Grams
Thanks everyone for your comments. I just can't understand why they don't do something which is a service sadly lacking in management and personpower.
They must have the largest "customer base" in Australia compared to other call centres so why can't they have a 24/7 call centre in some form.
I also feel for the staff who are under the pump in their call centres, most do their very best.
Dorian, I can remember about 1980 when they had CES (Commonwealth Employment Service), I had applied for several jobs there and put my name down for anything that came up. This was in the days before equal opportunity (age etc) came into being.
I got a letter from CES (wish I had kept and framed it) which said they were having trouble placing me because I was 40 and most employers did not want people that old so they could not help me. Anyway, I ended up finding my own job, but looking back I could not believe the attitude towards age at the time.
-- Edited by Duh on Friday 18th of October 2013 06:53:24 PM
I had the same issue trying to cancel my land line, poor guy kept trying to save me money with different plans, in the end I told him I would love to have one of his plans but I did not think the telephone cord would be long enough. Had to end up explaining to him in detail for the 3rd or 4th time I was going to travel and not be in one spot, so therefore THE TELEPHONE CORD WOULD NO BE LONG ENOUGH. Ended up hanging up on him and going to a Telstra shop, which while not as bad still took some explaining that I would no longer require a landline or ADSL.
As a call centre trainer and supervisor for Wotif.com in a previous life my first lesson was to teach my newbies to listen, actually listen and then try to help.
Ok that is my rant to this topic. Understand your frustration Vic.
Agree in what you posted Vic,re phn service or lack of it,after giving up and going into the office and making a appointment face to face...Really think it is a cunning way for people to just give up and maybe in there view just go away.Can understand why so many people come unstuck re not changing personal details or change in circumstances.
Also I have been rung back on my mobile in the past.
I thought 13 numbers were charged like normal calls and only 1800 numbers were free?
http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310037/charges%20for%20calls%20to%2013%201300%20numbers%20-%20fs15.pdf
-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 19th of October 2013 02:43:58 PM
1300 numbers are free in my included no's on my plan
-- Edited by Clare46 on Saturday 19th of October 2013 02:55:01 PM
Reminds me of this joke ...
NASA decided they'd finally send a man up in a capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions.
They fire the man and the monkey into space.
The intercom crackles, "Monkey, fire the retros."
A little later, "Monkey, check the solid fuel supply."
Later still, "Monkey, check the life support systems for the man."
The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA, "When do I get to do something?"
NASA replies, "In 15 minutes feed the monkey."
After hanging on for 45mins on Thursday to update my assets a very nice young man told me he could not do it as their system was down. No good getting upset as that is what happens with modern technology
As far as I am aware, online you cannot update your income and assets (ie; update bank account balance or add or remove assets (eg; sold or purchased RV, home etc) online and need to do this by phone. You can view them, but not update them, see;
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/centrelink/centrelink-online-services/update-advise-view-and-print-your-details
-- Edited by Duh on Saturday 19th of October 2013 10:13:17 PM
I have found the online Centrelink service didn't work outside of Business hours and definitely didn't work on weekends, Haven't logged on for a while as it may have changed.
I found the best approach to Centrelink was tell them nothing has changed all the time for when I did tell them something changed it took a month for them to get it right again. So in the end I told them zero.
Here's a good story,
went to C/Link Thurs PM,,, Dad lost pension card and medicare card.
Welcoming woman late 30's,,,, very friendly,,, ordered new pension card on on her tablet as I was being welcolmed. TheN booked me into the medicare que. Short wait there and actioned.
OUT THE DOOR WITHIN 20 MINUTES ---- WELL DONE CENTRELINK MARION SA
-- Edited by Baz421 on Saturday 19th of October 2013 10:24:27 PM
-- Edited by Baz421 on Saturday 19th of October 2013 10:24:46 PM
I have never had any trouble logging on to Centrelink regardless of the day or time.
Any time I've made changes they have showed up online within about and hour with no trouble. Maybe I've just been lucky.
That's right Vic, hence the phone call.
No worries Clare......I hope they make it so you can do those particular tasks online, it certainly would take some of the pressure off the number of phone calls etc.