HMRC are Tops

Revenue come first in ‘Phone Rage Index’

Consumer website, PleasePress1.com has published the UK’s first ‘Phone Rage Index’ and the results show that HMRC has the worst phone menu.

As PleasePress1 state on their website, “As customers, we’re often on the receiving end of ‘stall centres’ that seem determined to keep us on the phone for as long as possible. Even larger companies with understandably complex departments have no reason to send customers through a maze of choices, only for many of them to end up confused and in the wrong place. It’s self-service with limited guidance and no guarantee of a result. That wastes time and money.” According to PleasePress1 that wasted money could amount to a staggering £100 million in annual phone charges.

The index was compiled from an analysis of hundreds of phone menus and feedback from thousands of visitors to PleasePress1. Additionally the index takes into account the number of options, levels of menu, length of introductions, average number of options per level and the longest time it takes to reach the service.

With 38,253 votes last month and over 400 menu options across just 6 services HMRC achieved the award of organisation most likely to waste people’s time over the telephone.

The top 10 offenders were as follows:

1. HMRC
2. Ford Motor Company
3. Lloyds TSB
4. Halifax
5. Co-Operative Insurance Society
6. Transport for London (TFL)
7. Direct Line Insurance
8. Churchill Insurance Company
9. Ticketmaster
10. Student Loans Company

The Phone Rage Index is to be published monthly. Can HMRC hang onto their crown??!