Beat the queues whenever you need call centre help with ‘TV rule’

A call centre employee has shared the best time to call to avoid lengthy queues. Nobody enjoys waiting in line, and lengthy wait times can waste time and money. The good news is that people can improve their chances by calling during quieter times of day.

According to Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) team, the best time of day to call is usually when the soaps are on TV. The team asked call centre workers for their best tips before sharing the results in an Instagram video. The team explained that ‘phoning call centres at the wrong time is costing you.’

In the video, the team at MSE said: “Here’s why timing your calls right could save you time and money. We asked call centre workers to spill their insider secrets for the best time to phone them up. Here’s what they told us.

“A few workers actually recommended ringing up when the soaps were on because that’s the lowest call volume time. You also want to avoid calling just before the lines close or even at five minutes to the hour. This is because the worker might be just about to finish their shift and will want to end your call as quickly as possible.

“So you might not get the best deal. Obviously, lunchtime tends to be really busy, but it’s not just the time of day that matters. It also comes down to the week, month or even time of year that you call.

“Mondays and the beginning and the end of the month tend to be busiest too. It’s also good to think seasonally. For example, don’t call up to sort out your sports channels the day the Premier League starts.”

In the caption, the team also emphasised the importance of speaking kindly to call centre workers. The post said: “The most repeated piece of advice we received when we asked call centre workers for their tips is also the simplest: be nice.”

Social media users loved the video, and some commenters replied with their own top tips, reports the Mirror. In one response, a viewer shared: “When I worked in IT for a call centre the call volumes were always lower on a Wednesday. Also a good day to call for a deal.” Someone else wrote: “School picking up times if you don’t have children.”

Another suggestion read: “The early bird catches the worm.” Elsewhere, a worker claimed: “I was told that calls relating to getting money from customers were always prioritised in the queuing system over those that are customer service related.

“So if there’s an option to pay for something press that option then if they can’t deal with your issue ask them too transfer you to someone who can.”