[LINK] Telstra directory "assistance" - IVR - Customer Service Flop

[Adam Todd]

I haven't used Directory Assistance for more than 5 years.  Hopefully even 
at a public phone I won't have to use it.

What about whitepages.com.au?  It's fast (ish) and if you can't find it 
there, you won't find it using directory assistance anyway.  They actually 
use the same web site for their searches.

If I'm out, on the so far non occasion I might need directory assistance, I 
call the office and have my staff find the number and details.  It's faster 
and less frustrating.

At 19:31 24/02/2004 +1000, Russell Ashdown wrote:
>I am getting sick and tired of the Telstra directory "assistance" IVR
>experiment.  I am interested to know if it just me, or are other
>Linkers experiencing this annoyance?
>
>Not once in the (is it) three years of operation of the IVR has it
>been able to find a correct number for me.  Each and every time I
>have dialled Telstra's directory "assistance", I have had to speak my
>query to the IVR system and about 99.9% of the time the response is
>"...please hold while you are transferred to an operator".  The other
>00.1% of the time I get "...Say 'yes' if you want xyz..." ( I wanted
>abc ) "...please hold while you are transferred to an operator..."
>
>Once I am connected to an operator, I need to repeat my query one
>again before getting the information I am seeking.