"Your phone call is being recorded for training and quality purposes"

Kivaro · 03-07-2018 10:12AM #1

So here's the deal: I do not want to be recorded.
It's not that I have a thick Irish brogue, or a lisp, or a high-pitched voice; it's just I do not want to be recorded for privacy reasons.

It's almost constant now when you ring up a service company and immediately told you are being recording for training and quality purposes. On the last 2 occasions when I said that I would prefer not to be recorded, I was told that the call would have to end and they would not be able to help me further. The tone of the conversation was politeness on both sides.

While understanding that for regulatory purposes, some phone calls to some providers may need to be recorded, but it seems that the vast majority of them are doing it now. When I emailed one service provider about their need for them to record every interaction with them, I asked them the pertinent questions like: how long they kept our recordings, how they protect those recordings, are the recordings provided to their partners etc. etc. And then there's the security issue e.g. voice is sometimes used for authentication on phone calls for access to account information, which is great, but what I would like is the choice of being recorded or not.

Maybe it should be a question for the Data Protection Commissioner to take up.

wexie · 03-07-2018 10:16AM

Kivaro wrote: »

Swhich is great, but what I would like is the choice of being recorded or not.

Then deal in either email or snail mail (if possible). Aside from that I think you're unlikely to find a company willing to agree.

bear1 · 03-07-2018 10:17AM

Let's say you call up a company and tell them you were given false information and you want to be compensated etc because of it.
If the call isn't recorded, how is the company going to back up what you claim? Or then again how will you back it up?
The recording is there to confirm word for word what has happened and no ****wittery can be done by both the caller and the company.
I see no issue with it, take it up with the DPC... I suspect they will tell you the call has been recorded and hang up.

Dravokivich · 03-07-2018 10:18AM

Chances are it's likely saying you "may" be recorded. It'll take an insane amount of storage to record every call and maintain those recordings.

Where I work, 1 of the lines have an opt out for recording. But in general only about 15% of the calls are recorded and its specifically for assessing agent performance.

You can't do that sitting down beside them, because they'll put on a show of being better than they are.

It's got very little to do with you.

kowtow · 03-07-2018 10:18AM

Years ago I had a long call with the Inland Revenue (HMRC) which began with such a recording.

After 35 minutes I was so frustrated that when I got through instead of the minor tax matter I had intended to discuss I asked them to tell me everything there was to know about the quality porpoises they were training, and what they were to be used for. I walked them through a long list of the functions of tax inspectors and asked which of those functions could be carried out by marine life (no matter how well trained..)... etc. etc.

The call was enormous fun, although I can't remember much of the detail now.

I suppose I could ask them for the recording.

Sonics2k · 03-07-2018 10:20AM

They say it's for training and quality purposes, which is only partially true.

In reality it's more of a security measure, just in case a customer claims an agent was abusive/lied/mis-sold, or vice versa.

Source: Me, I'm one of the people responsible for phone training in the company I work for.

ec18 · 03-07-2018 10:20AM

you could ask the data commissioner to check it's validity or if it infringes upon GDPR

murpho999 · 03-07-2018 10:22AM

What privacy issue would anyone have ringing a service?

I'm always amazed how uptight people get about privacy, especially if they have nothing to hide.

Do you think the call will be played all over the office, placed on the internet or sold to the media?

Dravokivich · 03-07-2018 10:22AM

kowtow wrote: »

Years ago I had a long call with the Inland Revenue (HMRC) which began with such a recording.

After 35 minutes I was so frustrated that when I got through instead of the minor tax matter I had intended to discuss I asked them to tell me everything there was to know about the quality porpoises they were training, and what they were to be used for. I walked them through a long list of the functions of tax inspectors and asked which of those functions could be carried out by marine life (no matter how well trained..)... etc. etc.

The call was enormous fun, although I can't remember much of the detail now.

I suppose I could ask them for the recording.

It's primarily focused on soft skills such as how to deal with difficult callers. Then there's the quality of detail they provide. A call such as yours, I wouldn't expect anyone where I work to answer. It's not for them to do so. They provide a service and should be able to control the call on the basis of that service.

wexie · 03-07-2018 10:25AM

murpho999 wrote: »

Do you think the call will be played all over the office, placed on the internet or sold to the media?

Plenty of examples of this happening all over the internet.

Usually when either the customer or the agent is a complete plonker though.

haskellgeek · 03-07-2018 10:27AM

request through gdpr all recordings be deleted for you, ask who is there data controller and request it from them http://gdprandyou.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-of-Individuals-under-the-General-Data-Protection-Regulation.pdf

arybvtcw0eolkf · 03-07-2018 10:27AM

You could put on a different voice every time.

The craic you could have being Mister Bean today and Dracula or Hannible the next.

dr.fuzzenstein · 03-07-2018 10:30AM

wexie wrote: »

Then deal in either email or snail mail (if possible). Aside from that I think you're unlikely to find a company willing to agree.

And of course those letters and emails are being kept and archived, so if OP doesn't want a record of his intractions with any company, he has one choice.
Not to do business with any company that require any dealings over phone, letter or email.
The only choice OP has is to walk into a brick and mortar shop and pay cash.
He may want to ask them to turn off the CCTV first, so that he is not being recorded. Or go in wearing a veil.
He could hire an intermediary agent to act on his behalf to conduct any business dealings for him.
Of course when OP is trying this hard to hide his dealings, he may arouse the suspicion of law enforcement agencies as to what he is hiding.
Or OP could start to live off-grid. No bills, no official registration and conduct all his dealings in his immediate sourroundings through a barter system.

Sterling Archer · 03-07-2018 10:36AM

If you don't want to be recorded don't ring in it's very straight forward, but in this day and age you can't avoid it.

Calls are recorded for training to show good and bad was to deal with interactions
And for quality checks on agents work
And for security reason, the amount of people who call in and flat of lie about what someone else told them is crazy
It very easy to prove who is correct when there is a recording

The exact same is true for emails, emails are also kept and all the above apply, it's very easy prove who is right when it is in black and white
And again the same for web chats.

It's the exact same as a store having CCTV and in some cases audio enabled CCTV

Source - too many years in a call centre as an agent, trainer and lead.

kellsred · 03-07-2018 10:41AM

Just record every call with them yourself.

"This call may be recorded for the purposes of my own amusement"

wexie · 03-07-2018 10:45AM

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Or OP could start to live off-grid. No bills, no official registration and conduct all his dealings in his immediate sourroundings through a barter system.

Leitrim it is so :pac:

Sterling Archer · 03-07-2018 10:47AM

kellsred wrote: »

Just record every call with them yourself.

"This call may be recorded for the purposes of my own amusement"

Good attempt but it won't work..
If you record the call yourself and don't inform them you break the law (in a way)

If you say "I'm recording this call" they do not have to consent and can end the call

Dravokivich · 03-07-2018 10:49AM

Shane_ef wrote: »

Good attempt but it won't work..
If you record the call yourself and don't inform them you break the law (in a way)

If you say "I'm recording this call" they do not have to consent and can end the call

Huh? Where did you hear that. Generally at least one person needs to be aware the call is being recorded. If you are recording it, you're aware of it. I'd hate to think you don't consent to much things you do of your own violation.

Seth Brundle · 03-07-2018 10:50AM

kowtow wrote: »

Years ago I had a long call with the Inland Revenue (HMRC) which began with such a recording.

After 35 minutes I was so frustrated that when I got through instead of the minor tax matter I had intended to discuss I asked them to tell me everything there was to know about the quality porpoises they were training, and what they were to be used for. I walked them through a long list of the functions of tax inspectors and asked which of those functions could be carried out by marine life (no matter how well trained..)... etc. etc.

The call was enormous fun, although I can't remember much of the detail now.

I suppose I could ask them for the recording.

Squatter · 03-07-2018 10:56AM

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

And of course those letters and emails are being kept and archived, so if OP doesn't want a record of his intractions with any company, he has one choice.
Not to do business with any company that require any dealings over phone, letter or email.
The only choice OP has is to walk into a brick and mortar shop and pay cash.
He may want to ask them to turn off the CCTV first, so that he is not being recorded. Or go in wearing a veil.
He could hire an intermediary agent to act on his behalf to conduct any business dealings for him.
Of course when OP is trying this hard to hide his dealings, he may arouse the suspicion of law enforcement agencies as to what he is hiding.
Or OP could start to live off-grid. No bills, no official registration and conduct all his dealings in his immediate sourroundings through a barter system.

And should such an individual be posting on boards.ie?

After all, it is widely known that the CIA, MI6, Mossad, the PSNI, the Special Branch and the KGB keep detailed records of every boards.ie poster.

wexie · 03-07-2018 10:59AM

Squatter wrote: »

And should such an individual be posting on boards.ie?

After all, it is widely known that the CIA, MI6, Mossad, the PSNI, the Special Branch and the KGB keep detailed records of every boards.ie poster.

Forgot the JIDF!!!! Or perhaps they're covered under Mossad?

razorblunt · 03-07-2018 11:00AM

kowtow wrote: »

Years ago I had a long call with the Inland Revenue (HMRC) which began with such a recording.

After 35 minutes I was so frustrated that when I got through instead of the minor tax matter I had intended to discuss I asked them to tell me everything there was to know about the quality porpoises they were training, and what they were to be used for. I walked them through a long list of the functions of tax inspectors and asked which of those functions could be carried out by marine life (no matter how well trained..)... etc. etc.

The call was enormous fun, although I can't remember much of the detail now.

I suppose I could ask them for the recording.

I'd say the tape is worn out from them playing it back and laughing at you.

dr.fuzzenstein · 03-07-2018 11:03AM

Squatter wrote: »

And should such an individual be posting on boards.ie?

After all, it is widely known that the CIA, MI6, Mossad, the PSNI, the Special Branch and the KGB keep detailed records of every boards.ie poster.

Reati · 03-07-2018 11:03AM

murpho999 wrote: »

Do you think the call will be played all over the office, placed on the internet or sold to the media?

Isn't this how they trained Google Duplex? Off support call data they bought?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 03-07-2018 11:05AM

Kivaro wrote: »

So here's the deal: I do not want to be recorded.
It's not that I have a thick Irish brogue

What's wrong with having an Irish brogue?

BrokenArrows · 03-07-2018 11:07AM

I used to work in tech support. Our call line said that but we didnt actually record anything.

I doubt they record every call. They may occasionally turn on recording from time to time to train people as they say or to review the quality of service.

Billy86 · 03-07-2018 11:16AM

Call recording is really, really important and is typically to the customers benefit. A few years ago I worked in insurance and this is the only way they could prove someone was putting everyone's excess at €1000 or as high as possible without notifying them, or intentionally leaving out claims or inputting the details of them incorrectly (and consistently) in order to get a better price and make more sales.

In another company I worked for, it was about the only way they were able to fend off several huge lawsuits thanks to other dodgy moves by their sales staff.

Thank jaysus for call recording.

irishgirl19 · 03-07-2018 11:16AM

If you don't like being recorded then don't call. Its for your protection as much as theirs.
I was missold health insurance before and they wouldn't pay out on the claim. Once I asked they review the call then they did after listening to it.
I also work reviewing calls where a customer is disputing what they were advised. Sometimes the agent is wrong, sometimes the customer remembers wrong.

Grayson · 03-07-2018 11:45AM

Sonics2k wrote: »

They say it's for training and quality purposes, which is only partially true.

In reality it's more of a security measure, just in case a customer claims an agent was abusive/lied/mis-sold, or vice versa.

Source: Me, I'm one of the people responsible for phone training in the company I work for.

In all the call centres I worked in it was used for quality and training. Every week at least two calls for every agent were listened to. The calls were kinda chosen at random. I say kinda because the analysts had to get through a lot so they wouldn't listen to the longest calls. The agent was graded on it and if they failed they got extra training for it. And everything was recorded, not just the call, the agents screen was recorded so they analysts could see every single click they made and every page they saw.

If your company didn't do that, it just had a crap QA system.

Also, someone mentioned that it takes up a large amount of space. It actually doesn't. It's a tiny amount. Space is really cheap now. And the larger the company, with the greater call volume, the more they can afford.

r93kaey5p2izun · 03-07-2018 11:59AM

I expect it when calling large companies but was surprised to hear a recorded message notifying me of call recording now at my local vets. Doesn't bother me. Sure aren't we all being recorded by our phones and smart tvs now anyway. (I don't actually know where the line between conspiracy theory and reality lies on that anymore)

fancy pigeon · 03-07-2018 12:08PM

Me and the trade counter have the weirdest conversations if one was to listen in to our recorded calls...

Now how to use those for quality and training purposes!

"Your phone call is being recorded for training and quality purposes"

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