Does Call To AA Warrant A Complaint

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Does Call To AA Warrant A Complaint

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#2973333 27-Sep-2022 09:22

AA is not an emergency service. So even if you do get their through all their hoops, you'll still be waiting anywhere from an hour to 3 hours.

So apart from the OP's initial frustration with actually getting to talk to someone, they still would've most likely missed the time window they were hoping to be at the airport.

And these sort of random EV/Hybrid issues are why I still look at petrol engines...... at least you can hit the damn things with a hammer without making the problem worse ;)

So, for their new phone system, yes, complain. But thats all you should be complaining about.

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#2973336 27-Sep-2022 09:29

xpd:

And these sort of random EV/Hybrid issues are why I still look at petrol engines...... at least you can hit the damn things with a hammer without making the problem worse ;)

to OP:

hybrid is not the problem. petrol cars have computers too and petrol cars' computers also have issues. modern petrol cars with their gazillion computers do not respond to getting whacked with a hammer! trust me on this!

anything with a computer is open to having issues, and it all depends on the people who write the software ...

but i still think the issue is as simple as the 12V battery being at the end of its useful life, and the car itself (and its computers) is not the issue here i don't think.

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#2973408 27-Sep-2022 12:28

I was fully aware that AA wouldn’t come in time to save the situation and didn’t expect them to. Usually they take about an hour, that’s why I called daughter to go to the airport. My complaint is not about the time waiting for them to arrive.

After giving them all the information and lastly confirming my phone number which they also have on record since it was repeated to me, it’s about the long and convoluted spiel about covid, staffing and the many questions that you need to answer via keypad. I also expected a call back since they had the phone number. It would have been courteous at very least to check if their client was either ok, phone died etc.

Most businesses with automated calls give you a few choices to arrive to where you need to be, not 7 minutes of questions and pushing numbers. Their client base is made up of a range of ages with a good proportion of older people or those with English as a second language. I may be capable and familiar with automated calls but many older people are not and they may need to acknowledge this and provide the option of a human or a call back system.

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#2973410 27-Sep-2022 12:30

BlakJak: I have one of these in my car, it's saved me several times in the last few months as my 12v battery is on its last legs. https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/sca-sca-12v-800-amp-4-cylinder-compact-jump-starter/546744.html - having one and knowing how to use it is a great option that can save you needing to wait an hour for roadservice. I also have regular jumper leads in case a friend or a member-of-public can provide me with jumpstart assistance. Or on the odd occasion i've helped others (though the battery jump starter is far easier and a bit safer). I'm an AA member too, but knowing how to get myself out of simple jams gives me a lot of confidence and reduces my stress levels when i've been in the same position as yourself.

I would second this, if it has happened once it is likely it will happen again, and one of these for $150 ish is a great investment to keep in the car to help yourself or others. Can also charge your phone from it!

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#2973477 27-Sep-2022 13:36

jonb:

BlakJak: I have one of these in my car, it's saved me several times in the last few months as my 12v battery is on its last legs. https://www.supercheapauto.co.nz/p/sca-sca-12v-800-amp-4-cylinder-compact-jump-starter/546744.html - having one and knowing how to use it is a great option that can save you needing to wait an hour for roadservice. I also have regular jumper leads in case a friend or a member-of-public can provide me with jumpstart assistance. Or on the odd occasion i've helped others (though the battery jump starter is far easier and a bit safer). I'm an AA member too, but knowing how to get myself out of simple jams gives me a lot of confidence and reduces my stress levels when i've been in the same position as yourself.

I would second this, if it has happened once it is likely it will happen again, and one of these for $150 ish is a great investment to keep in the car to help yourself or others. Can also charge your phone from it!

I'd third and fourth it. I have one in each car and the one in the tow vehicle comes out in the boat too.

The trick is to remember the charge them regularly. Manufacturer recommended every 3 months, but I do it whenever the date is the 31st, as it's easy to remember.

Mike

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#2973530 27-Sep-2022 13:47

My call to them was even worse. I was wanting to book the on-tow from home to the mechanic after the car had crapped out and I got a tow home a few days earlier.

Anyway, called up and went thru the menus which wasn't that much of a drama, then it asked if it was my membership address which it was, and then asked the fault so I chose other, and then it told me the job was booked. Then I had to call back to them because I didn't want someone turning up at 11pm or so, and it was ages before I got a person to cancel the job that I was never asked to even confirm.

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#2973546 27-Sep-2022 14:11

"Just install an app" is an easy thing to say in this forum, but not everyone has the skills or device to be able to do that. The people who can't use apps probably also find touch tone menus awkward, so I wouldn't blame them to wanting a human to just pick up the phone.

Sadly I suspect that a lot of companies are inclined to want to move towards this type of automation due to the sheer amount of abuse that their call centre staff would otherwise get subjected to by unruly customers. The world has simply become a much more hostile place.

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#2973556 27-Sep-2022 14:44

Complain too loudly about the complexities of modern life and nek minute you could have your ability to drive being questioned.

I'm watching this situation (train wreck) playing out with a neighbour.

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#2973594 27-Sep-2022 15:39

alasta:
"Just install an app" is an easy thing to say in this forum, but not everyone has the skills or device to be able to do that. The people who can't use apps probably also find touch tone menus awkward, so I wouldn't blame them to wanting a human to just pick up the phone.

Sadly I suspect that a lot of companies are inclined to want to move towards this type of automation due to the sheer amount of abuse that their call centre staff would otherwise get subjected to by unruly customers. The world has simply become a much more hostile place.

The App for AA I installed on all my devices a few years back and am never going to forget it again.

As you commented, it’s all very well for the majority of people in this forum but my experience with most of the older ones I 'assist,' is they don’t want to know about anything they consider 'tech,' the word sends a shiver up their spines and the phone is used to talk only.

One of those people, 70, was given an iPad which I joyfully set up for him with a few entertaining apps, music, You Tube etc and signed him into them. He absolutely refused to have 2 degrees app on it to top up his prepay phone easily and continues to get a supermarket printed voucher to top up.

He refused to let me load any more apps because it was cluttered looking enough. No amount of cajoling worked. He puts the iPad neatly in its box after use, in the bedroom wardrobe and takes it out only for email every couple of days. Same applies to the spare android smart phone I gave him years back. It also resides in a cupboard, taken out only for best while he uses a tiny wee push button thing.

To remain on topic...He’s also a member of AA. If they ever breakdown somewhere I am likely the one they will call when the phone won’t go through to a human.

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#2973600 27-Sep-2022 15:54

Eva888:

He refused to let me load any more apps because it was cluttered looking enough. No amount of cajoling worked. He puts the iPad neatly in its box after use, in the bedroom wardrobe and takes it out only for email every couple of days. Same applies to the spare android smart phone I gave him years back. It also resides in a cupboard, taken out only for best while he uses a tiny wee push button thing.

To remain on topic...He’s also a member of AA. If they ever breakdown somewhere I am likely the one they will call when the phone won’t go through to a human.

I suspect a product of post WWII where everything was in short supply and you treated everything like you might never be able to easily get a replacement.

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#2973604 27-Sep-2022 16:06

Technofreak:

I suspect a product of post WWII where everything was in short supply and you treated everything like you might never be able to easily get a replacement.

At 70, would have been born in ~1952. 7 years after the end of WWII

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#2973676 27-Sep-2022 17:18

MikeAqua:

Technofreak:

I suspect a product of post WWII where everything was in short supply and you treated everything like you might never be able to easily get a replacement.

At 70, would have been born in ~1952. 7 years after the end of WWII

Correct. I bet his parents still had good memories of the shortages which had instilled in them a strong sense of looking after what ever you had which they quite probably handed down.

It's before my time but from what I understand there was still supply constrictions on a lot of things even in the fifties. For example my parents built a house late in the 1950's and were restricted on the size of the house they could build so as to conserve material like roofing iron.

To get back on topic somewhat. The AA had stylish grille emblems back then and the road signs were done by the AA.

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Eva888

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#2973684 27-Sep-2022 17:42

Technofreak:
Eva888:

He refused to let me load any more apps because it was cluttered looking enough. No amount of cajoling worked. He puts the iPad neatly in its box after use, in the bedroom wardrobe and takes it out only for email every couple of days. Same applies to the spare android smart phone I gave him years back. It also resides in a cupboard, taken out only for best while he uses a tiny wee push button thing.

To remain on topic...He’s also a member of AA. If they ever breakdown somewhere I am likely the one they will call when the phone won’t go through to a human.

I suspect a product of post WWII where everything was in short supply and you treated everything like you might never be able to easily get a replacement.

It’s rather sad really knowing what they miss. I also set up an Android tv box for them to make an old TV in a spare room smart. I’ve put on a heap of Apps so they can save money and drop Sky and get Netflix etc., included a weather app set to their precise suburb but got told not needed as weather is on the News.

Frustrating when you know how much easier and enjoyable their life could be. It’s just fear to move toward the unknown plus the fear of scams because they are on the news all the time, therefore won't entertain shopping online ever. Subscribing to You Tube made him fearful that he would be charged to watch, so at first wouldn’t let me sign him in to be able to save videos. Took me a long time to convince him there was no charge for signing up. You can lead a horse to water etc.

Drifting away from the main event here but it’s also an insight into one type of person who uses services like AA and is never going to manage without the human option. Banks are now savvy to this.

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#2973708 27-Sep-2022 18:01

alasta:

Sadly I suspect that a lot of companies are inclined to want to move towards this type of automation due to the sheer amount of abuse that their call centre staff would otherwise get subjected to by unruly customers. The world has simply become a much more hostile place.

Or the far more obvious reason - cost.

My Dad is 70 and fine with his iPhone/ Computer. He was a mechanic all his life so not exactly exposed to IT in his work life that much. I don't think its fair to assume boomer = can't use tech.

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#2973717 27-Sep-2022 18:27

MikeAqua:
At 70, would have been born in ~1952. 7 years after the end of WWII

Bill Gates b. 1955, Paul Allen b. 1953, Larry Ellison b. 1944, Steve Jobs b. 1955, Steve Wozniak b. 1950

Bung b. 1952 not in the same rank but I change my own tyres when necessary.

You don't become a technophobe at 70, you work at it for years beforehand. My wife's circle of friends absolutely own messaging and video conferencing apps.

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