Spain Set To Limit Time Kept On Hold To Three Minutes Under New Proposals
Spain News
Published: 31 May 2022 18:35 CET
Being kept on hold for long periods of time when calling customer services could be a thing of the past under a new draft law which is being proposed in Spain.
Under the new proposals which were outlined on Tuesday by Consumer Rights Minister Alberto Garzón, companies will be required to attend to customers within three minutes of their call.
The draft bill which has been approved by the Council of Ministers will mean consumers will have the right to be dealt with over the phone rather than via a chatbot, an approach that many companies are now using to save on labour costs.
“Customer service is a critical part of our relations with consumers which unfortunately and far too often causes endless headaches for Spanish families because far too many companies create bureaucratic labyrinths to stop you from exercising your right to service.
“These are difficulties which unfortunately waste an enormous amount of energy, time and money.
"The practically infinite waiting times that produce frustration are over," Garzón told a news conference.
Furthermore, service companies will also be obligated to respond to customer complaints within 15-days said Garzon and offer a free customer service number which must be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The new law will affect all public and private companies with more than 250 employees including energy supply companies, transportation services, postal services, financial firms and many more.
To assure that the companies maintain their compliance with the law, all affected companies will have to implement an evaluation system to make sure they are complying at all times.
Companies that fail to abide by the new legislation could face potential fines of between 150 and 100,000 euros for non-compliance.
However, the bill will need to be approved by the Spanish Parliament first, before it can be written into law.
Source
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/spain-force-call-centers-attend-customers-within-three-minutes-2022-05-31/
https://www.abc.es/economia/abci-garzon-limita-tres-minutos-tiempos-espera-telefonica-llamadas-atencion-cliente-202205311353_noticia.html
https://www.wokv.com/news/can-i-talk-human/HED2KNIO5N7B2JG6DVWQZUWJLY/
