YOU ask, what do we think of Call Centres?

I, personally, dislike them immensely and wish we could go back to speaking to a telephonist, who, properly trained, knew exactly which department a person needed.

I have lost count of the times I have laboriously found my way through the 1,2,3,4 maze, only to be left holding the line, waiting for a "person" (supposedly being pacified by music) which is costing me all of the time I wait, only to find myself, more often than not, cut off!

Considering the fact that I am trying to obtain a service for a fire, fridge or heating failure or, alternatively, trying to place an order or just needing information, it would test even the patience of Job.

No matter what the reason these companies give for this so-called "better" procedure, it is simply a wage-saving exercise.

Now when I encounter "Welcome to ... for etc, etc, please press one, or ....." I put down the receiver and, instead, write a letter.

I would rather wait for my letter to bring a response than to run up my telephone bill, many a time for no result.

Mrs Marie Kay

Paulhan Street

Great Lever, Bolton