Happy New Year everyone.
Am trying to deal with a situation I have not come across before and have been on hold for VAT advice for 28 minutes and counting.......
Is it always like this or is there a different number which works better?
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27 mins in...
...and managed a quick loo break with my headset still on.
Could've been amusing to say the least. "Hold on a minute please if you don't mind, I just need to do my fly back up"
Lucky you
I'm still sitting here with my headset on debating whether to even try again. Probably not if truth be told, i'll just make the answer up myself - it'll still be better than they'd manage anyway.
nothing unusual
I had a 50 minute wait plus call earlier this week, for a single issue. No chance to charge that to the client!
campaign needed
I think the various institutes need to campaign so that agents get dedicated lines for all the main taxes. Dedicated line for self assessment is great as you get through in usually about 30 seconds. Same should also be present for
1. VAT
2. Payroll
3. CIS
4. Corp Tax
at the very least.
ICAS is lobbying to have the word "accountant" protected.
If it were me I would be lobbying to get dedicated agent lines for all the taxes above as there is just no way the government is going to protect the word "accountant". There is that many people that would be put out of a job if that happened so wouldnt be politically appetising.
I have a call to make regarding a VAT query for a client. Just need to make sure have other stuff to do while sitting my estimated 45-60 mins before get through. Or worse still the message that says after you have went through about 20 options "sorry we are experiencing high volume of calls at the moment please call back later".
Bad connection?
ICAS is lobbying to have the word "accountant" protected.
If it were me I would be lobbying to get dedicated agent lines for all the taxes above as there is just no way the government is going to protect the word "accountant". There is that many people that would be put out of a job if that happened so wouldnt be politically appetising.
Out of interest, what is the connection between protecting the word "accountant" and dedicated agent lines. I could understand a fuss if HMRC tried to restrict being an agent for certain taxes to only those with recognised qualifications (not that it would be a bad thing).
no connection
Out of interest, what is the connection between protecting the word "accountant" and dedicated agent lines.
No connection at all. All my point is that would be more interested in my institute campaigning to get dedicated lines with HMRC for all taxes rather than trying to get the word "accountant" protected, which will never happen in my opinion.
Getting dedicated tax lines for all taxes would make a difference in my day to day work and therefore mean can provide better service to my clients.
A useful web site to try
There is a useful web site
pleasepress1.com
that was designed to target all 'voice recognition' and 'press key' call centres. They have a good section on HMRC in the UK, and some good advice on bypassing these systems.
As I have a Geordie accent, voice recognition in all but the simplest of cases is a no-no.
Your frustration clearly does not just extend to HMRC and the accountancy profession.
yesterday
I tried yesterday and they didnt even keep you on hold, just said 'we are too busy, please try later'
There's not much point anyway, if they don't know the answer, they just say 'you need to refer to the VAT Guide 700' or some other huge guide.
I do not know why people bother. They do not answer questions correctly when you do speak to them.
There is no waiting time on the VAT Registration section number
.... because it is permanently engaged!
It's more likely to go the other way - with agent-dedicated lines being removed rather than added.
HMRC has promised better response times for Joe Citizen Taxpayer. Closing agent lines and moving those staff to non-agent lines will help them achieve this, and certainly nobody will listen to the whinging complaints of overpaid accountants, who will get the blame of their clients for all the failures of HMRC.