The need to have a public service on the phone, and no one on the other end of the line. This is the observation of 60 million consumers and the defender of rights. Out of 1,500 calls, 40% go unanswered.
Hold music that follows each other, an automatic hang-up after several minutes or even “all our lines are busy, we invite you to contact us later“, and as a result dead silence.
Like air trotting in the head”the phone rings and no one ever answers“. Situations that speak to you? You were part of the 40% of calls that never go through on public service platforms, according to 60 million consumers and the lawyer.
Four platforms were put to the test: Family Allowance Fund (CAF), Pôle Emploi, Health Insurance and Retirement Insurance (CARSAT). 60 million consumers and the lawyer made about 1,500 calls. “There is accommodation, the vital card, compensation from the employment service (…) This can go as far as renouncing these rights”explained to France 2 Lionel Maugain, section manager at 60 Millions de Consommateurs.
When it responds, the wait seems endless”Ithe average time to reach an interlocutor is more than 9 minutes“Notes the rights activist in a press release. Literally time to cook egg. “Shows aberrations“, states Eric Gondy, representative of the Association FO Consommateurs in Loir-et-Cher, “with people calling who are answered, but there is no trace of this exchange. This results in loss of rights.“
The poor quality of the response or follow-up is also what the rights defender emphasizes. Too many questions, one answer: the website of the organization in question, “without even ensuring that the person has a computer or internet access.“In France, specifies the defender,”13 million people are in difficulty or even unable to use digital technology to carry out their administrative procedures.“
In a population aging”information is still an obstacle course for users who do not master the use of the Internet“.
The problem does not stop there, assures Eric Gondy, to the ANTS site, which in particular allows you to make your gray card online, “there is often no one on the phone“. However, the steps must be taken quickly, under penalty of putting the taxpayer in the illegality.”For an elderly person who lives in the countryside and has to go as far as Blois to get answers, it’s complicated« he assures.
The blame, according to him, for political decisions successive which have “away public services from citizens.“