The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
  
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
  
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
  
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

 

[one2one]

Co

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in respon

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

 

[Maicar]

Wait times on hold are vastly understated, I applied for a seniors health card, online I had to upload Documents, it allowed me to upload some, then wouldnt accept the rest, This happened 4 times, I got several we are busy try again later message many times, when I did get in the que on the seniors line the shortest wait time was 65min and the longest 80min, several times after a 60plus min on hold the phone clicked and hung up... yet another attempt to connect... same 60 plus min on hold... extremely frustrating... one time I had to make an apppintment to take ID into centrelink personally, I didn't experience any of the "friendly" staff you speak of well over 8weeks and still do not have my seniors card, After several calls asking the hold up, keep getting told the application is in progress should be decided in approx 2 weeks I have to call them again, yet another 60plus min on hold no doubt, where do they get average 7min hold on seniors line from.

We have been waiting 3 months for a Senior Health card. Keep getting Emails and text messages saying that "still working on your claim. Claims can take longer to progress if they are complex or submitted during busy times' Seriously our financial advisor did all the hard work for them. But our local Centrelink is very helpful and friendly but can do nothing more to hurry things along.

 

[MariaG]

In the good old days, people could talk to other real humans on the other side of a counter, always with efficiency and politeness. Not any more.
One particular time, we had to go into an office because the phone wait became intolerable (1.5hours). So, into the branch we went, armed with paperwork, got in a queue, approached by a person holding a tablet and asking everyone what they were there for. (like Macca's on a busy day).
Outcome ..... we were ushered over to a booth (one of a line of 6 booths), that contained a PHONE and were told that we had to do what we wanted on the phone. It was like Groundhog Day. Hubby came close to collapse as he was quite ill at the time so I had to stomp my feet, cry and cause a flurry of activity around me. As a result, someone emerged from the fog behind the counter, served us and sent us on our way 10 minutes later. I think that was to avoid the ambulance coming to the door.
I agree with others who say there is no point taking issue with the people who work there. I do, however, take issue with the system. Who decides how it all works? My guess would be some hot shot on $500k a year pressing buttons on a spread sheet, going tick, tick, tick.

 

[NotNats]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

3 times I had been on the phone (mobile) over an hour only for the phone call to drop out. Then went to our local branch/office only to be told I have to make an appointment to see some one. Try to make appointment one to be told the next appointment is in 8 days time and at a time that conflicts with another appointment and the next one after that was 17 days time. Not happy,

 

[goatwhisperer]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

This isn't new! When applying and jumping through multiple hoops for my husbands age pension 3 years ago I was frequently on hold from between 30minutes to more than an hour!

 

[goatwhisperer]

In the good old days, people could talk to other real humans on the other side of a counter, always with efficiency and politeness. Not any more.
One particular time, we had to go into an office because the phone wait became intolerable (1.5hours). So, into the branch we went, armed with paperwork, got in a queue, approached by a person holding a tablet and asking everyone what they were there for. (like Macca's on a busy day).
Outcome ..... we were ushered over to a booth (one of a line of 6 booths), that contained a PHONE and were told that we had to do what we wanted on the phone. It was like Groundhog Day. Hubby came close to collapse as he was quite ill at the time so I had to stomp my feet, cry and cause a flurry of activity around me. As a result, someone emerged from the fog behind the counter, served us and sent us on our way 10 minutes later. I think that was to avoid the ambulance coming to the door.
I agree with others who say there is no point taking issue with the people who work there. I do, however, take issue with the system. Who decides how it all works? My guess would be some hot shot on $500k a year pressing buttons on a spread sheet, going tick, tick, tick.

Have had similar experience. I called the local Federal MPs office. Things progressed with more ease from there..I was close to a breakdown, in fact I burst into floods of tears which brought the Centrelink Manager out..

 

[debj]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

I had a wait time of 55 mins. On the Senior's line so shorter actually longer.

 

[debj]

Had a wait of 55 mins yesterday for pensions, still not settled, have to go into centrelink.so probably should just go straight there , probably quicker than phone.

 

[EXNEWZ]

Why cannot all call centres incorporate the service that some are now offering.
They tell you there is a queue and would you like to be phoned back when your turn in the queue comes up. That way we can get on with our life and not waste one's time. If some major companies can do it, why not government departments. Just a little IT nous one would think.

 

[Catherines]

That’s a very good idea that perhaps ALL ‘overburdened’!!! government departments could adopt. Send in the suggestion to the offenders.

 

[KiwiTrish]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

They are lying the call centre in our area has put all the casual hours down some a lot but everyone has lost at least 1 hr

 

[Sylvsptr]

Call your local MP, thats what my daughter in law did after getting no where with centerlink, Her issue was resolved in no yime!

 

[M8ia]

The growing popularity of services like Centrelink has never been more apparent than when you try to call and ask a question.

Most of us have, at some point, had our patience prodded by their long call wait times, and it seems this queueing problem has become even more troubling as of late.

Madeleine Pizzuti, a pensioner, recently had a frustrating experience with Centrelink’s hold times when trying to handle matters relating to her pension.

The result? She was hung up on after holding for 75 minutes!

View attachment 25756

Centrelink is currently facing challenges in keeping up with the high demand, and as a result, wait times are experiencing an increase, especially during busy periods. Some customers have even reported difficulty in getting through to a hold line. Image by julianhochgesang from unsplash

Madeleine's simple statement says it all, 'That's far too long', she exclaimed.

Madeleine is not the only one dealing with long wait times and on-hold difficulties.

Many others are also facing similar issues when trying to reach customer service.

The latest statistics from Services Australia show that the wait times have become excessively long.

If you need to call their Families and Parenting line, be prepared for a considerable wait time of approximately 31 minutes and 24 seconds.

The Employment line has its own lengthy wait time of 29 minutes.

Fortunately, the wait time for the senior's line is shorter, at around seven minutes.

Seems unbelievable, right? Well, A Current Affair thought so, too, and decided to put Centrelink to the test.

They tried different methods to reach a real person on the line, which resulted in frustrating hang-ups.

View attachment 25757

According to the latest figures from Services Australia, call wait times have significantly increased. Image by nordwood from unsplash

Finally, showing more persistence, they managed to connect to the Parenting line, with a wait time of 70 minutes.

Services Australia's General Manager, Hank Jongen, acknowledged that high demand could exceed capacity.

To his credit, Hank urges us not to give up on them just yet.

Despite being understaffed, the department is making significant efforts to recruit and train more personnel.

He said, ‘We're not sitting on our hands, we're currently understaffed, and we're doing everything we can to recruit and train additional staff.’

They are working tirelessly to address these challenges head-on and provide swift and efficient customer service.

To complicate matters further, Centrelink has been facing increased strain due to a recent surge in demand.

The cause? A modern-day detective would attribute it to the cost-of-living crisis, the rise in childcare subsidies, and improved access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.

While these developments are beneficial, they have led to a notable increase in demand that the organisation grapples with.

‘The government has made a couple of announcements in relation to increases in childcare subsidies, (like) greater access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which has also increased demand that we're facing at this time of the year.’ Jongen said.

To tackle the challenge of wait times, Hank offers a range of suggestions, with the first being to explore online options.

However, Madeleine rightly highlights that some seniors may prefer to rely on their phones instead of computers.

‘A lot of people my age are finding it difficult to use the computer, so they rely on their phones.’ she said.

For those who prefer a more traditional approach, Hank reassures that booking an appointment to visit a Centrelink office and engaging in a face-to-face conversation with the friendly in-house staff is still an option.

Key Takeaways

• Centrelink is experiencing increased call wait times, with claims some customers can't even reach the hold line.
• The longest average wait is on the families and parenting line at 31 minutes and 24 seconds, up from 24 minutes.
• Services Australia General Manager, Hank Jongen, cited increased demand due to recent government subsidies and the cost-of-living crisis as reasons for the delays.
• Jongen suggested utilising online options but acknowledged this might pose difficulties for those not confident with technology.

All that to say, Centrelink is actively working to reduce these prolonged wait times, but until improvements are in place, it's advisable to equip ourselves with a healthy dose of patience.

Have you experienced long call wait times or difficulties reaching Centrelink's customer service? What are your thoughts on the recent surge in demand for Centrelink services and the resulting delays in response times?

Somewhere in the article, it said that waiting times were about 30 mins for the jobseekers line, I am not 67 yet. I am currently waiting on hold since I rang on the dot at 8:30 a.m. It is nearly 10 a.m. So that's nearing 90 mins. I've been trying to contact them for a couple of weeks and haven't even managed to get put on hold, just the "our lines are busy call back later", "we are aware you are trying to call us, call back later..." It's imperative that I speak to them. I am dreading getting hung up on and my mobile phone is feeling overheated. It' seems that my only choice will be to travel in and go to an office next week. It is now after 10 a.m. and I am still on hold.