Covid-19 exposes cracks in contact centre services

People’s frustration with poor customer support from telcos reached boiling point during the pandemic, but it’s been bubbling up for years

Eir was singled out for its dire customer service and dropped out of the top 150 ranking of Irish businesses. Picture: Rollingnews

When Leo Varadkar, the Tánaiste, and Eamon Ryan, the Minister for Communications, were compelled by consumer pressure to meet with Eir and Vodafone in November to discuss customer complaints, you knew something was broken.

The response by the Government to an avalanche of upset citizens seemed to accept it was an unfortunate aberration caused by the pandemic. “I am certain the telecommunications customer care issues will be resolved in the short term,” said Eamon Ryan.