Martin Lewis has warned that people could be unwittingly giving away personal details or other sensitive information when calling service providers. He said he was shocked to discover a system rule that could come into play whenever you ring a service provider.
Shocking insider tip from call centre worker
Lewis was speaking on his BBC podcast about securing the best deal on services such as broadband or energy tariffs, and the art of negotiating with a provider. He received a particularly alarming insider tip from a call centre worker, which he described as "really shocking." The call handler told the show: "If you think you're on hold, don't assume because there is music that the call handler can't hear what you're saying whilst you're on hold."
Martin Lewis said that this unsettling revelation "has sent chills through me and I think it will send chills through everyone who hears it." As he was talking about haggling tactics, he warned that given this fact, if you are with someone else, you would be wise not to mention while on hold that you would accept a certain price, as the operator may well be listening.
Potential for sharing confidential details
Lewis also warned that people could inadvertently be sharing other confidential details. The consumer champion said: "I'm a little bit blown away by that one. You could be having a private conversation, you could be talking, you could be brushing your teeth, you could be doing anything else at the time."
In contrast, there were also some encouraging pointers shared on the podcast for when you ring up to haggle over a deal. One tip suggested that pressing '#' when you call will typically connect you directly to a real person.
Tips for successful haggling
One call handler offered the straightforward advice of being courteous when you ring, as the adviser you speak to is then far more likely to be accommodating and put in extra effort to help you. Lewis also revealed another insider secret. He said: "I've had call centre staff tell me in the past they have a certain number of discounts they can give in a day. So there is a discretion there of who they are going to give a discount to and who they won't."
A further piece of advice came from someone about dealing with a policy due for renewal who was hoping to knock some money off. They suggested simply stating that you wish to cancel the policy, as this will promptly prompt them to come back with a more competitive offer.
