Reply to post: Virtual Assistant at National Savings (NS&i)

Virtual Assistant at National Savings (NS&i)

I rang up NS&i to report the fact that my father had passed away. A virtual assisstant answered the phone speaking in a lovely gentle male recorded voice asking how it could help me. I shouted at it 'My father is dead' thinking it would not be able to understand and put me through to a real human.

However it recognised my request and said 'I am very sorry for your loss' and how much they care etc and then began to real off a list of documents i needed to send them. It did not put me through to a human. I was really angry, in this situation I wanted to speak to a human. How dare they have computer tell me they are sorry for my loss !!!"£$% and not put me through to a human.

I then tried to phone back to speak to a human. When the AI asked me why I had rung, I said investments and continued to repeat myself and kept saying I want to speak to a human and it finally put me through. As it turned out there was an on line form i could fill in which the AI (ironically didnt tell me about)

Then today I needed to ring up because it appeared that the closing statement I had been sent was not accurate, that only one third of the investments had been listed. I didnt know what to say to the AI and tried saying i want to be put through to an assistant (probably should have said human). It didnt comply so i went quiet. It said the phone line sounds like it is dead Im going to hang up, I shouted Nooooo, dont hang up, put me through to an assistant, i shouted over and over and it still put the phone down

I then rang up again. This time I tried to explain what the problem was but it told me to list the ones that were missing !! it was not going to put me through to a human. I started shouting at it to put me through to an assistant over and over until it finally did.

This is one of the most distressing and upsetting things I have come across. It felt so dehumanising... ...so frustrating.. ...so upsetting in the circumstances..

I am so upset that i have written a physical letter which i will send in the post... ...there is no option to send an email... ..only to type to a virtual on screen assistant !!!"£$