After nearly losing my little remaining sanity trying to contact a human being at dvla I finally found a number which,after a brief and acceptable pause,is answered by a real person,please make it available to all,it's 01792 XXXXXX,phew,Steven.

Perhaps somebody would like to start up SAYNOTOIVR.COM.

Many supporters of SAYNOTO0870 would support the cause. It may however be more difficult to get hold of alternative numbers that are truly suitable. In most cases the aternatives would be a very long list with wordy explanations.

Dave wrote on Feb 16^th, 2010 at 12:13am:


The website in question mostly contains shortcuts for use after accessing a IVR menu, although there are a few exceptions.

I understood that the suggestion was for a database of numbers that gave direct access to a human being without having to deal with a menu. The natural companion for this would be a campaign for organisations to provide this type of access as standard.

I personally can see the potential for all to benefit from call centres and "multi-competent" agents. This should not however prohibit or impede the possibility of taking the time to look up a direct number for a particular (truly competent) representative, or taking it upon oneself to bypass lots of unnecessary messages and tiers of menu to immediately join a queue for the known department or function that one wishes to contact. The other important feature, which again should be accessible directly if one chooses, is to leave a simple request for a call back when the call centre is not "dealing with an exceptionally high volume of calls".

If a call centre were to offer such a premium quality service then there may perhaps be less of problem in paying a premium rate to call it. I would see the need for such a campaign to be separate from that against revenue sharing, as the emphasis would be on the issue of quality rather than simply that of cost.

Perhaps it's time to give the DVLA/DfT some "feedback" about how to run a customer drivern service???

I'd recommend starting here

It's an online form, save's calling them to get stressed.

Further to the above, I wanted to warn people that you have to be very careful when googling dvla to contact them; the first hit is actually some dodgy site that uses 09040 XXX XXX as a contact, I am concerned that people in a hurry could be conned into using this number without realising what it is, I seem to remember from previous forum threads there was something similar for the passport lot.   Isn't it about time govt did something about this?

Secondly, when going down and using the link from google to renew a tax disc, the directgov website uses the 0870 numbers for contact!   I didn't search any further as I know from this site that they use 03 numbers, but really, how out of date are they??

PS Has anyone else with a tax disc due to expire at the end of March not received their renewal?   Am I being over cynical in thinking these reminders have been deliberately held back to catch people out in the budget next week?   After all the govt could raise vehicle tax from midnight that night & catch all those who hadn't renewed early.

Barbara,

With reference to DVLA/Taxing your car online.

My parents recently wanted to Tax their car online, to see how the service worked. After a few initial hicups they managed to get it right.  Dad receives an e-mail from DVLA/DfT regarding the posted disc and is informed if he has not recieved it in 5 working days to call them on a 0870 number.

Knowing that the letter from DVLA/DfT show's an 03 contact number, I e-mailed them pointing out the error. A few days later I recieved this "response" -

"As of 1 September 2009, and in line with OFCOM’s recommendations, DVLA has changed to 0300 numbers instead of 0870 numbers. Calls to 0300 numbers will cost the same as calls to geographic ones and be included as part of any inclusive call minutes or discount schemes for geographic numbers. This will apply to calls from any line. The 0300 and 0870 numbers will run side-by side, until a decision is made to permanently turn off the 0870 ones.

I can confirm that customers ringing the 0870 numbers now hear an automated message advising them that the number has changed to 0300, however, the customer will still be connected and charged at the 0300 rate for their call.

The Agency has many forms and leaflets, a number of which will still display the old telephone numbers. Due to cost efficiency, there is no destruction process and any literature bearing the old information is being changed as it comes up for renewal or amendment. DVLA will also be amending it's website's at the earliest opportunity."

I am interested is the statement regarding the cost of the call (0870 at 0300 rate) is true and intend to reply advising them the following:

If they have had an 03 number since 2009. why in 2011 does the automated e-mail STILL advise the 0870 number? Are they un-able/un-willing to amend a simple e-mail script?

How are they sure of the call cost of the 0870 number as apposed to the 03 one?

I will post back any responses.

Thanks, James Bond, that is what we'll do if we have to, it just seems a little odd as we have always received the renewal reminder in the past, hence my suspicions.

Thanks, sherbert, may give it a try, I just feel I want to support the local post office (I gather they have lost even more govt business now), particularly being new to the area (use it or lose it & we lost the PO where we used to live).