Lloyds TSB and Halifax have the dubious honour of featuring on PleasePress1.com’s new phone rage index. The consumer website’s league table, to be issued monthly, charts the automated phone menus of some of the UK's most well-known brands.

After analysis of an initial 1.5 million page views, creator Nigel Clarke has compiled an index of the most frustrating companies. Common gripes include dozens of menu options and tedious (often unavoidable) introductions. With 38,253 page visits in the last month, and over 400 menu options across just six services, HMRC is currently ranked ‘most frustrating’ of the companies now registered on the website. Lloyds TSB occupies third spot and Halifax fourth. Co-operative Insurance Society, Direct Line Insurance and Churchill Insurance Company also figure in the top ten.

Clarke comments: “As customers, we’re often on the receiving end of ‘stall centres’ that seem determined to keep us on the phone for as long as possible. Even larger companies with understandably complex departments have no reason to send customers through a maze of choices, only for many of them to end up confused and in the wrong place. It’s self-service with limited guidance and no guarantee of a result. That wastes time and money."

He adds: "In the last month, I’ve had contact with some huge names, including a very constructive meeting with Lloyds TSB. I’m adding more phone menus every day and maintaining the current ones should they change. Companies can add their phone menus for free and offer this additional service to their customers. The public support has been overwhelming.”

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