[brainwad]

The consumers 'want' it because if they get disconnected and try to recall, by spoofing a local number it costs them nothing/little since it's a local number (maybe toll-free?) instead of a lot for an international call. Of course, they might want a local call centre even more, but spoofing a local number for overseas call centres does have a purpose.

[realusername]

I've never seen an hotline where you can call back and resume the call you were doing.

[traceroute66]

> I've never seen an hotline where you can call back and resume the call you were doing.

Assuming they even accept inbound calls to the CLI number in the first place.

I frequently encounter companies where I miss a call due to $reason, I then try to call back the CLI number and it just says "This was $megacorp trying to call you, we will try again later".

Or, if you're really lucky, the CLI will just dump you into IVR-hell which, of course, is "AI powered" today, so you have to spend 30 minutes telling the stupid robot they mis-intepreted your voice.

[orwin]

My electric company gave me a number (UID, not phone number) to resume a call if the issue wasn't fixed within 24 hours, and I'm pretty sure internet operators have the same protocol (at least used to).

[arethuza]

Is that to restart the call to the same person or a case id that gives details of your request and that could be passed to anyone?

[embedding-shape]

Can literally be a "Desk ID" basically, so using that would reach the phone next to the agent. Used to work both with outgoing cold calls and incoming customer support, had a setup that worked like that for the latter.

[orwin]

Didn't use it, it was fixed, so I don't have more details, sorry.

[traceroute66]

> My electric company gave me a number (UID, not phone number) to resume a call if the issue wasn't fixed within 24 hours

What planet do you live on ?

Seriously. Where I am it is guaranteed that a utility company would never even consider such a concept let alone have the technical competence to actually implement it.

I'm jealous. ;)

[orwin]

Enedis is basically a state owned company (to be clear, they aren't the one selling electricity, they are the one in charge of the network and the distribution, so I'm not sure if it counts as utility).

[brainwad]

The call centre for my Australian bank's KYC is seemingly backed by a single person. I've spoken to her a few times now... so calling them back more or less does work, though you might have to wait on hold again.