Business News Digest

NATION
Here are tips to avoidcustomer-service wait
NEW YORK -- No one likes to wait for customer service on the telephone while listening to elevator music, especially during the holidays.
Oscar Alban, a consultant for Witness Systems Inc. which creates call center monitoring software, offers the following tips to speed your call:
Time it right: If you call after 10 p.m., you're more likely to reach inexperienced representatives. Also, avoid calling on Monday, which is typically the busiest day for call centers. Wednesday through Friday are the best days.
Be sneaky: To bypass the automatic prompts and reach a real person, choose the Spanish-speaking option. Most agents are bilingual and can help you.
Be prepared: Have any account numbers or purchase information in hand. At the end of the call, make sure to get the representative's name, location and a confirmation number for future reference.
Stay calm: Don't lose your temper. Nothing will get done if you do. If you need to ask for a supervisor, tell the representative that she has been helpful, but you have questions you would like to direct to a supervisor.
REGION
Federal-job vacanciesare listed for free
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Better Business Bureau is advising people to be careful of advertisers who offer, for a fee, to help job seekers find a high-paying job with the federal government. Some advertisers try to confuse consumers by using an official-sounding name, such as The Federal Employment Service, the BBB said.
The agency said information about federal job vacancies is freely available from the government. Federal agencies and the U.S. Postal Service don't charge application fees, sell study guides for job tests or guarantee an applicant will be hired, the BBB said.
If a job seeker responds to such an ad, he is likely to pay more than 100 to receive printed material with generic information that is available at no charge from the Postal Service or some public libraries, the BBB said.
From Vindicator staff and wire reports