As research finds repeating simple questions is one of the nation’s biggest bugbears, Vodafone launches ‘Just Ask Once’, a promise to customers that when they need help, they can ask once, and their query will be sorted.

Whether it’s reminding your housemate to take the bins out again (17%), telling the kids to brush their teeth for the third time (18%), or chasing that colleague one more time (27%), new research from Vodafone reveals that we’re a nation stuck on repeat.

According to the findings, 6 in 10 people say they’re regularly forced to repeat themselves every day, with nearly all Brits (92%) finding it frustrating, and a fifth (21%) admitting it’s one of their biggest bugbears, and serial repeaters wishing they never had to ask more than once (95%).

Asking someone to do their share of the housework (20%) more than once is the main reason those living with partners are irked at home; and it’s the common theme of young kids not going to bed on time (30%) or doing their homework (24%) that parents across the nation are tired of repeating themselves with.

Continually reminding friends about plans (12%), asking someone to transfer money (12%) or asking a colleague the same question more than once (13%) also feature highly on Brit’s list of the repeat requests that rile them up the most.

But, whilst household and relationship related asks rate highly on the list of most annoying things people have to ask repeatedly, the research found its customer service that really pushes Brits to their repetitive limit.

When faced with a problem with a product or service that means contact with customer service is needed, almost all Brits (87%) have had to explain their issue more than once. In fact, on average, we’re having to repeat it up to 4 times, spend over 15 minutes on hold, and get passed around 3 different agents whilst doing so.

Remembering the answer to the tricky ‘first pet’ question (36%), having to find old account numbers (32%) and order numbers (28%) are all added pressures that test our patience along the way.

In its ambition to set a new standard for customer service in the industry, Vodafone has launched ‘Just Ask Once’, a game-changing new service available via the My Vodafone app that will see one person deal with a customer’s query from start to finish, until it is sorted. This removes well-known bug bears such as waiting on hold, repeating the problem to multiple different people, and the need to chase for an update. If the query can’t be resolved straight away, the same person from Vodafone will proactively message the customer with updates until it is solved, so they aren’t left worrying, wondering what is going on or spending time chasing.

Partnering with Vodafone, psychologist Jo Hemmings reveals that repeating fatigue is real, and why we find it so irritating to ask simple things more than once. She says:

“Having to repeat ourselves, especially over something simple, can feel incredibly frustrating because it signals that we’re not being heard or valued. And the proof is there – Vodafone’s research shows that 95% of us wish we didn’t have to ask the same thing more than once!

“This taps into the basic human psychological need for recognition and autonomy, which are both key drivers for mental wellbeing and day-to-day motivation. Feeling ignored or being asked to start from scratch repeatedly creates what’s known as cognitive overload, where mental energy is drained. And whether it's with loved ones, colleagues, friends or even customer service, it can produce emotional fatigue and can even trigger avoidance behaviours. Over time, it’s not just inconvenient - it’s stressful and disempowering.

“That’s why solutions that reduce this mental load, like Vodafone’s ‘Just Ask Once’, are so important in helping people feel seen, heard and supported. It’s removing the unnecessary stress that people feel when they have to get in touch with customer service, and is a promise that their problem will get solved.”

Top things Brits are most fed-up of repeating more than once:

Issues to multiple customer service representatives
Answering the same question from customer service
Chasing people to reply to a message or email
Asking for an update once you have flagged an issue or problem with a service or product
Making general complaints to customer service
Asking someone to do their share of the housework
Asking someone to transfer money
Having to ask a colleague the same question over and over
Repeating a food or drink order
Having to ask someone to take the bins out
Continually reminding friends about plans
Having to chase a colleague
Having to ask your kids more than once to go to bed
Asking the kids to brush their teeth
Telling the kids to do their homework
Prompting your partner to put the washing on or take it out

Customers don’t have to remember any long difficult case, tracking or order numbers, their mother’s maiden name or the name of their first pet, they can simply log in to the My Vodafone app, send a message and get on with their day while Vodafone gets on with solving the query. Vodafone will proactively message the customer with updates until it is solved, so they aren’t left worrying, wondering what is going on or spending time chasing. If we can’t provide the service they’ve promised, then customers can leave with no exit fee.

Rob Winterschladen, Consumer Director, VodafoneThree said: “We all know the frustration of having to ask more than once; whether it’s at home, work, or when dealing with customer service - repeating ourselves is annoying. Over half of the nation find repeating themselves to customer service frustrating, and for a fifth, it’s even their biggest bugbear.

“Our new ‘Just Ask Once’ promise is based on a simple principle, when a customer needs help, they ask us once and we’ll sort it. By messaging through the My Vodafone app, just like you would a friend on WhatsApp, you’ll get your own dedicated problem solver and proactive updates, so there’s no repeating yourself or waiting around on your phone - you can just get on with your day.”

Customers can also access Vodafone customer service by calling 191 on their mobile or through the Vodafone website.