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This is something that has been irritating me for a while. Why is it, half the time I call a business, I get a stupid machine answering??!!!!!
It's so annoying!!
I call a business' number, thinking I'll hear a living, breathing person, but then the machine picks up, and it always answers more or less the same way: [insert automated computer voice] "You have reached...." blah blah blah! Then, I get to listen to about 20 different menu items, followed by instructions to press 40 different keys, just so I can get 15 more menu items!
"If you are calling for such-and-such, press 1."
"If you are calling for so-and-so, press 2."
"If you are calling about whatever, press 3."
So on and so forth.
I press whichever number required, and then get this crap!:
"If you are calling from a land phone, press 1."
"If you are calling from a cell phone, press 2."
So on and so forth.
Okay, whatever. I think it's done and I can talk to a real person, right? WRONG! THEN I get crap like this:
"If you are calling in regards to X, press 1."
"If you are calling in regards to Y, press 2."
"If you are calling in regards to Z, press 3."
So on and so forth.
Basically, I spend at least 10 minutes just listening to menus! Oh, and don't let it be the kind of machine that requires the listener to actually SAY the reason for the call. It doesn't matter how clearly you say whatever, the machine can't hear! When I'veb een screaming into the phone, about the bust a vessel, THEN it wants to act like it heard me. I finally get connected, usually after having to wait about 5 minutes while I get a real person, and when I finally talk to the person, half the time I'm told I had the wrong number! Now, if the person is nice, he or she will just transfer me to the right person. But if the person is a turd, they'll tell me to call a different number, and then hang up. Oh goody. Now I get to hear a new menu. *sarcasm, gag*
I don't know why anyone thought using machines would make things more efficient. I honestly think they just use them to get callers to forget why they called. Is it too much to want to talk to a real person and not a machine? Is it?!!!
What's with some of the people on the other end having attitude problems? There's always that one obnoxious turd who's having a bad day, and takes it out on every caller. Look, whoever you are, it's not my fault you hate your job and/or your life. I just wanted to call about something. People like that shouldn't be working.
I HATE paying bills over the phone, which brings me to something else. Why do some businesses charge EXTRA when people pay over the phone??!! But when going to pay in person, the lines are super long and barely move, and there's always that one person in line holding everyone else up.