Press Any Number You Want For Service...We Don't Care

I called Telus, my cell phone provider with a hardware issue. Press 1 for English, press 2 for French (I’m a Canadian eh!)

Welcome to the main menu. Laundry list to choose from. Oh that might be the right department so I press 3. More laundry, with 6 options. Not sure. Ah 6 a customer service rep. So 6 it is.

On hold. Not to worry, I am in Priority Sequence. Jimmy Buffett is wasting away in Margaretville. Ringing, here we go. Ring Ring Ring for about 35 seconds. Recorded message in first in English and then French telling me that my party cannot be reached and my call is going to end. There goes 10 minutes.

Let’s try this again. Press 1 for English. Just noticed that I can either choose from the laundry list or say in a word or two what my problem is to help speed up the search. I try "time is wrong on my pda". Recorded voice say something , "Let's see if we can narrow this down". Oh this is working really well.

News flash, this phone system sucks! 48 minutes later and no help.

So to save yourself $8 an hour for an operator, you went out and bought yourself a fancy shmancy automated phone system that makes me the customer jump through hoops.

Here is a newsflash. Shaw Cable Systems from Alberta Canada. When you call them up, yes you get an automated system. But they give you the choice to wait for the next operator or leave your phone number for the next available representative to call you back. And by leaving a message you don't lose your place in line.

Imagine that, a company that understands why they are in business.

BB for now