I had a hysterically frustrating experience the other evening.
The mailbox at the new Hayley Home has been overflowing with junk mail these past few weeks. It caught Marathon Man and I off guard as we’d been so diligent about reducing junk mail at the apartment last year.
I rang up the Opt-Out line to remove the new address from the files and promptly fell into Voice Recognition Software Hell.
Computer: Greetings! I will assist you in removing your information from the credit and insurance data system. There is not an operator to assist you.
Me: This is going to be interesting.
Computer: I didn’t understand. Please speak clearly into the phone. Tell me your address. There is no need to spell, I recognize words.
Me: Longbow Lane
Computer: I heard, Brangmow Land. Is this correct?
Me: No.
Computer: I’m sorry. Let’s try again…
Me: Longbow Lane
Computer: I heard, Langmore Main. Is this correct?
Me: NO!
Computer: Please speak clearly into the phone. Tell me your address…
On this went for nearly 20 minutes. Kelly laughed so hard in the other room that I couldn’t help laughing myself.
And that did nothing to help me speak clearly into the phone.
You should have known you were in trouble when they told you specifically that there was not a human available to save your miserable soul.
I like the ability to opt-out on webpages so I don’t have to deal with those stupid automated systems.