The photo I am using for this post is of an old electric shock machine. It seemed appropriate.
Customer service, strictly speaking, may have been dying for a long time. Yes, we put paperclips on it with some crazy glue to hold it together in the computer age. Then came automated telephone inquiry trees and automated chats. Humans were always so fallible, but computers would be perfect assistants, we were told.
Somewhere along the line, the crucial final link holding the whole Rube Goldberg device was severed. Today was my third fantastic interaction with modern tech-assisted customer service in a week. I think I am out about twelve hours with:
- the large international furniture maker from Sweden that promises delivery and refunds that never show up;
- The major hardware dealer that pleads ignorance about when a crucial tool will be delivered to my shop,
- The telephone company that can’t fix my telephone and internet. I am preparing this using a personal hot spot on my phone.
The telephone company was honest enough to tell me that they didn’t care. So have we finally reached the final destination where we pay for services and goods that never materialize. The End is Nigh.