MIWAZIGLIB

[birdguy 3,943]

That's my new personal magic word I made up this morning.

 I called my mail order pharmacy to check on a prescription for my glaucoma eyedrops.  The female voice said it recognized my phone number and to give them my birthdate.  That I did.  Then came the long spiel on how important my privacy is to them.  Next the ladders imbedded in ladders began.  I kept pressing '0' to talk to a human being but that doesn't work anymore, at least not with this company.

So I hung up and tried again.

After the privacy speech and verifying my identity the ladders began again.  For the first one I said, "MIWAZIGLIB."  The voice came back and told me that was not a valid response.  So they repeated the ladder again.  On the third MIWAZIGLIB the voice said, "Please wait while I connect you with the next available representative."

Of course any unintelligible word will do.  Make up your own.  Be sure to change it periodically so hackers can't get a hold of it.

Noel

 

[scianoir 610]

And I’ll bet you’re still waiting to connect with the next available representative!!

Bill

[HighBypass 2,339]

I too hate all this automatic menu shenanigans. I wonder how long it will take for it to be installed as the front end for a 999 call? (911 in the US).

[birdguy 3,943]

I got connected quite rapidly Bill.  And with someone who spoke English as if it were her native tongue.

Noel

[John_Cillis 2,406]

12 hours ago, birdguy said:

That's my new personal magic word I made up this morning.

 I called my mail order pharmacy to check on a prescription for my glaucoma eyedrops.  The female voice said it recognized my phone number and to give them my birthdate.  That I did.  Then came the long spiel on how important my privacy is to them.  Next the ladders imbedded in ladders began.  I kept pressing '0' to talk to a human being but that doesn't work anymore, at least not with this company.

So I hung up and tried again.

After the privacy speech and verifying my identity the ladders began again.  For the first one I said, "MIWAZIGLIB."  The voice came back and told me that was not a valid response.  So they repeated the ladder again.  On the third MIWAZIGLIB the voice said, "Please wait while I connect you with the next available representative."

Of course any unintelligible word will do.  Make up your own.  Be sure to change it periodically so hackers can't get a hold of it.

Noel

 

I have sometimes happened upon websites that use robotic responses in their help desk, quite annoying.  So I finally respond by typing something like "fhjjkf @##$% kjhkhhh" just to see the robotic response get fried, I have shut down websites sometimes by doing that, especially when it appears they are fake, like online dating sites which I tried after my divorce, most of them being hoax or scam sites with fake profiles.  I no longer date, since my ex and I support each other even though she has a boyfriend I like, simply because he watches out for her.

As far as robotic phone systems are concerned, I do the same or if it is a text system, I type an unintelligible word or keep hitting 0 until I either get an operator or learn that the system is a waste of time to try.

I do not like "dead end" robotic systems, which are a curse on customer service, and I came from a real help desk and live support information technology background.  Also I loathe those who answer in unintelligible English with some foreign accent.  I have no problem with offshoring, since I lead an offshore team and ran scrums in the late night or early AM so they would not have to work OT.  But my requirement for personal customer support, or when I go to the store is intelligible English.  When I have traveled abroad my requirement was always intelligible communication in English or their native language, since I learned what I needed to know to communicate in their languages in the countries I traveled to.

I hate the most (to keep this aviation related) airline systems that require you to punch a bunch of numbers to get to a live human.  Most airlines expect you to book online now, but sometimes I cannot get the seat I want online and I want a human to note my preference.  I also do not like being forced to use check in kiosks...  I want to see a human stamp my ticket as cleared and I want to see a human place a tag on my luggage, bound for the right place.

They say Walmart is giving up human check out in favor of automated check out, problem is the disabled like me (I am slow with my hands now) cannot bag the groceries well, although I can scan them well.

I do not like retail, hotel, airline or any customer service, human contact business to diss human clerks in favor of automation, it makes the shopping experience or guest experience dry.  Soon we will have robotic flight attendants and air crew, mark my words.

John 

[birdguy 3,943]

Yeah John, I understand.  

When I go to WalMart, even if I am only buying two or three items, I stand in the checkout lines so I can talk to a real person.  I note their names and we become acquaintances and I seek out a checkout line with a checker I know and am friendly with.  I prefer the human touch.  When they ask me why I don't use the automated checkout when I only have a couple of items I tell them I can't have a conversation with a machine like I can have with you.

When I'm in line with  new checker I look at the name tag and say, "Alice, that's a pretty name."  Then they ask me what my name is.  We have short conversation while she's bagging the groceries and she knows me the next time I come in.  You can't do that with an automated checkout machine.

What's to become of humans when all the jobs become automated?  Do we become obsolete?  Do they change the names of our countries to Amazonstan?

Noel

[scianoir 610]

7 hours ago, birdguy said:

What's to become of humans when all the jobs become automated?  Do we become obsolete?  Do they change the names of our countries to Amazonstan?

I visited one of our local hospitals yesterday with a family member who was seeing a spinal surgeon because of a disc problem. After going through the main hospital entrance there were a series of automated machines where you had to scan a bar code on your appointment letter and that told you which clinic area you should proceed to. The clinic area was like an airport departure lounge with multiple monitors where your name appeared once the doctor was ready to see you and underneath your name was the number of the door through which you should enter and the room you should then go to. All very impressive, shiny and efficient but at no stage were you greeted by a friendly human and nurses seemed to be very few and far between. 

I am a recently retired surgeon but all of this seemed very alien to me and a stark contrast to what I was accustomed to when I was still working just a few short years ago. Then patients were always greeted and accompanied to the consulting room by a nurse who could provide reassurance, support and comfort if required. It made me wonder what happens now in this hospital if a patient receives bad news - are they pointed towards a reassuring computer???

And don’t even get me started on Amazon!

Bill

 

Edited April 13, 2019 by scianoir

[Freo 83]

I refuse to use self checkout scanners in supermarkets, as its just a way for them to cut down on staff, and deny needy people of employment. I see that the supermarkets are now to fit cameras on the scanners to stop people from cheating. If they employed humans, it wouldn't happen.

[HighBypass 2,339]

At my local supermarket, there are still humans overseeing the self checkouts: We need authorisation for buying painkillers and alcohol etc. (Even if we don't buy them together!). I wait for the employee to come over and tell them I just need clearance for the drugs and booze! 

Now... if there was a scanner using today's technology you would think it would plainly see that I, at 52 years old, am long past 21 !! 

[birdguy 3,943]

In my small town the hospital is still staffed by humans.   I had to get an MRI for a bad shoulder.

I checked in at a desk where they took my ID and Medicare information.  Then they gave me a pager and told me to wait in the lounge.

A little while later the beeper went off and I went to the front desk.  A young lady was waiting for me.

She escorted me to the MRI room.  She was the MRI operator.

When we got finished she escorted me back to the front door of the hospital and told me my doctor would have the results in a couple of days.

Since I am retired military I have no copays for my Medicare and my prescription drug costs are nominal.  I just wish everyone in my country had the same access to healthcare I have.

Noel