Wednesday, November 20, 2013

To Coin a Phrase

Or maybe there already is a  phrase for this: That particular kind of irritation bordering on rage that results from telephone transactions with banks, health insurance companies, cable companies, computer support lines, and pretty much any other business that requires the caller to press numbers, wait on hold, and listen to Muzak.

I spent an hour today being shuttled between various departments to fix problems that should already have been taken care of. Things that were a result of incompetent handling the previous times I spent an hour on the phone listening to Muzak. It's a not-uncommon fact of modern life, but holy hell, is it ever bad for the blood pressure.

So what should this feeling be called, do you think? Customer service rage? Muzak anxiety? Not that giving it a name makes it any more bearable, but at least it gives me something to ponder as I wait. And wait. And wait.
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5 comments:

  1. JoellenNovember 20, 2013 at 10:02 AM

    Maybe "hold rage" or "automated phone rage"

    I agree with you there is not much than sitting there getting madder and madder. The worst are the ones that ask you to say what you need and then does not recognize what you are saying. I don't know if it is the Alabama accent or just me.
    Hope you got your problem resolved this time.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 20, 2013 at 10:48 AM

    There used to be customer service , where the customer mattered....no longer is that true.
    Lack of respect maybe.
    Shuffle you on to the next peon...get you out of their hair..turn the problem over to someone else.
    Not my department ...lack of caring.
    Think I've been there? Yah.
    The president of the company may deserve a letter. Will it help, don't know for sure..but will make you feel better.Beth

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  3. AnonymousNovember 20, 2013 at 11:50 AM

    I got fairly upset today at my annual physical when the nurse kept insisting that this was my Medicare Wellness Visit. No matter how many times I mentioned that I was still working full time and had only the hospital part of Medicare as yet, she insisted that because of my age, I must be a Medicare patient. HELLO! What part of still working full time don't you understand? Mary in MN

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  4. AnonymousNovember 20, 2013 at 7:28 PM

    Did you get the recording that says "Our customers are valuable to us. Please continue to hold"?

    If I were any less valuable, I'd be on hold for a week.

    It's "Telephone tree hell"

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  5. Sister’s SailorNovember 21, 2013 at 8:28 AM

    Before reading any further, please take note of my "name"....I prefer the term jackassery.

    jack•ass•ery noun

    Definition of JACKASSERY
    : a piece of stupidity or folly : doltishness

    I could make a case that the word could be a verb, adjective...who knows, but that in itself, might just be jackassery!

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