Brad Hock

Comments and criticisms: language, lyrics and maybe politics too

Why aren’t phone menus ONLINE (duh)?

Posted by bradburg on June 3, 2008

Most people hate phone menus, for good (and self-evident) reasons. So in this online era, why doesn’t it occur to the people who run help and support to offer their phone menus, in diagram form, on the company’s website? You could be informed of this option as soon as you dialed in. Then, if you happen to be at a computer, such a diagram would help you navigate through phone menu choices much more easily, with much less confusion, wasted time and backtracking. (And of course, such a diagram could also facilitate making the call directly by computer, for those who have such options.) I haven’t seen one company with the common sense to do this — though there must be some who have (?) — but the point is: Why don’t support people ALL know this would be a big help? How can so many not realize how this minor and relatively cost-free aid would be a big help to customers? P.S. While we’re on the subject . . . It’s irritating, patronizing and insulting to hear that “Our options have recently changed,” in the vast majority of cases when that’s obviously a blatantly transparent lie. (Do support people thiink such a repeated lie builds good relations?) Couldn’t the standard phrase at least be, “Listen carefully because some options may have changed”? Of course, that would be to treat customers as though they deserved respect and courtesy.

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