Why Wall.E?

...

?

hei ol,yy.

Nono. Hello asking over over..

I just want to speak to a human being.

Please?


Nope. Not happening. Not today. Instead, the computer-generated voice on the other end of the line kept droning on, spouting off my available options. Its perky disposition didn't make me feel any happier and was, in fact, starting to honk me off.

My DAD asked me to handle paperwork like, terminate electric supply, inform the change of outlet addres, work permits and etc. This is like a job I never thought of. An difficult task that I ever asked Mei Yun have she ever tried to help her dad reading and deal with the government letter. Honestly, I’ve to admit my broken English. But really it’s too hard, I don’t know the words. To figure out, I have to call them and ask one-by-one. Naturally, that's the time when someone (read: me) gets sick.

Simei Eastpoint Mall outlet has been closed for a month and White Sands is opening soon in a week. So I was getting nowhere fast.

"For this option, please press 1 now," the computer chimed in for the hundredth time. "For that option, please press 2 now. To report a lost or stolen option, please press 3 now. To give up all hope of ever reaching the place you want, please press the pound key now."

So which button do I push to speak to someone with a pulse?

As I continued to press buttons and transfer from one computer to another, I started to wonder if it was the flu virus or the computer's constant need to say "please" that made me want to barf. On a whim, I pressed the zero button.

"Transferring to the operator. Please wait."

Ah ha! Now we're getting somewhere. "We're sorry. All of our available operators are currently helping other clients. You're call is important to us and will be answered in the order it was received. Please wait ... forever"

Argh!!!

Eventually, I did manage to get that elusive appointment. However, it got me wondering if this whole exercise in frustration was actually necessary. In today's smaller, , it's sometimes necessary to use automated voice mail to deal with the crush of calls some places get in a given day. However, just because an office has the capability, does it really need to use it?

Some company took a stand on this issue. Responding to complaints from folks, some agencies have set limits on the time customers have to deal with telephone answering systems. In at least one case, the policy stated that making customers deal with an automated recording for more than 30 seconds is considered "not cool."

Today's society is full of wondrous gadgets that are supposed to make our lives easier, improve efficiency and reduce costs. However, spinning your wheels for minutes on end to get an answer to a simple question isn't what some would call efficient.

Here's another thing to consider. It's people, not computers that can fully understand someone's problem and immediately connect them to the right office for help. Computers don't care if you've been in limbo for 30 minutes wanting to speak to someone for help or answers. They only do what they're programmed to do.

There are still roughly many many Singaporeans in today's Singapore deployed all around the world in some of the roughest, most inhospitable places you can imagine. Yet, despite our busy schedules, it just makes sense to turn off that computerized answering system now and then and see what happens.

After all, we just want to speak to a human being.



Please?

Just stay awaay.

What an upside-down world.
I never know this until I decided to change my heart.
Why it happen in that way?
Or I’m not good enough?
No one is going responsible for any.
I still can’t wonder why.

:( x2

Stresss.