In The Abstract
A routine reflection
During my evening commute, I played a puzzle behind the wheel which had to be solved to reach my target called “customer service.” I had a simple query regarding returning a product that I recently purchased. It prompted me to press almost all the numbers on my keypad in several stages as the melodious bot on the other end of the phone couldn’t process my voice or accent. The bot’s commitment impressed me. It tried its best to help me and prevent my communication with an actual human being.
Sound familiar?
It is true that in this self-serving world, everything is automatic at your fingertips. Be it a restaurant order, a doctor’s appointment, an insurance question, roadside assistance, a travel reservation, or a question on your 401k, the list doesn’t end there. You can be at your convenience and get instant support. But, how much of a human connection do you experience? Can you think of any service where a ‘real’ person answers your call before playing the number game with you — “press 1 for this and 2 for that and 9 for repeat and 0 to go back”.
As part of my job, there is a service that I reach out to on most days of the week. There, a sweet virtual receptionist welcomes me like any other service. Due to the routine interaction, I mastered the navigation of the bot and gradually stopped waiting for its…
