Annoying voice mail systems
Let me tell you what’s really been pissing me off lately: voice mail systems. And more specifically, how they’re so goddamn inefficient and slow in telling you how to leave a message.
I think we all know how to leave a message on voice mail by this point. Seriously. I mean, answering machines have been around for like, 20 years, and voice mail is the exact same thing. So why the hell do I get this long-ass message whenever I call up someone’s cell phone that fucking explains to me in atomic-level detail about the goddamn process of leaving a message? Check out the message for my cell phone:
To page this person, press 5 now. At the tone, please record your message. When you are finished recording, you may hang up or press 1 for more options.
Okay. That is ridiculous. Look at all that extra verbiage. Allow me to put that message on a diet:
To page this person, press 5. After recording your message, hang up or press 1 for options.
And that’s for Cingular. Verizon is even worse. Ugh.
October 24th, 2005 at 6:33 pm
It’s my belief that the companies make the process as long as possible to stretch the call into the next chargable minute.
October 24th, 2005 at 10:47 pm
tommy boy…great to see your back in the ranting business!
October 25th, 2005 at 12:15 pm
Tom, I have the voicemail thing figured out. The reason they use so many extra words, speak so slowly, and have such long pauses, is to get the call length up over a minute and into the two minute range. Although, come to think of it, it’s not the company with the voicemail that’s making the money there, particularly because with the prominence of IN networks and the like, if it’s someone from with the same service, the call is probably free anyway. Maybe they formed some sort of partnership. Am I way off base?
April 11th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
They do this because they need their heads examined - yes EXAMINED - examined like you would examine road kill that is squashed all over the ground, not that I am saying they SHOULD have their heads squashed all over the ground, but EXAMINED like their head is squashed all over the ground - Yup, That’s it, Where’s my medicine?