Computer Says No!

Although Maldon CAB has wholeheartedly embraced the wonders of modern day technology (you should see our computerised case management system and our electronic bureau evidence reports!) this does not mean we unreservedly welcome all technological change as progress. An old fashioned time and motion study would quickly demonstrate how much adviser time is spent trying to find a human being to talk to at the end of a telephone or attempting to rectify a computer generated problem. Far too often the computer says “No!” whilst the automated telephone service force feeds us an unappetising menu of push button options only to tell us there’s a long queue for our preferred desert, so “please hold”. As you can see from this annual report we tend to divide the problem areas we deal with into different categories such as debt, benefit and housing. However all advisers would probably agree that there is a growing problem that increasingly affects all walks of life and frequently compounds the wide ranging problems that increasing affects all walks of life and frequently compounds the wide ranging problems we try to help resolve. It will probably come as no surprise that this relatively new problem is often, but not always called a “Call Centre” and that one of its defining characteristics I as an automated system that tries to shoe horn everyone into a particular box or herd them in a predetermined direction. For most people this relatively new approach to customer service is merely another of life’s frustrations but for many of our clients it is the straw that breaks the camels back; a problem that has real and negative impact on the quality of their life. We’ve no shortage of examples to illustrate our point but space is at a premium so we’ll limit ourselves to a shortlist of sic for our “Computer says no!” award. And this years nominations are:

1. The energy supplier that can’t sort out its billing despite one years worth of letters and phone calls because the computer still won’t recognise the meter nor the address.
2. The landlord inundating its tenants with computer generated bills for services never received, or for services provided before the existence of the tenancy.
3. The loan company that can’t discuss renegotiating repayments until the client has defaulted because only then will the account show up on the right computer screen.
4. The bank that keeps existing customers on hold listening to a machine forever but fast tracks potential new customers straight through to a real person (try selecting the “new customer” option you will usually be transferred to an “existing customer” line out of a sense of embarrassment).
5. The “free phone” benefits and advice line that charges mobile phone users who are phoning for help with urgent financial problems.
6. The mortgage company that puts borrowers on hold an subjects them to such musical delights as “What a beautiful day” and “Happy talk”.