I phoned my internet service provider yesterday to inform them of a change of address. A simple task, one may think.

Annoyance #1 Our home telephone, being a funky 70’s example, is not a touch-tone. Had to use a mobile phone.

Annoyance #2 The customer service number I rang does not accept calls from mobile-phones. Was given another number to ring, but I didn’t have a pen at hand, so I fetched one and rang the number again.

Annoyance #3 Had to press a series of numbers (1,2,1, then my six-digit customer code) to get through to the correct department and thus make my life so much easier. Having done this, I was then presented with a 30-second voice message telling me all about the extra services I could order via their site. Now 30 seconds is not normally a long time, but I do not care for their adverts. And, despite all these wonderful things I’m being offered, I cannot notify them of a change of address using this method they are so willing to inform me about.

Annoyance #4 Having semi-listened to the recorded advert, was put through to, what I assume, the correct department, where I once again had to answer a number of questions to further help me. Waited a short time, to then be told there were a number of people before me and I should expect a ten-minute wait. Which I refused to do.
Is this really what customer service is nowadays? I seldom use my phone, and avoid any such contact with companies wherever possible. I cannot, for the life of me, understand how such a basic request can get caught up in technowank.