Monday, August 10, 2009

Prescription Call Fun

This morning I had a bit of frustrating fun with an automated telephone system. I was trying to find out if my doctor had ordered some needed medication from my mail order prescription provider:
.....................................

Machine: Good Morning. This is the prescription filling section of ..........................................
Are you calling about a prescription order? Say "yes" or "no".

Joe: Yes.

Machine: Are you calling about a prescription order? Say "yes" or "no".

Joe: Yes.

Machine: Are you calling about a prescription order? Say "yes" or "no".

Joe: Yes

Machine: Did you say Yes?

Joe: Yes.

Machine: Buzz Buzz Buzz (phony computer sounds to make you think that a computer is working on your order.)

Machine: (after 3 minutes of buzzes) Please say your first name.

Joe: Joe.

Machine: Was that Joel?

Joe: No. It was Joe.

Machine: I do not understand. Please say your first name.

Joe: Joe.

Machine: You have said "Joe", if that is correct, please say "yes".

Joe: Yes.

Machine: Please say your last name.

Joe: Vaughan.

Machine: You have said Flom. If that is correct, please say "yes'.

Joe: No

Machine: Please spell your last name.

Joe: V A U G H A N

Machine: Was that B A U C A A M ?

Joe: No.

Machine: Please say your ID code. If you need time to find the code we will wait for you. (BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ... for 3 or 4 minutes.)

Machine: Please say your ID code.

Joe: 1 3 6 8 5 5 3 7 1

Machine: Was that A R R Y?

Joe: No (with much cursing under his breath, but apparently loud enough for the machine to hear.)

Machine: I do not recognize your entry, please say your ID code.

Joe: 1 3 6 8 5 5 3 7 1

Machine: I am very sorry but I do not understand your entry and I will have to transfer you to one of our customer representatives.

Joe: Thank God!

Machine: BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ.... for 3 or 4 minutes.

Recording: All of our representatives are busy helping customers. Please stay on the line because your call is very important to us.

Recording: All of our representatives are busy helping customers. Please stay on the line because your call is very important to us.

Recording: All of our representatives are busy helping customers. Please stay on the line because your call is very important to us.

Human: (at last) Good morning. Se habla Espanol. What is your name please?

(After a half hour with machines, all it took was one minute with a human to get the situation all cleared up.)

1 comment:

Chris said...

Yeah - that wouldn't be MEDCO, would it? That sounds like their automated system.