What ever happened to customer service and personal interaction? The use of touch-tone telephone technology is contributing to the creation of a more angry society. Today, it is rare to call a company and hear a pleasant voice say "Thank you for calling the 'XYX' company. How may I help you?" Instead, you hear a series of pre-recorded messages that eventually lead you down a dead end path.

"Hello. Thank you for calling the 'XYZ' company. If you know your party's extension you may dial it now." (Of course you don't know the extension, because you can't ask for it!)

It is extremely difficult to get where you want to go, without spending a lot of time, and getting more and more frustrated each time you are offered another "option." All you really want, is to have your question answered or your problem solved within a reasonable amount of time.

Of course, the use of this technology is more cost effective for most companies. They don't have to pay someone to answer the telephone. But what about your time and peace of mind? Isn't that worth something? Of course it is. It is worth infinitely more than the few dollars the company is saving.