2011-03-03

Waiting on hold...

In the mid 90s, Cisco Systems did something very simple and yet amazing with their tollfree telephone support line. You could call in, and instead of wasting your time sitting on hold running up their phone bill, you could hang up, and keep your place in line. When it was your turn, they would call you back.

Other companies copied this idea, since it saves money. However, they would "forget" to call back, or would drop you to the back of the queue after all the people who were holding, or they would call back at lunch time or right before the end of office hours.

That most large corporations cannot be trusted regarding so simple as returning phone calls, even when it's in their own direct financial interest, is a demonstration of exactly what is wrong with corporations. Or maybe of structured organizations of humans in general.