We are experiencing….

“We are experiencing….longer than normal wait times”. Have you heard this when you call a government office or a telecommunications company or perhaps your credit card company or the bank? “We apologize that we are experiencing longer than usual wait times”.. REALLY? They have been saying that for two years, or three or five years - maybe longer….. so I ask, what is this ’USUAL’ or ‘NORMAL’ they are referring to? Was it back in 1962 when the population of Canada was only 20 million? ….when you could actually get a real person when you called somewhere. .. and before you had to go through 7 circles of hell (levels of menus) after hearing ‘please listen to the menu options carefully as our menu options have changed’.. WOW,, they sure must change their menu options a lot… because this is another thing I often hear. “Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed”. So, either they think we only call every three years, OR they sure are changing their menu options regularly. … and why would that be? Can’t they just leave it alone for awhile? OR are workers so short of meaningful work that management has to set them to the task of changing the menu options. The boss,…“How are you today, Terry?”.. The worker, “Well, Boss, I am fine, But, I have nothing to do this morning”. “Oh, Terry,..good news! I am so glad because I have a job for you - we aren’t making our customers crazy enough. Would you mind changing the menu options on the phone message again, and while you are at it, would you mind adding another level..because, hey, 9 just isn’t enough. OH! and make sure that none of the menu options are actually the choices anyone wants. One last thing, Terry, make sure that if they hit the zero, the computer voice tells them”, “Sorry that is not a valid option - Goodbye”.”