What is in fact a simple task can become extremely unpleasant, and not to mention unnecessary. On one particular occasion, I called the directory only to have it ring endlessly until someone FINALLY picked up. Expecting the standard ‘Good afternoon, thank you for calling X, how may I help you?’ I was instead greeted with silence (!) on the other end. I was confused. Was there something wrong with the phone line? Did my line get cut off? Was this normal? Did I do something wrong? What was happening?? The questions flooded my mind. In my state of flustered uncertainty I blurted out ‘Hello?’ The response I got was an unfriendly ‘Yes?’ - making me sound as if I was intruding or disrupting her day (what ever happened to the old mantra Service with a Smile??). Not wanting to be sucked into her vortex of unhappiness, I ignored the tone of her voice and asked for the number POLITELY.

Apparently politeness wasn’t a thing she recognized as all I got was a grunt in respond. As if that wasn’t enough, I was abruptly connected to the IVR system that provides the number requested. I didn’t even get the simplest ‘Would you mind holding?’ or even ‘One moment please’. Was my call so unworthy and insignificant that I received such treatment? Was my request such a waste of time? Do all callers get such treatment from her, or did I catch her on a ‘bad day’? This single 2-minute phone call created such a negative impression on me that any good experiences I previously had were instantly overridden. I was scarred.