The Sprayberries

Automated Voice Phone Menus Should Be Illegal
[tyson]

I had to talk to United airlines yesterday to confirm our flights but I didnt really want to give the main trainstation public phone hundreds of Euros to do it so I went through the following rigamarole-

1) Pretend my credit card was stolen so i could call them collect
2) Tell them my card was ok, but could they please transfer me to the Airlines people anyway
3) Lose my dignity to an automated voice menu

Pleasing Male Voice- Hi, If at any point during our conversation youre not sure of your options just say Help, sound good? Great, lets get started. Please say your reservation number, or if you dont know it say I dont know.
Ty- I dont know.
PMV- Did you say I dont know?
Ty- Yes.
PMV- Well lets try and find your flight information another way. Are your reservations one way, round trip or multiple cities?
Ty- (hmm, im flying one way using two carriers through multiple cities...um...) I dont know.
PMV- Did you say I dont know?
Ty- Yes.
PMV- A one way trip...(proceeds to explain the difference between one way and round trip). Are your reservations one way, round trip, or multiple cities?
Ty- Help.
PMV- Did you say help?
Ty- Yes.
PMV- Please hold for the next available agent.
40 minutes of hold then disconnected. I try again this time just yelling help into the phone nonstop. Perhaps a little demeaning but Ill never talk to that automated voice guy in person. After 30 min of holding i get in touch with an agent who finds my flight info and then the phone disconnects us again. I go get a beer.

Other News-

1) Henry got a UTI and is sick in the hostel. Shes been waiting to see rome her whole life and now cant even leave the room. Sad doesnt even begin to describe it.

2) Rome is hot and wicked dirty. I have never in my life seen a more constant stream of tourists in and out of a city. 24 hours a day people flood into and out of the main train terminal. All with bags, from all over the world. Stunning.

3) We saw The Forum yesterday. Who graffittis a 3000 year old monument with their name? Morons.