October 24, 2007

Can You Hear Me?


Oh the joys of the telephone. I wanted to pay my phone bill with my credit card tonight. I called the number AT&T provided and I got an automated voice. Of course. Usually that isn't a problem. This time however, it wasn't as easy as it should have been. "The Voice" asked me what I wanted to do. I said, "Make a payment." The voice said it couldn't hear me, could I please repeat what I wanted to do. I said it louder. The voice said it couldn't hear me and could I please repeat what I wanted to do. I said it a little louder again and it understood. The voice then asked me if I wanted to make a payment with a credit card etc. to press a certain number - I could do that, it didn't have to hear what I wanted. The voice then asked me to say my credit card number or I could enter the numbers in followed by the pound sign. I opted for putting the numbers in. It's a good thing too! After the numbers were entered it asked if my card ended in certain numbers. I said yes. The voice told me it couldn't hear me, could I please repeat myself. I said yes a little louder. Meanwhile, I hear my hubby who has returned home from work. I'm thinking, I will be done soon, not a problem. The voice then asked me if I wanted to pay a certain amount. I said yes. The voice said it didn't hear me. I said yes a little louder. The voice still didn't hear me. I yelled YES in the phone. Hubby then enters the room I am in and wonders why I am yelling YES into the phone. I was afraid to say anything but yes or no so I just motioned for my hubby to be quiet and waved the credit card at him. I then yelled YES and NO into the phone a few more times. Hubby stood there with a funny looking smile wondering if his wife was sane, and who was she yelling at. At the end of the transaction the voice asked me to please let them know my satisfaction of this transaction. One was being very poor and five was totally satisfied. I punched in 2 because I could actually punch in a number and I did finally get to pay the bill and not have to yell at the voice. The voice then said, I'm sorry to hear that. Goodbye. The voice then hung up. I wanted to yell in the phone that it didn't hear me half the time before, why could it now! I then had to explain to hubby why I was yelling yes and no into the phone. He looked a little relieved when he heard I was trying to pay the phone bill. I was sane after all! Maybe next month I will mail in the check so I won't have to deal with the voice again!

7 comments:

~Bren~ said...

Oh I H*TE those voice things. Information uses them now too. I always punch 0 to talk to someone other than a computer.

Charlene said...

Can you speak a little louder? I can't hear you!

Charlene said...

Obviously I can't read your comments either?? Try again?

Charlene said...

I was in the Avon Store and the clerk was yelling into the phone trying to get someone's card okayed. She sounded so crazy

Joni said...

LOL! I have never had one do that to me but man how frustrating. What's that I couldn't hear you?

Anonymous said...

ZERO!!! I press zero too, Bren! Geez! For the amount of money you pay, you would think you could get an actual person!

Rose said...

Oh that's hilarious, now that it's all over with of course ;)