Dear Editor,
Kindly allow me space in your letter column, to publicly beseech the telephone company that uses the most vexatious and belligerent, “The person you are calling is on the phone!” to kindly implement a more polite and conversational response and tone.
“We’re really sorry, but the number that you have dialled is currently engaged; please try again,” in a pleasant, ‘smiling’ Guyanese tone would be just fine, and convey that you really care about the customer. But you may wish to note that every automated response is an opportunity to remind your customers of the services that you offer, and to say that you care, as an inexpensive alternative to costly promotional campaigns. The latter really are wasted when a customer gets frustrated on the phone.
There are several other automated responses that are equally as irksome, that ought to be improved; so, a general review would be in order.
While I’m at it, kindly allow me to also beseech these companies to stop ‘tiefing de people money’, when customers’ phone credit is forfeited due to some time limit. The consumer bodies should investigate this, if they have not already done so. Once you have paid the company, the service should end when the money runs out by usage, not time.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Evelyn
