commercial, automated telephone messaging directories utilizing VUI (voice user interface) for bill payments and call routing ARE DEAD
i just wanted to make that announcement. call me a futurist, if you will.
"thank you for calling GIANT Corporation. This call may be monitored, for quality assurance."
"please say or enter your 6 digit policy number followed by the pound sign"
"you entered 837272, is this correct?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't get that. please say or enter your 6 digit policy number ... "
"you entered 837272, is this correct?"
"I'm sorry, I didnt get that. please say or enter...."
"to return to the main menu please press 1 ... "
... 5 minutes and 20 elevated points in blood pressure later ....
"I'm sorry, I didn't get that. To return to the main menu press 1, to hear more options ...."
I'm sorry folks, this is far from the future. It will be a hackneyed joke for every hack stand-up comedian five years from now. "remember those stupid voice automated telephone systems from the '00s? Gosh .. they sucked! (audience - ahahahah!)
I'm not saying .tel will definitely be the one to fill these poor hobo shoes, but hey, imagine just for a moment, as I'd like to right now, while my blood pressure slowly cools back to normal, that I could simply pick up my mobile phone, enter giantcorporation.tel, and within a few simple clicks, (without having to be degraded by some ridiculous substitute for personal human interaction) I could be directed to the exact department/option that I need to get to to do what i need to do, without having to waste my damn time and give me a headache on my otherwise pleasant Saturday afternoon.
In my mind, there's a gaping hole there just waiting for the right new technology to soccer punt this ridiculous voice-automated relic back into the 20th century.
