UNITED STATES—People might think I’m crazy, but I don’t care, I’m going to say it: I like interacting with people! It seems like with the constant evolution of technology we’re headed into a direction where the thought of dealing with people will become non-existent and that is NOT a good thing America. Low and behold I walk into my cable establishment last week to pay my monthly bill, to find myself being forced to utilize a kiosk machine to make a payment. I’m immediately taken back when I hear this. My first response to the person waiting to greet customers at the door is, “When did that happen?”
Nothing infuriates me more than when a person blatantly lies to my face and it seems companies think their customers are idiots. Her immediate response was “About three to four weeks ago.” Hmm, pretty sure you’re lying because I was just here 2 weeks ago and that was not the case. I hate interacting with machines. Why? They’re not human beings and they have malfunctions. What happens if I have a major issue and I NEED to speak to someone? It seems like whenever you pose that question to many companies they can never deliver you a rebuttal that makes much sense.
This latest stunt by my cable provider does really have me thinking rather I actually need cable or not. I mean I would be the person always advocating for the service, but with Hulu, Fire Stick, Netflix and so many other streaming services available. Everything that I watch on TV, I can have in one service. Yes, the only sucky part is not really having that element of live TV that I have come accustomed to, but I’m certain I can adjust. It’s a thought people, it’s certainly a thought.
This column is not about cable providers, but the focus of so many companies relying solely on machines to provide Americans with a service. I mean every time I enter the bank they try their hardest to get me to utilize this device that is like a teller, but I don’t have to interact with a teller. The grocery store has self-scanning checkout, where the lines are longer than if you were waiting to have your groceries actually rung up. Machines are popping up left and right.
I mean should I expect machines capable of cutting and doing one’s hair in the near future, what about cutting the grass without even having a guide. These things are all possible, but at the same time it is slowly, but surely getting rid of the notion of interacting with people and providing quality customer service. It is absolutely unacceptable America and we need to make sure our voices are heard.
Many of these so-called kiosks that many utility providers use don’t provide customers with change. What does that mean you have to bring exact change or expect to have a credit of some sorts when you pay your bill each month! I already pay more than what I should, and now you’re asking me to give you extra because you’re too lazy to program a machine to give a person their change back. Yeah, lazy is the wrong word I should be utilizing in this instinct America.
By utilizing machines to do things that people once did, we are cutting people from the job force. Yeah, for the company looking to make a massive buck so their earnings rise, while the employees lose it’s a good thing, but if these so called machines provide lackluster service, what impact can that have on customers? Well, they can choose to spend their funds at another establishment. Machines malfunction, they always do and will always continue to do so. Nothing is perfect in the world of technology. I mean ATMs break all the time, credit card processing machines malfunction, then what. Most Americans rely on debit and credit cards nowadays so if those are not an option, what do we do?
What do we do, that is indeed the question of the hour because we are not at a loss for words. The machines that have been pushed onto us have malfunctioned causing more mayhem and frustration if we were to just deal with a human being.