It's impossible to talk about these things without resorting to anecdotal evidence, I don't keep a log, for one, and one can always point to counterexamples, as did I. But it's still difficult to escape the feeling that they really don't WANT to talk to you, and that maybe you'll just go away if they run you around long enough. And there is no doubt, the "0" or "#" option doesn't work as much any more as it used to.

One company, after I finally got through to them, told me that simply speaking the phrase "personal service" into the telephone would automatically get me to a human operator. Unfortunately, only by getting to a human operator could you learn that.

The day when you could go to Sears, find someone in a necktie, and complain, and if you were fairly polite and reasonable in your request, get satisfaction, seem to be coming to an end. Of course, many companies still feel that customer service matters, and do a good job, like the ones I mentioned by name. But they are usually smaller companies, and owned by a person or they cater to an upscale clientele.

We just learned the other day that if you buy a personal computer from a certain company and order their top-of-the-line extended warranty, you get a special number to call if you have problems that puts you in touch with an American technician who speaks good English. That's not just infuriating, that's insulting.