2. Maxims of the New Millennium

Maxim no. 1: Almost everyone has a cellphone.

Maxim no. 2: Almost no one answers it.

It’s extraordinary. It was easier to reach people when we only had land lines. We now spend most of our telephone time talking to recordings.

It also appears that businesses spend huge portions of their time juggling their internal lines, for most businesses indicate: “Please listen carefully as our options have changed.”

After you listen carefully and select the option you want (which was the same option it’s always been), you’re in for the next recording, which starts with the words “You’ve reached” so and so.

But you haven’t reached anyone. You’re just faced with another recording.

What’s worse is getting on a loop where you hear over and over:

“Your call is important to us.”

“We’re sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Someone will be with you shortly.”

All lies!

We really try to avoid all this at Halton Hyperbarics. Sure, you have to have a recording when the person who normally answers the phone is tied up, but if you “listen carefully” there is a number given where you can reach a human being.

Another practice that has arisen is the setting up of a future phone call. “We can discuss this further. We’ll get back to you about a time.” The email subsequently arrives suggesting a phone conversation two weeks from next Thursday at 1:15 PM. We never used to have to do that. It was more “Hey, just call. If I’m tied up I’ll tell you.”

The message here is please call Halton Hyperbarics anytime and we’ll do our best to speak with you in person then and there. After all, your call is important to us...