Recorded messages, in these technological times, are swinging too much weight to be useful in their technological niche.
One of their most frustrating functions is to limit a caller”s choice of query. All interpersonal communication instrumental to immediate response requires immediate feedback, and recorded telephone messages are never satisfactory. They make the caller listen to much detail, nearly all of which could not possibly be of any interest to the caller. After wasting the caller”s time in this way, the recorded matter tells him to leave a message and they will get back to him as soon as possible.
They also drastically limit what the caller”s message can be, and some demand prerequisite information from the caller that he will in all probability have to do research to find. Further, some of the recorded delivery is so rapid and/or ill-pronounced that the caller cannot understand, especially those who are slow thinkers or elderly; and of course there is no way to request repetition.
Recorded messages are obviously employed to benefit the establishment that has had them installed and/or to frustrate the callers who must use them; for those who have them installed cannot be unaware of the extreme frustration they occasion.
Dean Sparks, Lucerne
