Now it’s all automated prompts and hold music. But honestly, I’ve seen fewer mix-ups with service lately, so maybe it’s a fair trade?
I get what you’re saying. I do miss the “neighborly” feel, but I can’t deny the efficiency has improved. Last year, I had a flat in the middle of nowhere—got help faster than I expected. Not as warm, but definitely more reliable for my wallet.
I totally get the trade-off. On one hand, I do miss talking to an actual person who remembers your name or at least pretends to care. On the other... it’s hard to argue with getting the job done faster and with fewer mistakes. I do kind of worry about what happens when the tech glitches, though. Automated systems are great—until they’re not, you know? Still, I guess fewer headaches overall.
Had a weird one last month—locked my keys in the van at my kid’s soccer game, called AAA, and got stuck in their automated loop for ages. Eventually sorted it, but man, I missed the days when you’d just talk to a person. Feels like it’s all about efficiency now, but when the tech hiccups, you’re just stuck.
Yeah, I totally get what you mean. Last winter, I had a flat on the side of the highway and tried calling AAA. Ended up yelling “operator” at my phone like a crazy person because the automated thing just wasn’t getting it. I swear, there was a time when you’d call and some nice person would answer and actually know your neighborhood. Now it’s all “press 1 for this, press 2 for that,” and if you mess up, you’re back to square one.
I will say, when you finally get through, the folks who show up are still pretty solid. But man, the hoops you have to jump through now... it’s just not as smooth as it used to be. Maybe I’m just getting old and cranky, but I miss the days when customer service felt a bit more... human? Guess that’s just how things are going everywhere though.
I swear, there was a time when you’d call and some nice person would answer and actually know your neighborhood.
Man, I totally remember that. Used to be you’d call and the dispatcher would say stuff like, “Oh, you’re by the old gas station on Main?” Now it’s all GPS and apps. Out of curiosity, have you noticed any difference in how fast they show up? My last classic car tow took forever, but maybe that’s just my luck...
