What Was That Phone Number?

A telephone system transmits fields of radio waves and electrical signals to a receiver.  The transmitter also acts as a receiver allowing for a two-way communication system at its most basic level.  This back and forth transmission system of information can be very useful in many ways.  Trouble is people try to communicate with each other using this system.

No, a two-way conversation does not indicate communication, much less comprehension.  If a person calls a company and a robot answers, the only guarantee is a two-way conversation.  The phone is answered right away, and the robot always responds, but the person has to say what the pre-programmed robot expects to hear or there's no communication and the robot hangs up.  If the person asks to speak to a person, often times the robot doesn't understand and the conversation is over.

Some companies have live phone operators available from outside North America.  So when Fernando is the only employee willing to work overtime, a person punches one for English to report a landline malfunction and Fernando answers. Fernando doesn't understand English, but reads out the carefully scripted statements from his worksheet in English.  Afterwards the person's landline is still dead, but $75 of new services has been added to the bill.

Yes, two people talking seem to create mixed signals.  Two people that supposedly speak the same language might even make sparks fly.  An irate customer asking to speak to the manager is told by the scapegoat the manager will call later.  No call comes from any manager.  Instead a generic letter is sent to the customer stating a call was made.  The customer calls the number in the letter, which is the number back to the scapegoat.  Of course the scapegoat has never heard of the manager who supposedly sent the letter.

What was that phone number?  Where could you even look that up?  It's not available.  That goes against the aggression and manipulation strategy of AT&T executives.  No customer is satisfied by the aggression and manipulation tactic of non-communication.  So why do they do it?  They all seem to know what to do, so they must have all attended the same School of Gotcha.

Yes, there's a School of Gotcha, but they don't meet in a schoolyard.  It is a highly classified coaching session held regularly at all AT&T executive meetings.  The place for each meeting varies.  It could be on an executive jet with their favorite Scotch, in an executive boardroom with a catered spread, or one of the monthly executive retreats which alternates beaches in the sun and snowy mountains next to the fireplace.  The School of Gotcha coaching outline covers creative new ways for mixing signals.  When signals are mixed, there's no real communication.  It's non-communication because there's no conversation and certainly no comprehension.

That phone number is not available, so how do you speak to an executive from the School of Gotcha?  Don't mix signals.  Speak one way.  Send your check to a company that ensures two-way communication.