I wanted to find out the remaining fibre broadband contractual period from a local telco couple days back. I’ve first logged into the telco’s account management portal to check the remaining contractual period. Alas it was nowhere to be found..
There was a footer redirecting queries to the telco representative using the chat bubble on the main telco page. The chat bubble looks and smells like a common AI chat bot (No, it’s not Jamie). My eyes glanced at the usual bot greetings, and a disclaimer not to enter any personal data into the chat box.
I then settled into a line of 25 ahead of me, after finding out the bot could not be of any help. TWENTY FIVE! That’s just as bad as getting in line at the bank branches!
Does this not sound familiar?
The wait hadn’t left us. It’s still there, sapping time (minus the annoying elevator music emanating from the phone’s speaker) all trying to get a simple answer. Now I need to monitor the web page tab with the chat bot simultaneously working on another tab in the web browser.
I have to be careful with what I type into the chat box because “Important : Do not type or attach any personal information or credit card details during this live chat as it’s not encrypted.”
Not encrypted? Are we in back in Year 2000, Ffs? At the barest minimum, have you not heard of free TLS certificates from Let’s Encrypt? Can you be trusted at all, telco bot?
Almost at the front of the line when I have to be, must be, without fail – close the MOST IMPORTANT tab.
THE MOST IMPORTANT WEB BROWSER TAB.
I’m sure it’s nearly impossible for me to accidentally hang up a phone call, in the flow of things.