73 Comments
Jul 12Liked by Franco Amati

If only ‘they’ were sorry though. Sadly I don’t think they are.

Well expressed piece.

Systems no longer serve customers but rather, profit, sadly.

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Well said, Julie. Thank you.

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It's disappointing. I mean, what's it all for in the end? When everything is done for profit, then they'll be no life left. We'll all be serving a purpose that is the very cause of the downfall of humanity. I hope we don't go that far.

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“I am a bureaucratic brick wall, you want answers, but there are none, only the mealy-mouthed politeness, of the bureaucratic brick wall”

I’m 71 and part of the wisdom from longevity is knowing that, by the luck of the draw, the government representative who handles licenses, registrations, violations of all sorts, etc., ALONG WITH any customer service representatives who handles returns, charge mistakes, billing errors, etc., deal with ASSHOLES 24/7-365

They are conditioned, like rats in a reward or electric shock box, to try to survive in their job; it is the wisdom of age that helps one to recognize when you have a helpful service rep or one who is burned-out and taking their revenge on YOU.

I find that MOST of the time, service reps solve my problem and provided top-notch customer service, despite dealing with every kind of crackpot, schemer and miscreant; anyone who ever worked retail knows that most humans are male and female “KARENS.”

I never give bad reviews; I move on after bad service. A bad review can cause collateral damage to the innocents who depend on that paycheck. I only give glowing reviews; it’s the least I can do considering how much good luck I’ve experienced in life.

The author David Sedaris said it best when he worked as an Elf at Macy’s (not politically correct): “At noon a huge crowd of retarded people came to visit Santa and passed me on my little island. These people were profoundly retarded. They were rolling their eyes and wagging their tongues and staggering toward Santa. It was a large group of retarded people and after watching them for a few minutes I could not begin to guess where the retarded people ended and the regular New Yorkers began. Everyone looks retarded once you set your mind to it.”

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Have hit this wall many times in the last few weeks! Well put. Who are these people? How do they sleep at night? I think they might be NPC's, they might look human, talk like humans, but I am convinced they are just human skins filled with bureaucratic programming. So probably no sleep for them then .... just an OFF switch.

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Ha yes, the frustration certainly makes us see them in this way

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“I am a bureaucratic brick wall, you want answers, but there are none, only the mealy-mouthed politeness, of the bureaucratic brick wall”

I’m 71 and part of the wisdom from longevity is knowing that, by the luck of the draw, you get the government representative who handles licenses, registrations, violations of all sorts, etc., ALONG WITH any customer service representatives who handles returns, charge mistakes, billing errors, etc., whose role in life is to deal with ASSHOLES 24/7-365

They are conditioned, like rats in a reward or electric shock box, to try to survive in their job; it is the wisdom of age that helps one to recognize when you have a helpful service rep or one who is burned-out and taking their revenge on YOU.

I find that MOST of the time, service reps solve my problem and provided top-notch customer service, despite dealing with every kind of crackpot, schemer and miscreant; anyone who ever worked retail knows that most humans are male and female “KARENS.”

I never give bad reviews; I move on after bad service. A bad review can cause collateral damage to the innocents who depend on that paycheck. I only give glowing reviews; it’s the least I can do considering how much good luck I’ve experienced in life.

The author David Sedaris said it best when he worked as an Elf at Macy’s (not politically correct): “At noon a huge crowd of retarded people came to visit Santa and passed me on my little island. These people were profoundly retarded. They were rolling their eyes and wagging their tongues and staggering toward Santa. It was a large group of retarded people and after watching them for a few minutes I could not begin to guess where the retarded people ended and the regular New Yorkers began. Everyone looks retarded once you set your mind to it.”

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Thank you 😂🙏❤️

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Jul 12Liked by Franco Amati

I have had exactly this experience with health insurance. Ugh!

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Yeah I hear you Wendy. Thank you for reading:)

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Wonder what the cement is that holds the brick bureaucracy wall together. Mortar boards of boredom to follow the sheepish grins that placed human automatons behind protective plastic windows in a cage that shutters Venetian blinds from transactions, but get paid to not think. Garbage in to a system, garbage out. Refuse waste to the compost bin. Where is society going? Down the drain. Ask a question get a run around the track. Jump hurdles but get no reward for effort. I could go on, but I’m programmed to hang you up to dry and whet your nerves.

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Thank you, Richard

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“I am a bureaucratic brick wall, you want answers, but there are none, only the mealy-mouthed politeness, of the bureaucratic brick wall”

I’m 71 and part of the wisdom from longevity is knowing that, by the luck of the draw, the government representative who handles licenses, registrations, violations of all sorts, etc., ALONG WITH any customer service representatives who handles returns, charge mistakes, billing errors, etc., deal with ASSHOLES 24/7-365

They are conditioned, like rats in a reward or electric shock box, to try to survive in their job; it is the wisdom of age that helps one to recognize when you have a helpful service rep or one who is burned-out and taking their revenge on YOU.

I find that MOST of the time, service reps solve my problem and provided top-notch customer service, despite dealing with every kind of crackpot, schemer and miscreant; anyone who ever worked retail knows that most humans are male and female “KARENS.”

I never give bad reviews; I move on after bad service. A bad review can cause collateral damage to the innocents who depend on that paycheck. I only give glowing reviews; it’s the least I can do considering how much good luck I’ve experienced in life.

The author David Sedaris said it best when he worked as an Elf at Macy’s (not politically correct): “At noon a huge crowd of retarded people came to visit Santa and passed me on my little island. These people were profoundly retarded. They were rolling their eyes and wagging their tongues and staggering toward Santa. It was a large group of retarded people and after watching them for a few minutes I could not begin to guess where the retarded people ended and the regular New Yorkers began. Everyone looks retarded once you set your mind to it.”

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yes, so many "Karens" out there.

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Reading and loving this from the nurses break room on a 10 minute meal break. The state requires a 30 minute meal but whatever.

Louder for the people in the back please. 👏🏻

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Thank you, Kristin!

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No thank you 💪🏼

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I've been there, on both sides of the desk. Truly awful.

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Thank you, Liz

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You’re welcome, Franco.

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Sep 1·edited Sep 1Liked by Franco Amati

Everytime I read an update of yours, I realize: "he wrote what I am too prude to even think about" - and for that I am truly grateful. You've been helping me to get in touch with a deeper side of life I've been neglecting for so long. Thank you.

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Thank you very much, Cintia.

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Brilliant Piece, Franco.

I can relate.

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Thank you, Orla

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I enjoyed your cynical characterization. Call centers are customer service production lines where humans are an extension of the machine. Your repetition of the perfunctory, "Sorry for the inconvenience," was a perfect mimic of the whole process.

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Thank you, KC. Glad you appreciated that.

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“I will not go in the directions above

or beyond — I will not take even one extra step

or do any small kindness for you

because I am not what you think I am

you must have me mistaken for a human being

I am not...”

— Amazing! Love this poem! Hate bureaucracy! Thank you :)

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Amen and thank you, Michael!

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Yep! Yep! Yep! And the dreadful thing is... humans made the brick wall often with that purpose in mind.

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Yes, you're right about that. Thank you, V.

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I think we've all been there. It's not a pleasant place to be. You captured it perfectly, Franco.

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Thank you, Rod.

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Jul 13Liked by Franco Amati

Well Franco. Glad you got it out. I have been in those types of frustrating scenarios. I find it important to remember that corporations ,although declared persons, are not. You describe their Reps well. I just use the broken record technique and keep asking for the person at the top of the ladder. The good old " I hear what your saying and I want to see your manager"

And then his manager and on up the line.

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That's a smart course of action:) thank you, Paulette.

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we seem to live inside more extensive and frequent brick walls - I appreciate your human-ing the experience!

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yes, we do. Thank you, Beth!

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Although just this Saturday morning - I had a shocking return call from the SS Admin folks asking a f/u question on a Medicare application - I thought it was scam but it was not! We had an actual real human conversation- totally made my day!

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yay for human conversations!

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I listened to the poem first before I read your notes and I was laughing, wanting to ask you in mid-recitation if you might have had a bad day at the DMV haha

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Haha ohh the DMV, don't get me started

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Oh trust me... I know quite well of what you speak my friend.

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"you're call is important to us..." ...that's why we put you on endless hold with shit for music

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Lol I know right!

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