Sir, – I recently went to the Montrose branch of the Bank of Ireland, intent on speaking to an actual member of staff. I was ushered into a little room with a telephone and directed to speak to a disembodied voice. I emailed Bank of Ireland to complain about such a dehumanised way of doing business. I received a brief email in reply, which thanked me for my feedback and told me that new services had been introduced in their branches to make banking “more efficient for our customers”. This is just one example of a phenomenon that I’m sure many of your readers also experience and lament. Who is actually in favour of this increasing facelessness in business and public life? Isn’t the great claim of the free market that it is supposed to give people what they want? Who is calling for this? Surely the great majority of customers would rather talk to a person than negotiate an online form, a recorded telephone menu or a self-service machine?
Today I sent an email to the Consumers’ Association of Ireland, suggesting they begin a campaign against this sort of dehumanisation in business. The ironic reply: “Thank you for contacting the Consumers’ Association of Ireland. The huge response to our recent request for correspondence in relation to consumer issues means we are unable to respond to all queries and unfortunately we are not in a position to offer you advice at this time.” No help from that quarter, then. But surely there is something that can be done, if enough people feel the same way? Any suggestions from your readers? – Yours, etc,
MAOLSHEACHLANN
Ó CEALLAIGH,
Woodford Drive,
Clondalkin, Dublin 22.