Not quite the same, but...

The reference document didn't quite pack the same wallop for the document I started today, but it was still of some help. I've completed about 3000 words of the 4800+ in the document, so I figure I'll leave something for tomorrow (or go back to it later today if I'm really bored).

So far - not that I'm counting - I've helped the old man with the driveway and in settling a technical issue with his cable provider. In and of itself, the issue wasn't something he couldn't have probably done himself, but being somewhat hard of hearing (and impatient by nature), I can see where he never could get satisfaction from the provider when he attempted to call himself.

I wonder just how widespread is this problem - which I would define as the inability of people with specific disabilities to deal well with automated customer interfaces? Heck, I am already experiencing something of the sort, as I try to track down why $39.95 was taken out of a checking account, ostensibly to pay for some kind of prepaid phone service (and I like to think I'm not really suffering from any disabilities).

In my case, I was able to get the company's phone number but when I actually tried calling the company, I was kept on hold for 20 minutes, never spoke once to a human, and eventually gave up. In my dad's case, the number he called was actually an automated response telling him what number to really call for customer service, and I think in the end, he may have just been waiting to talk to a human.

Enough lollygagging! I've been sitting at this computer for too darn long.

Cheers...