We’ve all come up against that frustrating, technological monster, the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.  It takes forever to find the right option, and if there is ever a possibility that you can actually speak with someone live, it takes another lifetime waiting on hold listening to badly recorded music.

In the current days of a highly connected world, the IVR system is a very loud and clear message to your customers, that you have gone to great trouble and expense to ensure that you cannot speak to them.

It is your very own corporate equivalent, of the Great Wall of China:

Back in the ’70s, George Carlin once pondered, “What if they let all the people in the world on hold, talk to each other?”

The late Mr. Carlin had the right idea.  Disconnection is bad; conversation is good.  If you want to ensure your customers are totally disconnected from you, get an IVR system.  IVR is bad; Social Media is good.

(reblogged from SocialMedia404.com)