Quote of the Day (Tim Harford, on That Obnoxious ‘Redundant Reminder Email’)

“The redundant reminder email: Surely I do not need an email from an airline or train company or theatrical impresario reminding me to bring my ticket? Surely I do not need an email from an airline or train company or theatrical impresario reminding me to bring my ticket? A helpful reminder to the hopelessly inept, they are a colossal annoyance to everyone else. Given that the Covid rules might have changed, or the departure time rearranged, it’s risky to delete them without careful scrutiny. But when that careful scrutiny merely reveals that I will not be allowed on the plane if I don’t bring my passport, then you’re wasting the time of your 99.9 per cent least incompetent customers.”— “Underground Economist” columnist Tim Harford, “The Seven Types of Email You Should Never, Ever Send,” The Financial Times, Jan. 7-8, 2023

Joke of the Day (Conan O’Brien, on Airlines’ Customer Service)

“Last year, complaints about airlines increased 22%. There were probably more complaints, but the airlines lost them.”—TV late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien, tweet of Apr. 24, 2015

Quote of the Day (Delia Ephron, on Customer-Service Hell With Verizon)

“At some point during my day on the phone with Verizon, at least two hours in, I had to go through all their prompts again. I yelled at the prompts. Prompts are sinister, because after Verizon disconnects you, you have to call back and obey the rules to get to anyone again.”— Delia Ephron, “On Hold With Verizon,” The New York Times, Aug. 20, 2016

I suspect that more than a few people will identify with Delia Ephron’s rage against Verizon. I had my own horrifying experience with them just a few weeks ago, leaving me in the same state of sputtering rage that she describes.

You would think that improving customer service would be a priority for the company. You—and hundreds of thousands of other Americans—would be wrong, however. The company’s arrogance has grown with its size. We will see how long it takes before consumers begin to punish them for their ways.