Part 3. voice mail may cost company's business.
Keywords.
voice mail, ad campaign, high service, voice jail, Etiquette Guide.
Vocabulary.
turn off, voice mail, be wary of, health maintenance organization(HMO), lampoon, disembodied, fidelity, spoof, fury, run-in, flawed, etiquette, overhaul, tag, backlash, Take Care, Plogue Research, Pacific Bell.
A. Listen to a radio program about automated phone systems.As you listen, complete the following statements which reflect different opinions of the speakers.
An automated phone systems aimed at saving companies money may be turning off their customers.
The system is voice mail, and in which callers are instructed to punch buttons to reach the desired party or to have a question answered.
It's used by more than one third of major U.S companies.
Consultants are warning that this system has hidden cost, that could result in lost business.
In the San Francisco area, one company's biggest selling point is that it does not use voice mail.
Five years ago, when voice mail was first introduced, many companies were wary of the technology.
Now it seems voice mail has taken over both business and government phone services.
In a recent ad campaign, Take Care, a large health maintenance organization, lampooned the disembodied voices with their menu options.
Hello, Welcome to Fidelity HMO. If you have a question, press 1 now. If you'd like that question answered, press 2 now.
It you'd like to be put on hold for ten minutes, press 3 now. If you'd like to hear bland orchestrated pop songs...
In the ad, Take Care boasts its customers have an old-fashioned alternative to voice mail.
And the patient's first name? And how can I help you?
In the Take Care service department, ten live operators answer more than a thousand customer phone calls each day.
President Jud Jessup says the spoof on voice mail has been a huge success in promoting his company's distinctive image.
We strive to deliver personalized service.
