This month, Platinum columnist and Loose Women presenter Jane Moore laments the steady march of faceless technology.
WORDS: JANE MOORE
My mother is now in her 90s, and a few years ago, failing eyesight meant she struggled to handle her own paperwork. She asked me to become her power of attorney, and thank goodness she did. For I’m not sure how she would have coped with the increasing alienation of the elderly by some of the country’s largest companies in their relentless pursuit of “going digital”. Heck, I’m only 61 and sometimes struggle to navigate the twists, turns and frustrating dead ends of trying to get anything done online. They tell you it’s for efficiency, but clearly that doesn’t apply to the customer experience.
PLEASE FORM AN ORDERLY QUEUE
Whilst trying to sort out an issue with British Gas not long ago, I started with one of those frustrating chatbots that asked me everything – except my inside leg measurement – before blithely informing me that it didn’t understand what I was asking and that I needed to speak to an adviser. The next message told me, “You’re 610th in line”. Seriously? Equate that to encountering a real-life queue of 610 people snaking down the street and you get the idea of how time-consuming and frustrating things are. But, of course, these companies know you have no other option but to wait because there’s no other way of contacting them.
The banks aren’t much better. Shortly before she handed over the financial reins to me, my mother wanted to pay some money into the bank she’s invested in for decades. I accompanied her and we joined a long queue of solely elderly customers who, presumably, all struggle with new technology too. The branch was shabby, understaffed (only two booths were open) and had no seating whatsoever. It was as if they regarded elderly customers as an inconvenience.
And don’t get me started on the GP surgery she’s been registered with for more than 30 years. Back then, she could ring up in the morning and get a face-to-face appointment in the afternoon. Now? You can’t book an appointment by calling up or even going into the surgery. You have to book online at 8am sharp and it’s like getting tickets for an Adele concert. On multiple occasions, I’ve been sharper off the draw than Billy the Kid and still encountered a message saying, “sorry, all our appointments have gone”.
IT’S A TECHNOLOGY TAKEOVER
So how on earth does anyone from the non-digital generation manage to get themselves seen by a doctor?
