I gazed out through the window of the coffee shop where I had gone to escape all the rigors of the day. Across the road a young man struggled with a set of keys to a late model BMW. Suddenly I recognised the car. It was Dean Jones, my account representative from a major supplier. Was the young man simply moving the car for Dean, or removing it for himself? It wouldn't hurt to check!

I reached for my mobile phone and dialed Dean's direct line. He answered, whereon I cut across him with the question, "Did you lend the keys to your car to anyone?". However, Dean continued speaking over me, "...I am away from my desk at present. If you would like to leave your name and phone number I will get back to you when I return." Damn! Voicemail!

I hurriedly hung up and phoned the main office switch. A voice answered with the following instructions. "Should you require general information press 1. Should you require sales information press 2. Should you require technical information press 3". I require none of the above. I just wanted to speak with Dean Jones. Maybe I should try Sales; after all he is an account rep. I press 2. The voice started again, "If you require sales information on hardware press 1. Should you require sales information on software press 2, Should you require sales information on peripherals press 3."

The young man was now behind the wheel and trying to start the car. I could feel my blood pressure rising as panic set in. Forget the switchboard. Under the circumstances the choices were more that I could grapple with! I reached for my electronic organiser and quickly looked up Dean's personal mobile number.

There was a short delay after dialing his number before a monotone and sterile voice announced, "This call is being diverted. Would you please hold the line." Finally I would get to speak with Dean! Suddenly the phone was answered with, "This is Dean Jones. I am away from my desk at present. If you would like to leave your name and phone number I will get back to you when I return."

What was I to do? All I wanted was for someone to find Dean Jones. Surely if this technology was so brilliant it could send some little icon across all those integrated circuits to find him. The benefits I had hoped to achieve from slipping off quietly to the coffee shop were now gone. Has technology gone mad?

Is it truly in the interest of better business to isolate your customers from human contact? To route them, like sheep through a series of inane questions before someone is prepared to speak to them?

Recently I was subjected to this button pressing ridicule when seeking assistance from a major software house. When I finally got to speak to a real person they asked me for some information I didn't have.

They suggested I get the information and call them back. Yes, on the same number! No likely. I made the operator hang on the line while I found the information.

Are we really handling our telephone calls better or are there just fewer phone calls as customers hang up in frustration and anger. I am as cranked up on technology as the next person, but I believe it's benefits must be realistically assessed when it comes between you and your customer.

It is infuriating as a customer to be continually stonewalled by a sterile voice when trying to make contact with someone important to your business.

An operator, on the other hand, can smooth tensions by explaining that the contact is in the building and simply away from their desk momentarily. You then have the choice of waiting on while they find them, or leaving a message.

I am sure the technology industries' answer to this problem will be "interactive" voicemail. As a sales and marketing person I long for the novel concept of PPI - Person to Person Interface! Business after all is transacted between people, not machines.

Across the road there was now an empty space beside the kerb where Dean's car and the young man had been. Before hanging up I left Dean a message. "If you find your car has been stolen give me a call on this number. I can describe the young man who took it. If I am out leave a message on.... my voicemail!!!"

Reg King