And don't you just hate it when the voicemail system asks for your
> account code so they "can better process your call" and the very first
> thing that the human operator asks for is your account number?
>
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Actually, in the case of human
> operators, its not a bad thing that they ask first for your account
> number or other identifying feature. While you are on the line
> explaining your problem, the better trained agents can be scanning
> your account as you are speaking, and frequently have an intelligent
> and correct answer for you when you have finished stating your
> problem. Would you prefer that they listen politely to your problem,
> _then_ ask for your account number, go away, and come back in a minute
> or two with an answer? Even for automated systems, the several
> seconds required for voicemail to give its spiel is time the system
> can be spinning its disk drives and looking up your account if it
> knows your name and identity. PAT]
I would prefer that the system deliver my account number to the agent based on the entry I made during the automated routine at the start of the call.
It's similar to being handed off (often abruptly) from one agent to another and the receiving agent doesn't have a clue about the issue you spent five minutes trying to explain to the first agent.
Further, if they are located in India just forget anything beyond a simple request.