What Do You Think About Google Duplex?

You can't call any business nowadays without getting a digital assistant first....I hate them....but they are getting better,,,,dammit....I guess we're in that awkward stage...it is nice to be able to cuss them out on the phone without offending anyone...hehe,,,not that I would do any such thing,,,other than as a test....testing!

I agree. If I call and want some information that doesn't fall into one of their categories, it's impossible to accomplish anything. I usually just say "Representative!" to every question until it finally gives up and lets me talk to a human.

I'm reluctant to resort to colorful language. They may well record to monitor quality or something like that.

I hope they record those calls. All the more reason to use colorful language. That way they know what their customers think of their call handling system.

I cut loose on Spectrum cable the other day when I was trying to clear up an issue with autopay, that had been activated on my account, and I was receiving an overdue notice on my email....How can I be overdue if I have autopay? morons....Then I get a message that they will charge $5 for any operator assisted payment....what?,, the're going to charge me for paying my bill that has already been paid supposedly???...How can you charge somebody for paying their bill?....Oh I went ballistic....I finally got a person on the line and he told me that the overdue notice was auto-generated because the account hadn't been charged yet even though it was set up, and that I should just ignore it....I told him I had authorized payment already and wasn't pleased with getting an overdue notice with a threat to cancel service....He said he could just make the payment now or wait for the system to in a week or so...morons....I said if you already have the payment authorization then why are you sending me an overdue notice....He had no explanation....so I instructed him to make the account current right now and stop sending me overdue notices.....and don't even think about charging me $5....the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing, and is happy to charge you for any miscommunication....$137. a month and they still keep trying to screw you....

Don't wait for an apology.

Passenger charged for name being too long.

Anybody with a name over 25 characters,, should pay more...irritation surcharge...I mean what's the limit? If I have a name with 2,000 characters does every system in the world then have to adapt? Bogus.... shorten your name or pay extra...There has to be reasonable limits...

And EVERY ONE starts with, "Please listen carefully as our menu has recently changed."

Or, "if this is a medical emergency, please hang up and dial 011."

Or, "All our operators are currently assisting other customers. Please stay on the line and your call will be answered in the order it was received. Due to the large volume of calls I , I mean, we are experiencing your wait time is approximately 31 minutes. Naby of your questions can be answered by visiting our web site, www.wedontcare.com." Click, buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

As Arnold said: "Speak to the HAND..." is my equivalence to automated voice communications.

Not human? I don't want to deal with you...period.

Goober, "Hey duplex, make an appointment for four at Henry's Burger Palace tomorrow at 6:00PM.

Duplex, " I'm sorry but Henry's Burger Palace has been given a C- rating by the Burger Buddies AI rating system, and is not in the best part of town. I'd suggest going to Al's Burger Heaven, which has an A rating, much juicer burgers, prettier waitresses and isn't that much farther for you." _{This message sponsored by Al's Burger Heaven.}

I'm still capable of telling my phone whose number to call.

I'm inundated by disgusting commercial messages every time I go on-line.

What do I think? I think it beat the Turing test.

But can it do dishes?

I wonder what liability exposure or shielding from liability will result as automated assistants begin to handle more transactions of more consequence.

I wouldn't be surprised if an assistant requested emergency services, not if a bill came as a result of such a request. Who is to pay if the request was not the owner's intention? I wonder how much a misheard order for an ambulance would cost during a slow period, and how much could be charged and collection rates?

I am encouraged by the various comments , we too have this frustrating problem "down under " , it is obviously a world wide problem . Oh for the good old days when we could actually speak directly to a human who can also speak our language and not from a foreign call centre ! Great discussion all .

So says the bot.