Invariably, "live chat" with a customer service person or thing on a website results in anything but liveliness. Deathly boredom or utter frustration is more like it. But not today. The following "conversation" has just taken place with a chap at a new company called Nutmeg, which is taking the low-cost, self-service model of a Zopa to the fat-cat, fusty old fund management industry:
→do i get any interest while my fund is in cash, if so how much ?
Nutmeg: Hi there, my name's Ben
Nutmeg: Any un-invested cash within your Nutmeg account will earn interest at the current Bank of England (BOE) base rate less 0.25 per cent.
→thx, which reminds me of the famous King Lear quote..
Nutmeg: OK...
→Can you guess ?
Nutmeg: Give me a second
→Is Ben a person or a 'bot ?
Nutmeg: Nothing will come of nothing? Ben is a person, yes!
Nutmeg: My mum won't be pleased if I'm wrong on this one
→Here's a clue by way of another literary reference: "Less than zero"
→Oh wow, sorry i didn't see the above .. excellent Ben ! Top marks !
Nutmeg: Get in!
→This is the most high-brow "live chat" I've ever had on a website .. Nutmeg must reward you for this excellent PR !
→PS - On a more pedestrian note
Nutmeg: Thank you Rob! I'm honoured
Nutmeg: Are you an English teacher?
→No, a former Eng. Lit. student (Cantab)
Nutmeg: Ahh OK
Nutmeg: I wasn't an English student but come from a family of them
→Well, it clearly rubbed off on you ..
If only this kind of charming encounter could remain once the little acorns grow into great oaks (or nowadays well before that). Whereupon they are merged into a giant and faceless corporation whose only concern is to turn the "customer" into a number.
Still, let's celebrate the "human touch" while we can. Get in there, Ben !
makes us all proud- refreshing too and gives a little meaning back to scoiety
ReplyDeleteYour Mum likes this too!
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