Don’t drive me online

I AGREE with the Mail’s customer service campaign aimed at energy, finance and insurance firms.

The words I hate more than any other are: ‘Do you know you can do that online?’ This is in the form of a pre-recorded instruction. The twin oxymorons of ‘customer service’ and ‘helpline’ are endemic.

When I broke down, I called the RAC’s emergency breakdown number expecting someone to pick up the phone and ask for my membership number and car registration.

But what I got was an answer phone message informing me: ‘The quickest way to get your breakdown attended to is to go online.’ No matter how often firms are shamed over such behaviour, they spin some rubbish about response times.

They are happy to continue their couldn’t-care-less attitude to loyal customers while banking their direct debits.

M. CURTIS, Caversham, Berks.