Last month I talked about using my credit card for an on-line purchase and the hour it took me to sort out a newly required verification number for on-line purchases. All this hassle to stop the criminal fraudster.
Most of the one hour it took me was spent listening on the phone listening to jangly noise posing as music interspersed with the message, “You are moving forward in the queue and will be answered as soon as possible.” And the occasional, “Thank you for your patience.”’
When ‘Oliver’ answered, we quickly created a brand new twelve-character pass-code for the credit and debit card for use when making on-line transactions only. For anything else the existing numbers/codes still apply. When we finished Oliver apologised for the 45 minute 53 second waiting call waiting time.
I told he should not apologise for something over which he had no control. But somebody who was responsible should be doing that, and that as all the banks keep caller waiting and have done for some years, it is obviously a conscious decision made by the top tiers of management. As Oliver was not top management he can only be held responsible for his own performance and decisions and should not be apologising for the anonymous somebody who allocates resources to answering the phone.
My guess is that ‘the somebody’ makes the decision hoping to win favour with the management hierarchy, or somebody even higher up the tree, is seeking to gain through share options or bonuses.
As I stated a few months ago, the third principle of Newton’s law of Motion can be applied to the social actions of humans. The laws are:
1. Forces always occur in pairs, which are called action and reaction forces
2. The action and reaction are always equal in magnitude
3. Action and reaction are are always opposite to each other
4. Action and reaction act on different bodies
Applying them to the ‘somebody’ who approves the system that keeps customers waiting on the phone, their decision has a huge impact on the waste of time and their associated resources. However, the principle also applies to every decision made by every reader. A decision to buy from a local butcher will have consequences for other local people. A decision to glue oneself to a road to prevent oil tankers delivering oil will have consequences for the welfare of others. As will a decision to emulate the life and actions of some other person.
Our late Queen was clear as to the model on which she tried to live her life of service, and when I heard of her death the words of a hymn by William D. Longsmith 1822-1894 came into mind. He was a wealthy ship owner at the top of the society tree when he was moved by the words of a Welsh Preacher to look at the bottom of the tree for models to follow.
He read the words of the Apostle Peter (1. 1:16) , “Be ye holy, for I am holy” and was changed. Longsmith like the Queen, gave his heart to the Lord and began a Christian life, dedicated to God.
Queen Elizabeth took to heart the words of his hymn
1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
Amen
View from the Pew 