Technology’s Back-end Effect

5. Don’t ask for the same information several times. If you adopt a system that collects such customer information as account numbers, and the call is passed to another system or to a representative, pass the information along.

I recently called my cable company to add digital phone service to my account. The system requested that I say or key in my account number. After being passed over to an agent, I needed to give my account number again; the agent had to look up my information, taking more time. Why?