Making Services Accessible

I have just spent an hour or two trying to contact different facilities for a client who is looking for housing. It is absolutely amazing how difficult it is to get through to someone. If you know who you are looking for, it is easier, but still hard. I can't imagine what it is like for older people who are trying to figure things out and get information in a timely, easy way.

One facility's phone system told me to press "130," if I wanted to speak to so and so, which I dutifully did. I got a message telling me to press 130 if I wanted to speak to so and so, which I dutifully did, when I got a message telling me to press 130, if I wanted to speak to so and so, which I dutifully did, when I got a message telling me to press 130 if I..well you get the picture.

By that time, it was probably lucky for so and so, that she was inaccessible. She would not have wanted to hear what I had to say.

To me, this is not only an issue of customer service, it is an issue of providers not responding to their client base.

Any care facility, assisted living, or other seniors housing service should regularly review their telephone system to make sure it is working and that people are able to access the information and people they need.