Swearing at computers

I've been trying to get DHL Express to deliver a package to my place. After three unsuccessful deliveries the tracking page informed me that I would have to contact support to arrange another.

I tried the email form first but I expected the back-and-forth would last for days so I looked for a more immediate solution. There is a “Digital Assistant” which just a chatbot with a predetermined set of questions it can answer. The same chatbot is also available over WhatsApp but calling the provided phone number results in the call being dropped as expected.

With no options left I re-opened the chatbot and resorted to my go-to approach to annoying software or hardware:

> Me: fuck you

> Chatbot: I'm sorry you feel like that, I'm still learning. Would you like to contact our Customer Service department?

Answering yes finally got me in contact with a human. Just “fuck” doesn't work, it has to be “fuck you” for the chatbot to connect you to customer service. Every day the web feels more and more like a mistake.

Apart from the “customer service” experience, this event was notable as the first time that swearing at a computer has actually helped me do the intended task.

Sotiris 2022-09-20