It is worse than that. They say it, stopping the musak with a slightly noisy pause first which almost sounds like someone picked up the phone so now I need to pay attention for the 4 hours it takes to get through not just zone out and code.

It then become asshole design when they add 3 rings before that pause as if you finally are getting through! Evil phone system designers!

But don’t forget, “today we are experiencing higher than normal call volume”- yeah today and the other 364 days of the year…

"Your call is important to us" but not "Your reason for calling is important to us". When the call is what is considered important, isn't prolonging the call the ideal?

Yeah, for me that one's right up there with every cookie-cutter cookie-prompt on every website.

"We care about your privacy"

no. you. do. not.

Please don't pretend.