I am old-school. When I want to pay a bill, need roadside assistance, or confirm something, I want to talk with a person, not a virtual assistant. And, I don’t want to have to press a lot of keys to reach a real human being — or wonder if I really reached anybody when I’m done with the transaction.

Even going to get blood drawn recently required a screen sign-in and a sitdown without a need to speak with anyone. I am pretty sure that somewhere someone is working on a virtual phlebotomist so you would just go in and shove your arm in something and voilà! Done.

So, after several attempts over two days, both on the phone and on my computer, to fix a mistake on my Verizon bill, I was ready to just accept that I would always be paying for my daughter’s phone.

Sign in. Forgot........

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