This call may be recorded for quality assurance.

There is a chance this phrase makes you tense up a little, a Pavlonian response to hours

of your life lost waiting, memories of silent prayers to a higher power that whoever answers

can help fix whatever is malfunctioning in your life.

In the back of your mind, dreading the conclusion, it's another department's problem, and

your call will be unceremoniously transferred again into limbo.

More the while, anger and helplessness mixed together to the sound of music.

On the occasions where my internet creps out or my refrigerator stops running properly,

I have a different reaction to these words, closer to the feeling of being far too familiar

with something but not in the current context, like running into a teacher outside of school,

because over the last few years it has been my job to listen to the recording in order

to assure the quality promised.

Mind you, I don't actually know much about whatever good or service is being discussed.

The company I work for is a third party, focused on keeping the customer service process

as smooth as possible.

My job is more about ensuring the customers aren't showing more than the usual low grade

rage common to the calls.

On occasions where a significant outburst occurs, I recommend ways to keep future customers

pacified.

Putting it simply, my job is to listen to angry people call about their broken things

and figure out how to make them less angry in the future.

It's usually about as eventful as you are thinking, at least until a few months ago when

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