One of the joys of being human is the power of communication. The richness of tone, the rhyme of lyrics, the beauty of inflection and modulation, and the sheer emotion expressed in a whispered, spoken, sung, or even shouted word—is magic. While other species may have their own forms of communication, we humans have the give and take of rich, layered interaction—interwoven with art, music, poetry, and imagination.
With all that… why do we have to work so hard just to get a human on the other end of the line?
The answer is that too often, the companies who advertise to get your attention really only want you on their terms. They aim to avoid human contact, pushing you online instead—regardless of how long it takes you. The message that your time doesn’t matter, all in the name of “efficiency,” is loud and clear. You’ve likely lived this situation—whether it’s with the airlines, an insurance company, the government, your national bank, or many online retailers. These entities have figured out that it’s more profitable to keep you at bay, so you eventually surrender and lose interest in getting what you want—and deserve.
In 2023, a major insurer whose name begins with C and ends with igna was exposed for routinely rejecting claims without even reviewing them—fully aware that only a small percentage of customers would pursue the appeal process. The rest would simply surrender. The insurer saved millions—but of course, claimed the stories were “inaccurate.” Around the same time, Toyota’s financing division was fined $60 million by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for thwarting refunds and setting up a dead-end hotline for canceling products and services.
According to a recent article in The Atlantic, there’s a new nickname for this systematic wearing-down of consumers: Sludge. Sludge is the quicksand-like process of pulling the consumer deeper and deeper into a mire of automated systems and dead ends. Phone trees, endless prompts, no way to speak to a real person—it’s all by design. And if you do get through, the call center rep is often under strict orders not to escalate your call. If they do, you’ll likely have to start all over again, re-explaining your issue from the beginning until you're worn down.
You’ve probably experienced the symptoms: impatience and restlessness, escalating to frustration and confusion, and finally tipping into panic and desperation… all by algorithmic design. You are being worn down—intentionally—by Sludge.
A lot of our world runs on short-term returns and quarterly results rather than long-term planning and consistency. People stay in jobs for shorter periods. If a company treats external customers like this, what does that say about how they treat their internal customers? With Sludge, it’s no wonder employees feel less connected to their work.
I’ve been doing this long enough to appreciate helpful, human communication—the power of a solution from a trusted advisor, the value of a caring professional who can help you avoid a costly mistake when you’re out over your skis.
That’s service. And while the pendulum always swings, when it swings too far in one direction, it’s bound to swing back. At some point, people miss what’s been lost—and they vote with their wallets. They seek out providers who still remember what service is.
At Shepley, we are blessed with some very friendly voices answering the phones. In Hyannis, due to high call volume, Shannon and Cristina handle most incoming calls, with support from inside sales. In our branches, phone duties are shared by our sales teams—people who know the business, know our customers, and know exactly who to connect you with.
We want every call to be personal, pleasant, helpful, and familiar. After all, we’re in the people business. Yes, we sell lumber, building materials, doors, and windows—but at no extra charge, you should also get what you paid for: service. Smiling, respectful, attentive, professional service.
Please help us say no to Sludge. Thank you for calling Shepley!