As I am sure has happened to many of us at some point, my phone number fell into the hands of someone trying to sell insurance, and as a result, the last few weeks I have been stalked by a bot.
But what makes this bot remarkable is that it fooled me. And it was not because better technology or anything like that. It fooled me because of what they left out.
The bot simply taps into the human being’s desire to recognize another human being, and frankly, the urge to fill awkward silences.
The bot started with an upbeat greeting, asking “how are you doing today?” and then, there it was. A pause. A long uncomfortable pause, which we have no other option but to respond to.
Do like the bot. Use the pause. Know when to shut up.