"Computer Says No", or the "Computer says no attitude", is the popular name given to an attitude seen in some public-facing organisations where the default response to a customer's request is to check with information stored on or generated by a computer, and then make decisions based on that, often in the face of common sense.
There may also be an element of deliberate unhelpfulness towards customers and service-users, whereby more could be done to reach a mutually satisfactory outcome, but is not.
The name gained popularity through the British sketch comedy Little Britain.
Video Computer says no
Little Britain
In Little Britain, "Computer Says No" is the catchphrase of the character Carol Beer (played by David Walliams), a bank worker and later holiday rep and hospital receptionist, who always responds to a customer's enquiry by typing it into her computer and responding with "Computer Says No" to even the most reasonable of requests. When asked to do something aside from asking the computer, she would shrug and remain obstinate in her unhelpfulness, and ultimately cough in the customer's face. The phrase was also used in the Australian soap opera Neighbours in 2006 as a reference to Little Britain.
Maps Computer says no
Usage
The "Computer Says No" attitude often comes from larger companies that rely on information stored electronically. When this information is not updated, it can often lead to refusals of financial products or incorrect information being sent out to customers. These situations can often be resolved by an employee updating the information; however, when this cannot be done easily, the "Computer Says No" attitude can be viewed as becoming prevalent when there is unhelpfulness as a result. This attitude can also occur when an employee fails to read human emotion in the customer and reacts according to his or her professional training or relies upon a script. This attitude also crops up when larger companies rely on computer credit scores and do not meet with a customer to discuss his or her individual needs, instead basing a decision upon information stored in computers. Some organisations attempt to offset this attitude by moving away from reliance on electronic information and using a human approach towards requests.
"Computer Says No" happens in a more literal sense when computer systems employ filters that prevent messages being passed along, as when these messages are perceived to include obscenities. When information is not passed through to the person operating the computer, decisions may be made without seeing the whole picture.
See also
- Jobsworth
- Garbage In Garbage Out
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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