Bermudians are calling for legislation to be passed forcing utility companies to have a human being answer their phones instead of an automated answering machine - however the Consumer Affairs Bureau said it was a business choice that companies have a right to make.

Former Smith's North MP Allan Marshall told The Royal Gazette last week that he has been contacted by many people venting their frustrations with companies like CableVision, BTC, and Belco, where customers call to get their service repaired and are greeted with automatic menu options that often lead to nowhere.

Previously the world knew utility companies as those providing electricity, water and telephone services, he said. "But in the 21st century utility players include gas, cellular, television and Internet services."

As utility services serving thousands of customers, they should be customer friendly. "It's not much to ask that a consumer have a human voice on at the end of the phone," he said. "Instead you have to pass through a half dozen menu options, leave messages and in the end not be contacted ... It is but a small investment to make.

"There ought to be a bit more effort and frankly a requirement. Utilities should be required by legislation to provide telephone receptionists." Mr. Marshall highlighted the example of BTC, which directs calls to its 411 operator service to overseas operators in the US.

Those operators, which he estimated are paid less than half of what a Bermudian operator is paid, can check a database to find the number. However: "There's something about local service for a small community like Bermuda. In Bermuda many of our operators will go beyond the call of duty to find a number or make a connection because in many instances they know a family member of the person being called. You can't get better personal service than that."

Consumer Affairs CEO Karen Marshall agreed the practice undermines good customer service as it takes away the personal touch.

Businesses choose to use automated answering systems because they are supposedly more efficient, she said. However: "A lot of times you (the customer) end up getting disconnected anyway ... nine times out of ten it doesn't work. We understand why businesses do it, but we also understand why consumers hate it."

However, she disagreed it should be regulated by law, saying it was a business choice that companies have a right to make. "It is a big problem," she said. "But the only way around it is if consumers complain enough."