Listening and Compassion

It's overwhelming to me how many people in customer service have no ability to hear what customers are saying to them on the phone.

I told the person I was calling that my husband was deceased and I needed to have a copy of the payments he made last year for tax purposes. The agent told me he was not authorized to talk with me and would need my husband to call him and give me authorization. HELLO..........are you listening?

Well I would like my husband to call me too, but it is probably not going to happen.

Listening and compassion: too much to ask??