You've got to hand it to Eircom, the former State telephone operator, which now stands proud as the largest company on the Irish Stock Exchange. It has changed ownership and livery but it has managed to hold on to some of its most endearing traits - like leaving customers hanging on the end of a line.

Take, for example, directory inquiries, in particular international directory inquiries. Having hung on ad infinitum, as instructed, you are then cut off before you ever get to talk to an operator or get the number. If you are fool enough to ring again, you go to the back of the queue for a repeat dose.

Of course some things have improved. In the past, you got this kind of customer abuse for free. In today's environment, directory inquiries carry a price tag, so you now have to pay for the privilege.