More and more businesses are pushing customers toward online chat as a preferred form of customer service. Best Buy even ditched its e-mail contacts in favor of chat. But is chat really any better?

Consumerist reader K.N. watched the screen, repeatedly assured that someone would be with him in a moment, seeing his position in the queue gradually improve.

That is, until he came tantalizingly close to being next, only to have the chat “closed due to system issues.” Amused at the ridiculousness of it all, he sent in the above screengrab to remember — and share — the occasion.

Is this any different from, or better than, being passed around by phone reps until they decide to hang up on you? Or waiting in line at the post office only to be greeted with a closed teller window because it’s suddenly lunch hour?

That being said, at least K.N. didn’t have to listen to static-filled hold music or spend time standing in a line. So maybe online chat is an improvement on customer service after all!

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