It's a great point that this is how we primarily used to interact with businesses and services, but we've moved on. For Gen-Z, e.g., many will refuse to use the product or service if they have to speak to an actual human. Just like we're now not willing to take boat across the ocean for 3 months, but before airplanes this was not uncommon.
Taking a 3 month voyage was still an uncommon thing to do for a person, it’s just that it was the most common type of intercontinental journey due to lack of competition.
