A number of incarnations ago I needed to call Compuserve for some tech support. I don't remember why but I do remember being on hold forever. That was true of m

A number of incarnations ago I needed to call Compuserve for some tech support. I don't remember why but I do remember being on hold forever. That was true of most tech companies back then including Microsoft. When the support rep finally took the call he started by apologizing for the delay which I appreciated and told him I empathized with the volume of work and his day in general. He told me they were short staffed because White Castle, also headquartered in Columbus, paid better, offered better benefits, and kept hiring Compuserve's support people away, making turnover an ongoing problem. A few weeks later, after catching a favorite band whilst drinking a few beers, I told my friends this story standing in line at 1:30am waiting for 8 cheeseburgers, an order of onion rings, and a medium orange fountain drink. The products each company offered couldn't have been more different yet there I was, a customer of both.