Why I hate voice recognition technology

My phone company has this awful voice recognition technology in place when you try and call them. It sort of goes like this:

Phone: Hello. I can understand some of the things you say.
Me (under breath): Oh no, they've got a...
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that..
Me: Doh!
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that
Me: (finally learning. Holding breath).
Phone: .....tell me your customer number.
Me: 12235566
Phone:
Me (inside head): sooooo....
Phone: I'm sorry, you must give me eight digits. Tell me your customer number.
Me: 12235566
Phone. OK. I heard 1.......2.......2......
Me: This is going to take forever!
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. Please tell me your customer number.
Me: 1! 2! 2! 3! 5! 5! 6! 6!
Phone: I heard 1.....2......etc. OK. Now what are
Aidan in background: aaaahhhhhhh!
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. Please...
Me: Aidan! Quiet, I'm on the phone!
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. Now..
Isabelle: Muuuuum, I need..
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. N...
Orla: Ba! Ba! Ba!
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that.
[sound of head banging on wall repeatedly]
Phone: I'm sorry, I didn't understand that.

What's so bad about pushing number 1, 2, or 3? At least you can swear away happily to yourself in the background, bang around in the kitchen or separate warring children without sending the software into a spin.