Verified badge by Twitter is the most sought after thing on Twitter (only winning a Nobel prize would come close).
I also heard that Twitter is planning to start a designer label in collaboration with Clavin Klein to let you flaunt your “verified” status to your offline social gatherings ( read office parties , cousin’s wedding and funerals ). Yes , this would include CK’s very popular range of innerwear also.
But verification is not easy !
Recently , I applied for the “Verified by Twitter” and this is what I went through .
Bobby from Twitter ( B) : Sir , we received your application , would you mind if we run you through a small identification process and also verify your credit card details.
Me : Why credit card ? Isn’t this verification free?
Bobby : Sir , seems you don’t have an Apple iTune account , Valid credit card is a pre-requisite and we follow the same process. By the way , I am a Steve Jobs fan.
Me : OfCourse , I have an iTune account , Go Ahead ( rubbing eyes receiving call at 3 Am ).
Bobby : Please press 1 and after the Beep press # , and keep following the instructions over voice mail . Hope your hands are clean as there were some cases of swine flu in India.
Me : O Yeah , rubbing my eyes , I start the drill .
(After spending 37 minutes, and when my blackberry screen displayed 123*10101976*3478#2306*1267#2098#1237*4466324798620001*148# , I heard a voice from the other side)
Bobby : Sir , thanks for the verification , It was little long but worth it.
Me : Screaming , “LITTLE LONG” , Its almost 1 hour and have developed a blackberry thumb because of that. You should have checked time , Its 3am in India.
Bobby : Sir , I know what time is in India , I am calling from a call centre in Kormangala , Bangalore . If you wish , I’ll disconnect and call you tomorrow , any how It’s you who applied , Twitter didn’t invite you.
Me : Ok , but the wait was really long.
Bobby : Sir , that was 37 minutes and 23 seconds not even 10% of the time you spend daily on Twitter.By the way , if you had iPhone4 , you wouldn’t be talking about this blackberry thumb.
Me : I don’t have an iPhone4 , heard that’s got “network” problem ?
Bobby : Sir , that was all hype , dropping a call or two shouldn’t matter. Everyone has forgotten the time when there was no cell phones . And you should be grateful that Steve has given free bumper case to all . Any ways , lets not digress and complete the verification.
Me : Screaming ! YOU DIGRESSED , What is this complete the verification? Isn’t it complete as yet.
Bobby : Sir , we have received your credentials and those are being googled to check your popularity. I have my doubts seeing your number of followers , any how ....
Me : Oh great , You don’t use Twitter search , I heard that’s very good?
Bobby : Sir , Twitter is over capacity . You haven’t heard of Fail Whale?
Me : OfCourse , I have experienced it many times. But why aren’t you working on it ? Don’t you understand how difficult it is when Twitter is over capacity?
Bobby :Sir , I see you are active on Twitter for last 6 months also . Don’t you have friends in real life to speak with ? Why keep blaming Twitter all the time . Any Way , Lets not digress as Its already 5 am and my shift is coming to an end.
Me : Ok , Even I have to go for my morning walk and then office. Why don’t you hurry up.
Bobby : Yes , seems you are on LinkedIn & Facebook also . How come you are all over the social networking circle , Don’t you have a full time day job ?
Me : Haven’t you heard that “Facebook is for friends who are now strangers , and Twitter is for strangers you want to befriend , and LinkedIn helps you to professionally connect ”. And yes , I have a full time job .. ....
Twitter : ( Voice Over Interrupts and says) “Whoops , Something went wrong , please try again........
And I , slam the phone and head for my morning walk with my BlackBerry.
