Bat phone
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A bat phone is a common business euphemism for a private telephone number that is handled at a higher priority than a public line.
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[edit] Batman comic
The name derives from Commissioner Gordon's secure line to the "Batphone" in the 1960s-era Batman television show. The Batphone made its debut on the modern Batman comic book continuity, Detective Comics #786, in a form of an encrypted cellphone that allowed Gordon to securely contact Batman, as well as allowing other calls just like a normal cellphone. Unlike the original batphone, the new cellphone is not red in color just looking like a regular cellphone.
[edit] Use in the real world
Bat phones often have some or all of the following criteria:
- It gets answered outside of working hours
- It does not make the caller wait on hold or navigate through cumbersome voice menus
- The line rings straight through to high-level management or technicians without having to be escalated from the front lines.
- The number is only given to selected people
- Shields technical personnel from receiving irrelevant calls
Bat phones are common in many industries. The phone numbers are typically given to key customers so that they may reach important individuals in case of emergencies or critical situations. Bat phones can also provide direct access to politicians or notable people.[1]
Another example of their use is for Internet service providers offering a selection of Internet services that range from dial-up access to secure web server hosting. Customers using the secure web hosting facility would be given access to a 24-hour bat phone for prompt resolution of technical issues, while dialup customers seeking technical support would be required to wait on hold and/or call only during business hours.
[edit] In popular culture
On the TV show Entourage, Jeremy Piven's character, Ari Gold, often refers to his Palm Treo 650 as "The Batphone."
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[edit] References
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