No more alphabetical listings for businesses.

I was out walking the dog the other day and saw a truck with a business name A-A(something).

I know in "the old days" it was assumed that people looking up a business in the phone book would select the first business on the list.  Or the last.

That caused businesses to adopt creative names for their businesses.  When businesses began listing names starting with "AAAA", "Z-Z", and even "AA,AAA", the phone companies required a justification for the multiple letters.

I would think that is no longer an advantage when so many people look up businesses and phone numbers on the Internet.

If I Google "plumbers in mesa az", I don't get an alphabetized list.  I get plumbers who've paid Google money first, then sites that list plumbers, and a geographical list of plumbers.

Not a "AA" in the bunch.

If I go to Yelp, I get a list by customer rating.  Yellow Pages seems to list by ad, then by rating. Better Business Bureau seems to list Sponsored businesses first.

You get the idea.  Alphabetical listings seem to be relegated to the past, like Conestoga wagons and high-button shoes.

Believe me, I like this method better than picking a random name out of the phone book and hoping the business is reputable.

I was just pondering.