Head, meet desk.

[zinnith]

So... many of our clients don't want us to give out their phone number. They pay our salaries so we do what they want. Customers have trouble understanding this.

Me: Welcome to (company), how can I help you?
Customer: I'd like to speak to Mr X, please.
Me: I'm sorry, he's not in at the moment, would you like me to take a message?
Customer: No, I have to speak to him right now. Transfer me to his cell.
Me: I'm afraid I can't do that, sir, but I'll be happy to take a message for you.
Customer: No, are you stupid or something? I have to talk to him NOW. Transfer me!
Me: This is Mr X's answering service and I don't have his cell phone number. I can take a message or you can call him back later. (Technically, I'm lying. I do have Mr X:s number with a note that says 'do not give out to customers', but I'm not going to tell them that.)
Customer: HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? WHY DON'T YOU HAVE HIS NUMBER? WAH WAH WAH!!!
Me: I only have the information Mr X has given me. I'm just doing my job, sir. Would you like to leave a message?
Customer: The number is on the freaking WEBPAGE! Why don't YOU have it?
Me: (utterly befuddled) Sir, if you already have his number, why are we even having this discussion?
Customer: I WANT YOU TO TRANSFER ME TO HIS CELL PHONE! DO IT NOW!
Me: I won't do that. You have his number and I don't so I suggest you call him yourself. Have a nice day! *click*


On another note - sometime you just have to wonder if it's you. I'm probably in the wrong line of work, considering that I have this slight hearing disability. It's not a big problem as long as I don't have five different people talking to me at once and my awesome headset filters away all unnecessary noises. However, there are customers like this:

Me: Welcome to (company), this is Zin speaking!
Customer: I want to speak to Mr X.
Me: He's not in at the moment, would you like to leave a message?
Customer: Sure, tell him to call *mumblemumblegrunt*.
Me: Sorry, could you repeat that for me please?
Customer: *mumblemumblesnorflegrunt*
Me: I'm terribly sorry sir, I didn't get that.
Customer: MY NAME IS BOB! ARE YOU DEAF?
Me: *holds headset away from ear* I certainly am now.

Comments

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

have some chocolate! gives Zin a hug.

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

Chocolate! *pounces* Thank you :D

[wanted-a-pony.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I need a stupid people are stupid icon.
:: hugs you & sends chocolate chunk cookies ::

I once worked for the manager of a sales division at GM Truck & Coach. *Lots* of people wanted to talk to him, but he didn't want to talk with them. I started out taking messages & saying, "I'll see that he calls you back," but quickly learned to say, "I'll make sure he sees the message" instead. :-þ

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

Here, have a crappy MS paint icon I made just for you :D

[sgamadison.livejournal.com]

I once had a conversation with a client on the phone that started out like this:

Client: If my dog has mice, why can't I see 'em?
Me: Excuse me?
Client: (repeats above)
Me: (grabbing record and flipping pages desperately). Oh! Ma'am, your dog has M-I-T-E-S. Not mice. Ear mites!

I love hearing your work stories because they remind me of how silly people can be all over the world. :-)

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

Now I have this image in my head of a big grumpy dog with a little mouse sticking out of each ear and it makes me feel a lot better!

[rellan.livejournal.com]

You could always start doing the 'speaking every other word as if your phone is fading in and out' thing. Just to give your day some oomph.

[zinfic.livejournal.com]

I get my fun messing with the telemarketers *g*