I'll make the introduction brief. I work in a cube farm call center and we're on the phones with customers all day for the most part. So much fun, right?
Well, it's really not that bad I suppose as a good percentage of the people that call in are half way reasonable. But that can never last for long, as we've all learned.
I have a coworker who, for the sake of anonymity, I'll refer to as "John". A woman calls up and had evidently spoken to John before. She'd like to speak with him again. Not a problem, as he sits right across the aisle from me, except for one thing.
He's on a call at the moment.
So the following conversation commences -
Me: I'm sorry, but John's speaking with another customer at the moment. How may I assist you?
SC: I need to speak with John.
Me: I understand, but he's on another call at the moment. But if I may please have your phone number, I can have him call you back when he's done.
SC: I need to speak with him now!
Me: I'm sorry, but he cannot speak now. He's on the phone with another customer. If you need immediate assistance, I can help you. Otherwise I can have him call you back when he's finished with his call.
SC: I need to speak with John!
Me: (Am I speaking Japanese or something?) I'm sorry, but he's with another caller at the moment. Either I can assist you now or he can call you back when he's finished.
SC: (says something really fast that I don't understand)
Me: I'm sorry, what was that?
SC: (snaps) Do you speak English!?
Me: Ma'am, you are not going to speak to me like that. Now, as I said, either I can assist you now or John can call you back when he's finished with his current call.
SC: (hangs up)
Well, I suppose the woman had a point about my English, because whatever I thought I had been saying must have translated, in English, to - "Yes, John is available and would be happy to assist you, but I'm not going to transfer you to him."
Funny, I'd been speaking this language all my life but apparently I don't have a clue what I'm saying. Curse those public schools . . .
Well, it's really not that bad I suppose as a good percentage of the people that call in are half way reasonable. But that can never last for long, as we've all learned.
I have a coworker who, for the sake of anonymity, I'll refer to as "John". A woman calls up and had evidently spoken to John before. She'd like to speak with him again. Not a problem, as he sits right across the aisle from me, except for one thing.
He's on a call at the moment.
So the following conversation commences -
Me: I'm sorry, but John's speaking with another customer at the moment. How may I assist you?
SC: I need to speak with John.
Me: I understand, but he's on another call at the moment. But if I may please have your phone number, I can have him call you back when he's done.
SC: I need to speak with him now!
Me: I'm sorry, but he cannot speak now. He's on the phone with another customer. If you need immediate assistance, I can help you. Otherwise I can have him call you back when he's finished with his call.
SC: I need to speak with John!
Me: (Am I speaking Japanese or something?) I'm sorry, but he's with another caller at the moment. Either I can assist you now or he can call you back when he's finished.
SC: (says something really fast that I don't understand)
Me: I'm sorry, what was that?
SC: (snaps) Do you speak English!?
Me: Ma'am, you are not going to speak to me like that. Now, as I said, either I can assist you now or John can call you back when he's finished with his current call.
SC: (hangs up)
Well, I suppose the woman had a point about my English, because whatever I thought I had been saying must have translated, in English, to - "Yes, John is available and would be happy to assist you, but I'm not going to transfer you to him."
Funny, I'd been speaking this language all my life but apparently I don't have a clue what I'm saying. Curse those public schools . . .
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