not listening....

[katzklaw]

i can't count how many times something like this has happened, but it happened again, which reminded me of it, and i thought i'd share. it's not sucky... just kinda funny...

today's conversation went like this, but feel free to substitute any other state that may suit your fancy, as i have worked in many places.

Me, answering the phone: "hi, thanks for calling big yellow campground in [city in texas], this is katzklaw, how can i help you?" (not my exact schpiel, but you get the idea).
custy: "yeah, hi. i was wanting to make a reservation for XYZ (in this case it was for a scout troup) we were there a few years ago."

i start taking information and informing him that i would have to inquire with my manager to settle the discount price for a large group, and then.

custy: "yeah, we were planning on camping elsewhere, but our plans fell through, and we all started talking about how much fun we had in [other city in texas] the last time, so i thought i'd give you a call."
me: "wait, where did you say?"
custy: "[other city in texas]?"
me: "sir, this is the [city in texas] big yellow campground..."
custy: "didn't i call ####?"
me: "our number is ####(one digit different than what he said)"

he made some embarrassed noises and "oh how did i do that?" and whatnot.. i politely wished him a nice evening and said i hoped the other campground could help him.

all woulda been avoided if he'd heard the [city in texas] part at the very very start of my intro... ah well.

[MoonCat]

Proves that nobody listens to what you say when you first answer the phone. I give my name, they start talking and ask me my name. Our recording says you have reached the Z dept, they ask if this is the Y dept. You get the idea...

I've always wanted to answer the phone with something really crazy and see if anyone notices. I bet they'd just start right in with, "Yeah, hey, can you tell me...blah blah blah..."

[Seanette]

Yeah, would have been nice if he'd listened, but at least he was civilized about the mistake.

I've done enough call center and receptionist time to have seen an apparent pattern. IN GENERAL (I recognize existence of exceptions), women will apologize for calling the wrong number, men get grouchy at the callee for not being the person they meant to call.

[aulocksmith]

I hate getting customers like that. To get through to me, they have to listen to an IVR which states several times "Blah Locksmiths", and then I answer the phone with "Good morning/afternoon/evening, Blah Locksmiths", and STILL get asked "Hi, is this the locksmith?".

Sometimes I just want to tell them to clean their ears out and call me back when they have. But, we all know they still won't listen.

[bhskittykatt]

My spiel goes, "Thank you for calling The Resort, Golf, and Spa!"

I get a lot of people go "Oh, the spa? I'm sorry I was trying to call the resort!"

[katzklaw]

i know people have no idea how big or small we are, and how we're set up... but most of the campgrounds i've worked at have been 1.... maaaaaybe 2 people manning the desk... and if the phone rings... we're it. so it cracks me up every time someone listens to my schpiel and then says "reservations please".

[MoonCat]

Ever get someone saying, "Yeah, I just talked to that other girl..."

Of course they didn't get her name, and then they're annoyed when I don't know who they spoke to.

WTF? Even now when our staff is much reduced there are lot more than just TWO people on the phones.

[KellyHabersham]

I had something kind of like that happen when I was the church secretary - it was a sales call for something home-related, and the woman heard "I'm sorry, but you've reached XYZ church, not someone's home" as "Please call me 'Miss Church' ". (I don't recall the exact conversation, but it was one of the reasons I put our office number on the DNC list")