So, I saw this new section and giggled, because it's the perfect place to put some of the conversations I have with customers that aren't necessarily sucky, but they do make me wonder about the direction humanity is going. For those who don't know, I work in an off campus college bookstore, and these are some of the common, and uncommon conversations I have with customers on a fairly regular basis.
What's my class again?
It never fails. Right around the time we start taking reservations for the next semester, I get the brilliant shining examples of academic excellence calling me to ask questions about how to fill out the reservation form. It's actually pretty simple. We ask for department, course number, and class number, all of which are very specific to each section of a class or classes. i.e. ENGL 1234 12345 for an English class. Here are a few of my favorite gems from the confused customers.
Me: <Spiel>
CC: yeah, uh, I'm on your website trying to fill out my reservation form for books. I'm trying to fill out my professor's name, but he isn't on the list.
Me: Ok, well, if you can give me your class number, I can look that up for you in our system. sometimes it takes the website a little longer to update.
CC: It's English 1111, and the class number is 1.
Me: No, sir, that's the section number. I need the five digit class number.
CC: Oh. English 1111
Me: No sir, that's the course number. I need the class number.
CC: Oh! 11111
Me: Ok...it doesn't look like a professor has been assigned to that section yet.
CC: But my schedule says it's TBA. You don't have a professor named TBA on your list? (He actually pronounced it Teeeba)
Me: ... sir, that's T. B. A. meaning to be announced. just fill out the class number, and we'll be able to match up your books on the reservation that way.
CC: Ok, thanks! <click>
Or, scenario 2...
Me: <opening phone spiel>
CC: yeah, I'm an incoming freshmen, and I'm trying to reserve my books online, but the form is confusing me.
Me: all right, I can walk you through it. Which is giving you trouble?
CC: Well, I'm just wondering how to enter my English class. What department would I put that under?
Me: ... <Hits mute button and giggles hysterically before answering> Um, I think that'd be English, sir. You'd enter it as E-N-G-L, then the four digit course number 1234, then the five digit class number, 12345.
CC: Great, thanks! So, that means I'd put my math class under math, right?
Me: Yes, sir. Exactly.
CC: Ok, thanks for your help! <Click>
My brain cells peed themselves laughing at that one.
"You know, the book! With the pages!
And then there are the students who come in to look for their books in person. Now, considering I stock the books when they get here, I'm ok if you don't know the exact title, but please, please gods, have SOME information to go on for me to search. I'm not psychic! These are some of the questions I've been asked in the years I've been at the store.
"hey, do you guys sell textbooks?" (Asked while I'm standing in the textbook section)
OR
CC: Hey, can you look up a book for me?
Me: Sure. Which one are you looking for?
CC: The blue one.
Me: ...
CC: You know, the one with the penguins on the cover.
Me: ...
CC: Do you have it?
(Now, I can search by author, title, ISBN, course #, department, even by the professor's last name. But I can't search for "Blue book with penguins on the cover!)
OR
CC: Hi, I don't know what book I need, but can you look for my class?
Me: Sure! What's the class number?
CC: ...
Me: ...
CC: Uh, it's a psychology class
Me: Great. <Enters a search for the psyc department> And do you know the course number?
CC: No.
Me: What about your professor's last name?
CC: Oh, I don't know. But he's old guy.
Me: ...
CC: He wears glasses, does that help?
(See above parentheses on what criteria i can use to search. Same applies to "old guy with glasses in psyc department")
Well, this ended up kind of long, so I'll stop here, and start another thread later about the questions at the registers and in the clothing or school supplies sections.
I have lots of stories...
What's my class again?
It never fails. Right around the time we start taking reservations for the next semester, I get the brilliant shining examples of academic excellence calling me to ask questions about how to fill out the reservation form. It's actually pretty simple. We ask for department, course number, and class number, all of which are very specific to each section of a class or classes. i.e. ENGL 1234 12345 for an English class. Here are a few of my favorite gems from the confused customers.
Me: <Spiel>
CC: yeah, uh, I'm on your website trying to fill out my reservation form for books. I'm trying to fill out my professor's name, but he isn't on the list.
Me: Ok, well, if you can give me your class number, I can look that up for you in our system. sometimes it takes the website a little longer to update.
CC: It's English 1111, and the class number is 1.
Me: No, sir, that's the section number. I need the five digit class number.
CC: Oh. English 1111
Me: No sir, that's the course number. I need the class number.
CC: Oh! 11111
Me: Ok...it doesn't look like a professor has been assigned to that section yet.
CC: But my schedule says it's TBA. You don't have a professor named TBA on your list? (He actually pronounced it Teeeba)
Me: ... sir, that's T. B. A. meaning to be announced. just fill out the class number, and we'll be able to match up your books on the reservation that way.
CC: Ok, thanks! <click>
Or, scenario 2...
Me: <opening phone spiel>
CC: yeah, I'm an incoming freshmen, and I'm trying to reserve my books online, but the form is confusing me.
Me: all right, I can walk you through it. Which is giving you trouble?
CC: Well, I'm just wondering how to enter my English class. What department would I put that under?
Me: ... <Hits mute button and giggles hysterically before answering> Um, I think that'd be English, sir. You'd enter it as E-N-G-L, then the four digit course number 1234, then the five digit class number, 12345.
CC: Great, thanks! So, that means I'd put my math class under math, right?
Me: Yes, sir. Exactly.
CC: Ok, thanks for your help! <Click>
My brain cells peed themselves laughing at that one.
"You know, the book! With the pages!
And then there are the students who come in to look for their books in person. Now, considering I stock the books when they get here, I'm ok if you don't know the exact title, but please, please gods, have SOME information to go on for me to search. I'm not psychic! These are some of the questions I've been asked in the years I've been at the store.
"hey, do you guys sell textbooks?" (Asked while I'm standing in the textbook section)
OR
CC: Hey, can you look up a book for me?
Me: Sure. Which one are you looking for?
CC: The blue one.
Me: ...
CC: You know, the one with the penguins on the cover.
Me: ...
CC: Do you have it?
(Now, I can search by author, title, ISBN, course #, department, even by the professor's last name. But I can't search for "Blue book with penguins on the cover!)
OR
CC: Hi, I don't know what book I need, but can you look for my class?
Me: Sure! What's the class number?
CC: ...
Me: ...
CC: Uh, it's a psychology class
Me: Great. <Enters a search for the psyc department> And do you know the course number?
CC: No.
Me: What about your professor's last name?
CC: Oh, I don't know. But he's old guy.
Me: ...
CC: He wears glasses, does that help?
(See above parentheses on what criteria i can use to search. Same applies to "old guy with glasses in psyc department")
Well, this ended up kind of long, so I'll stop here, and start another thread later about the questions at the registers and in the clothing or school supplies sections.
I have lots of stories...
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