I need a 2pm tee time at your hotel please...

[Naaman]

We always used to get calls for the local (what used to be called) Social Security office.
Luckily they mostly called at work so they hit the answer phone, although how they could mistake "Hi, you've reached Naaman and Girlfriend, we're not in - leave a message" as any form of professional greeting is beyond me (although it was always funny when they threatened to report me to a manager ) On the few times we were at home and got them it was the typical SC "But this is the number I was given", "Well give me the correct number!", "you're lying!" etc.

We later found out through who worked for the Job centre that one particular office had made a contact sheet and managed to transpose two numbers so they actually were giving out our number. Took a few years before we stopped getting them calls (they withdrew the list pretty quick when it was mentioned, but the clients still had ours scribbled down)

[honeypants]

I have a recurring wrong number problem at my job too... I work for a scientific consulting company in the southern US. Our 1-800 number is the same as the number -- with the last 2 digits transposed -- for the repair department of an electronic & appliance Megamart in Canada.

Usually, people don't listen to my greeting "Good afternoon, Company Name," and just start talking about their broken TV. Immediately, I tell them that we are not the Megamart, and give them the correct number. Most of the time, they apologize and that's the end of that.

But several months ago, I had a very annoying woman who would not accept that she had misdialed. I repeatedly explained the similar phone number thing, and that we were scientists in Southern City, USA. It got to the point where I had to hang up on her because she wouldn't stop arguing with me! So I went up to the receptionist's desk to see if she was around, so I could tell her the story. I was just through telling her when the phone rang again. Her hands were full, so I picked it up. It was the irate Canadian woman yelling at me, "You were rude to me! I want to speak to your manager!" I huffed right back at her, "I don't HAVE a manager! This is NOT the Megamart! You HAVE THE WRONG NUMBER!" and hung up again. The phone rang a third time, and I let the receptionist answer it. I don't know what she told her, but the woman eventually stopped calling.

Funny, as I was typing this, the phone rang and it was a call for the Megamart. The caller was very pleasant though and chatted about the weather for a moment.

[Andara Bledin]

People really need to start playing hardball with these collection people.

When they call (and you can always tell when it's a collections person), get all of the contact information, then tell them to never call again or you will file harrassment charges and pursue them to the full extent of the law.

Most places, if you tell them not to call again, will ignore you. But if you threaten to actually go after them, especially after having received their contact information, then you can usually get rid of them permanently.

And you can do this even if you are the person they are after. If they don't have other contact information, then that is a problem for them and for your future credit rating.

^-.-^

[LadyAndreca]

An insurance school in our area either had our phone number before we moved here, or put it on their website as the contact number. It took MONTHS before we convinced the majority of the people in the area we weren't the school, complete with threatening phone messages and people who would call back 3-4 times because they thought they dialed wrong. (I had one woman curse at me because I didn't know the school's actual number, too.) We STILL get them every once in a while.

Also, my roommate has had his phone for three years now, the same number the whole time. Every six months EXACTLY, a bunch of collection agencies starts calling him demanding to speak to "Adam", and get angry when a male voice tells them he's still not Adam, just like he wasn't Adam last time or the time before that.

[Boozy]

It gets the message across very nicely. Each person only calls once.

Same problem here, and I dealt with it the same way. Eventually, people stopped calling. I didn't lose enough minutes to be bothered getting my number changed.

Besides, the friends of "Anya" were nice folks, and took the hint quickly.

"Brandi's" friends would have drove me to drink.

[Seshat]

It's the people who don't acknowledge anything was said other than "hello" and then go on to ask if we're who we just said we were that are idiots.

That's a relief

No way would I let that happen. 5 wrong calls is the limit.

We frequently get people calling for Mr or Mrs Ibrahim. (Or some similar name.)

Unfortunately, it's new people every time. Fortunately, I've just taken to saying 'Are they STILL giving out this number?'

It gets the message across very nicely. Each person only calls once. And every so often, the calls stop for a while: presumably, whoever was trying to contact them was successful and told them they gave the wrong number.

[Lehk]

No way would I let that happen. 5 wrong calls is the limit. I wouldn't look for Brandi's number. I would tell them, in no uncertain terms, that if they kept attempting to find Brandi at my number that I would turn them in for harrassment and go after them to the full extent of the law.

I don't put up with anything like that.

^-.-^

I guess i'm just an evil bastard.

i would act suprised "... oh you haven't heard... i'm so sorry... brandi was *insert means of death here*** last night"

[Andara Bledin]

Phone Answerer: Hello, this is the Blah Hotel in Boringland. PA speaking.
Me: I'm sorry, I missed that - is this the Boringland Blah Hotel?
PA: (probably thinks I'm an idiot)

Nope, I wouldn't think so. I would think you had some distraction on your end and just caught the sound but no the content. It's the people who don't acknowledge anything was said other than "hello" and then go on to ask if we're who we just said we were that are idiots.

After losing hundreds of units on my phone by these calls, I had my cell company change my number. Blessed peace.

No way would I let that happen. 5 wrong calls is the limit. I wouldn't look for Brandi's number. I would tell them, in no uncertain terms, that if they kept attempting to find Brandi at my number that I would turn them in for harrassment and go after them to the full extent of the law.

I don't put up with anything like that.

^-.-^

[Starlord]

I fail to understand why the police would give your company's number to anyone for any reason. More likely is that either tehy have been given the wrong number (contact them and see if that is the case,) or like a problem I just had recently where I received hundreds of calls for a 'Brandi,' and even had one person argue with me that my number was my number, that I had better put 'Brandi' on right now. I told her that I had found out Brandi's number and that it was close to my cell phone's number. She flew off the handle and said I should come to her house and she would sho me where Brandi had written it down. After losing hundreds of units on my phone by these calls, I had my cell company change my number. Blessed peace.

[LadyAndreca]

I tend to ask for information again a lot at work, because the service counter can be VERY noisy when the store's busy. I always repeat back item numbers people give me over the phone, too. The few seconds it takes me to do this is worth it to make sure I don't make a mistake that I'll have to start over for.

Politely asking for a repeat of information you didn't hear isn't being a SC--it's ignoring the information you did.

[Seshat]

Do they seriously not listen to a single word of the greeting?

For some reason, I have difficulty comprehending the first few words of most phone calls. And if I've had to hold a long time, this is especially the case.

I do try to confirm what I think I've heard, though. Which is better than starting in on my problem if I've called the wrong place, but does mean that I'm one of the people who does this:

Phone Answerer: Hello, this is the Blah Hotel in Boringland. PA speaking.
Me: I'm sorry, I missed that - is this the Boringland Blah Hotel?
PA: (probably thinks I'm an idiot)

[Boozy]

And it's all I can do to restrain myself from responding with "But I told you already, AT THE START OF THE CALL!"

A golden opportunity lost. Oh well. Better that you keep your job.

Elderly folks would call my bank all the time when I was a teller, wanting their balance. They didn't understand that times have changed, identity theft is a problem, and privacy laws are now in place. What they could get away with 30 years ago and what they can do now are two different things.

[Best Made Tacos]

That reminds me of a REEEEAALLY sucky customer who rang one day when I worked at BigBank.

I have a recorded 8 second greeting that gives my full name in a clear, understandable playback. This time when it beeped and after the recording has played, I hear this raspy angry old man voice:

SC: "My name is Robert Edwin (not real name) and I want you to tell me my account balance."

Me: "Certainly, may I ask for your account number?"

SC: (abrupt, aggressive tone) "Why can't you search under my name for it?"

Me: "I can do that, sir, but if you can give me a specific card or account number, that is a much faster way to help you."

SC: *grumble grumble* "card number is 1234 5678."

Me: "Thankyou, Mr Edwin. May I ask if you have an security phone PIN for the account?"

SC: No, I don't have a security PIN (mimicking me sarcastically).

Me: (mental groan) "No problem, then I will need to ask you a series of identification questions regarding your bank account before I can give you the information you need, if I may, for security purposes."

Looking at his account, I see he has a middle name as well, so I need to ask for his name again - I can't just ask for his middle name, because I'm not supposed to confirm if the answers he gives are correct until he's answered them all - prevents identity thieves from fishing for people's personal info with multiple calls. Yes, incredibly pedantic but new federal laws had come into effect that required that level of detail.

Customer grunts.

Me: "Could you please state your full name for me, Mr Edwin?"

SC: "Waah?! I already TOLD you my name!"

Me: "Yes, I do understand and thankyou, Mr Edwin but for the purposes of these questions, I do need you to tell me again, just once more please."

SC: "NO! Why should I?! I TOLD YOU ALREADY AT THE START OF THE CALL!!!! Just give me my damn bank balance!"

Me: "Mr Edwin, I appreciate this is a somewhat tedious process but it is necessary, to ensure the security of your account and to comply with the Privacy laws. So..."

SC: "Are you deaf and idiotic?! I TOLD YOU AT THE START OF THE CALL!"

He rants angrily at me, I try to hint as clearly as possible to just give me his FULL name and we can move on. He finally relents, and condescends to tell me his middle name as well.

Me: (thinking, hoo boy, I've still got 4 questions to go...)
"Could I please have your D.O.B, please?"

SC: "WHAT!?"

He goes off again. He sounds personally insulted, as if me wanting to know this is the greatest affront of all time.

Me: (losing patience): "Mr Edwin, I already have it here ON MY SCREEN. I just want you to CONFIRM it. "

SC snaps back - "Well, todays my birthday and I'm 82 and if you're too stupid to work that out, you shouldn't be working at a bank!"

Ugh...it goes on like this, worse than pulling teeth from an armed and recalcitrant donkey.

I give him the balance and then the old bugger, with venom dripping from every word, says "Now I want your first name and surname, and you better spell it out to me right now."

And it's all I can do to restrain myself from responding with "But I told you already, AT THE START OF THE CALL!"

[Andara Bledin]

I know that the phone system at my work has a delay with the pick up, so I leave at least a full second of silence after I've picked up the line before speaking.

And people still completely and utterly ignore what I say when I answer, which is always just me saying the company name.

If they ask if it's such-and-such company, no matter what company they're after, I just repeat the same exact thing I said the first time.

It's like they're only equipped to detect sound during the greeting, and there's no use using actual words until after they've said something.

^-.-^

[Naaman]

I was taught, by a proper pink-fluffy-unicorn-land never had to deal with a real customer ever trainer, that people will mostly tune out the first 3-5 seconds when you answer and I've found this to be pretty true. This is the only thing she said that I found useful over a two day training course (that ended in a written warning )