The allmighty interrogator

[Reyneth]

Father calls in "with some QUES-tions" in that tone that bodes no good.

SD = SuckyDad or StupidDumb@ass, whichever you prefer
me = obvious

SD calls and wants to know about a claim for an accident his daughter was in. Before he gets more than three words out:

me - I see here your daughter is 22, right? (I love that we are expected to take "control" of calls)
SD - Yes, but you will tell me...
me - Sir, is your daughter there?
SD - I called you, I will be the person asking the questions here!
me - Actually, seeing as your daughter is a legal adult unless we have her authorization to speak with you, you can ask the questions but legally I can not and will not answer them. Is she there?
SD - Well FINE then, I'll see nothing actually gets done about this! *click*

me - giggling as I realize the automatically computer-generated letter to the state DMV requesting the daughter's license be suspended (for driving without insurance) will be happening in the next week or so. Sorry, SD, there WILL actually be something happening on this.

I do feel a little bad for the daughter as she may have no idea her dad is butting into her business like this - and that's why I didn't request the letter immediately.

He, the oh-so-important question asker, thinks he won. But not for long!

[AnqeiicDemise]

Don't you hate it too when you're about to explain something and they interrupt to ask you just what that something is? Don't you hate it even more when you're explaining the details and they interrupt you by repeating everything you say because, oh my god, you must be stupid?

M: And you have 100k pts from your bo
C: 100k from my bo-what?
M: bon-
C: bon.
M: bonus contract. You also have 50k
C: contract....50k on what?
M: -strangling the air- on contract b
C: but I have 250k!
M: spread through several contra
C: more than one contract!
M: yes. You have a contract at A pro--fo--
C: Ah, yes, A property. But how much is that worth?
M: one hu-
C: one hundred thousand!
M:-pause-
c: .... are you still there?
M: yes, sir. I was just waiting for you to finish.

I jsut want to reach in there and smack 'em.

[Misanthropical]

We get this all the time. We can only speak to the person who owes the debt. We can not speak to anyone else about it without permission from the debt holder.

Which gets us a lot of calls just like the yours, Reyneth.

[Chanlin]

Don't you hate it too when you're about to explain something and they interrupt to ask you just what that something is? Don't you hate it even more when you're explaining the details and they interrupt you by repeating everything you say because, oh my god, you must be stupid?

Oh the sheer idiocy of some people. I think yesterday was repeat everything Chanlin says day for my callers.

My typical call was:

Me: Whats your Phone number?
Caller: (in a surprised tone) My Phone number?
Me: Yes
Caller: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Me: And whats the card number you have to add
Caller: (same tone) My Card number?
Me: Yes
Caller: [insert number here]
Me: Ok thats all set.
Caller: (same tone) All Set??

You get the idea, and it was damn near every call I got that went along these lines.

Then theres my favorite (this part is somewhat on topic)

SC: Someone just called me and their number didn't show up on caller ID can you tell me what their number was.
Me: Nope sorry.
SC: Why not?!?!?

Well let see, aside from the fact that its a violation of US privacy laws.... I just feel like being a complete jerk to you. Seriously put yourself in someone else's shoes. If you have a blocked or private number whats the point of it being blocked or private if someone can just call the phone company and find out what your number was. I'm sure you wouldn't be very happy to find out your private phone number was being given out to just anyone who called to ask.

[MrSunshineState]

My typical call was:

Me: Whats your Phone number?
Caller: (in a surprised tone) My Phone number?
Me: Yes
Caller: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Me: And whats the card number you have to add
Caller: (same tone) My Card number?
Me: Yes
Caller: [insert number here]
Me: Ok thats all set.
Caller: (same tone) All Set??

I don't that is idiocy as much as it is verification. I usually repeat things back to customer service people as well just to make sure I understood them correctly.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I don't that is idiocy as much as it is verification. I usually repeat things back to customer service people as well just to make sure I understood them correctly.

Yeah, but these questions seem pretty straightforward... if she was asking for some more complicated information I could understand maybe wanting to verify what she needed...

[Chanlin]

Yeah, but these questions seem pretty straightforward... if she was asking for some more complicated information I could understand maybe wanting to verify what she needed...

For the record I am a guy but no worries and I agree. I can see maybe one or two people doing this but this was on every call and it was that tone of voice like they were surprised I was asking for the information I was asking for. For some of them I half expected them to ask me why I needed that information.

I also remark on this because it doesn't happen this way all the time. Just yesterday I got it on every single call all day.