Wherein We Take Bargain Hunting To A New Level

[Gravekeeper]

Wait...you have McDonalds that let you call ahead???? wow that takes fast food to an even sadder level!

Thing is, we don't actually. Not that I've ever heard of at least.

[thatcrazyredhead]

Bargain Hunting

SC: “Yeah, I just wanted to get a ballpark figure on a cruise.

This part alone makes my eye twitch. I used to get that one every so often as a call center cruise rep.

SC: How much does it cost to take a cruise?
Me: That depends on a lot of different factors. Where would you like to go?
SC: I really don't know, I just want to know about how much they cost.
Me: Well, as I said, that depends. When would you like to take your cruise?

Lather, rinse, repeat.

SC: I can't commit to it right now, I just want to know how much it costs! Can't you just give me a number without asking me all of these questions?
Me: $12,795.43.
SC: *sputters about random outrageous number*
Me: The cost of a cruise depends on several factors, such as where, when, how long, how many passengers, what type of cabin, which cruise line, and whether or not you've cruised with them before. I tried to explain that to you, but you insisted I pull a number from thin air, so I did. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Also,

Me: "Would you like me to transfer you to the service centre?"
SC: “I don’t care who you give me, but I want some action!”

[Bandit]

This part alone makes my eye twitch. I used to get that one every so often as a call center cruise rep.

SC: How much does it cost to take a cruise?
Me: That depends on a lot of different factors. Where would you like to go?
SC: I really don't know, I just want to know about how much they cost.
Me: Well, as I said, that depends. When would you like to take your cruise?

I used to do that all the time when I was designing phone systems. Usually on a Friday afternoon as the Salescritter had made a promise that he/she/it forgot.

Salescritter: Hi Bandit! How are your doing today? (red flag!)
Me: Not bad - and yourself? How do you like this weather?
SC: It's OK. Now I just need a quick quote for....
Me: Budgetary quote is one million dollars pending detailed scope of work and site survey.
SC: WHAT! I can't do that for the customer!
Me: I can't give you anything accurate until you give me all the details that are entered at <website>
SC: COME ON! I just need XXXX YYYY and ZZZZ! Can't you just give me a ballpark number?
Me: I did. Put it in writing, and we're good. Because if I'm wrong, you'll blame me instead of taking it out of your commission. I can't do that.
SC: BLARGAL! BLARGAL! BLARGAL!
Me: This is recorded. Let me pass you to my boss.
SC: <click>

B

[BroSCFischer]

Wait...you have McDonalds that let you call ahead???? wow that takes fast food to an even sadder level!

Well, Burger King is starting delivery.

SC

[Andara Bledin]

SC: “I don’t care who you give me, but I want some action!”

But.... I thought you weren't that kind of operator...

^-.-^

[Jester]

Kind of a slow week here with the miserable weather. Not that that stopped everyone from calling. Only some of them....

Why did some of them stop calling because of the weather? Did they leave their phone out in the snow?

Thus your desperate inquiry actually amounted to “What good are you if you aren’t psychic?”. In which case I fear you may have set the barometer of your customer service expectations just a bit too high.

And how does this make this particular caller any different from all the other callers that expect omipotence and omniscience from you?

SC: “I don’t care who you give me, but I want some action!”

Sounds like several guys I've known who were less than particular in their choice of female partners....

SC: “So this just comes off my VISA right now, right?”
Me: “Yes.”
SC: “Just like that!?”
Me: “….Yes.”
SC: "Wooooooow."

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I sincerely don’t think you’re qualified to responsibly own a credit card. Honestly, you might want to just take a pair of scissors too it right and save yourself the inevitable trouble of large, angry men arriving to remind you the card is not actually a source of magic free money.

And THAT, my friends, is pretty much a summary of how I managed to blow through my very first credit card at the tender age of 19. Silly Jester.

But very well, if you truly insist I will enter your name as Page 51.

Odd. Page is normally a woman's name. But whatever works for him.

Wait wait wait, so you saw that cruise ship sink on the news and your first thought was “Sweet! Discounts!”?

.....You know you're kind of a prick, right?

While I can see THINKING this, and ACTING upon it, actually SAYING it is kind of prickish. But I do get what the guy was thinking.

Many years ago, when flying from Phoenix to somewhere (I forget where), I happened to be flying Continental. I also happened to be flying Continental just about a week after a Continental flight crashed.

And while there was definitely some stress among many of my fellow passengers, there was none for me or the guy who ended up sitting next to me, as we toasted our good fortune for flying Continental. After all, we theorized, "what are the odds that it would happen again?" People looked at us funny as we toasted cheerfully with our beers, and sure, it was a bit macabre, but as we had figured, our flight was blissfully uneventful.

[Dentarthurdent]

I saw this and all I could think of was you, GK.

http://formalsweatpants.com/journal/...r-fantasy.html

[Indigo]

It's funny how that is... I mean, if you take my neighbors, my colleagues, my friends, family, and anyone else I've met and known to a certain extent in my life, none of them would even think of calling ahead at McDonnalds. It's just one of those things that doesn't even cross anyone's mind. Maybe, just maybe if someone had a birthday party and ruined the dinner and had to make a quick order for dozens of kids, maybe they'd call McDonnalds and ask if they could do anything. Maybe, but that's it.

I don't see who these people are who do it to an extent that it happens regularly.

Keep in mind, it isn't about the friends I choose. I can't choose neighbors, colleagues, and family... and trust me, some of them are straaange people. Yet they still don't call ahead at McDonnalds.

Surprisingly, my fiance has called ahead to McDonalds. He volunteers at a hayride (along with about 20 other guys) and the McRib was back for a brief time. He called the local McD's to let them know that in 20 minutes he was going to come in and order 40 McRibs (about two per guy). They thanked him for the advance warning and he said that most of the sandwiches were ready when he got there.

[Gurndigarn]

Seeing as there hasn’t been more than one Canada since the 1800s, I’m just going to go right ahead and say the Canada. Unless your phone is capable of making calls across time or parallel universes that is. In which case, please accept my apologies. In our universe, the iPhone isn’t quite capable of crossing dimensional barriers yet though I’m sure it’s a planned firmware update for the holiday season.

It's probably going to wait until after the iTARDIS comes out.

[Cole's Law]

Wait...you have McDonalds that let you call ahead???? wow that takes fast food to an even sadder level!

Back when I worked at the Golden Arches, we had a fairly awesome regular who came in every day and ordered a steak bagel. He preferred the steak well done (cooked twice), which took 6-7 minutes. On the occasions when he was in a hurry, he'd call ahead so we would have it ready to go when he came by. He rarely did that, and few others called ahead.

Now there are times I *wish* we got a call (two busloads of soccer kids...*twitch*)