Why are you calling us?

[violiavampyr]

My new job (yay) is receptionist for a local reality company. They do a lot of duplexes, apartments, and other rentals. I'm in training this week and today was the day for me to have a crack at the phones. Over all it wasn't too bad, it did get a little overwhelming once in a while (right now it's the busy season with all the students coming back).
A lady kept trying to call us about a tenant of ours who apparently either had gotten or was currently in a fight. I say trying because her phone kept cutting off and would call back again. I guess if a report of a fight shows up in the paper then I'll know the whole story. I don't know why she would have called us first, or at all? What are we gonna do, gve the tenant a stern talking to?

[Argabarga]

It's amazing the faulty logic that has people calling things only tangentially related to the issue at hand, either because they don't know how to contact the proper authorities or they think that YOU are the proper authorities.

I'd occasionally get the late night call from someone who wanted me to give them permission to park on a stretch of thus-and-such street and override those signs that say "NO PARKING 2AM - 5AM" or promise I would give them a call if the police called me to have them towed so they could move their car. They really didn't understand why I couldn't do that "simple" little favor for them.

Then there were those who wanted to argue about parking tickets issued by totally separate entities, like the University or the Borough.... if my name isn't on it, what makes you think I can do anything about it?

I have a friend who works reception at a correctional facility, and he's always annoyed at the folks who call him to try and report a crime....... 911 people! If you are being victimized by a criminal, shouldn't you want the folks who CATCH them not the ones who make them STAY CAUGHT?

[XCashier]

A lady kept trying to call us about a tenant of ours who apparently either had gotten or was currently in a fight...I don't know why she would have called us first, or at all? What are we gonna do, gve the tenant a stern talking to?

It's amazing the faulty logic that has people calling things only tangentially related to the issue at hand, either because they don't know how to contact the proper authorities or they think that YOU are the proper authorities.

Reminds me of this gem about a customer who calls the phone company to report that her house is on fire!

[Ghel]

...a local reality company.

I'm not nitpicking about your spelling, really. I just want to know where I can purchase a shiny, new reality. Preferably one with fewer SCs.

I've had customers call us at the bank for directions to someplace in town or to ask us to look up a phone number. But that's about the worst I've gotten.

[Raveni]

People call my company all the time asking about personal problems. Seriously, 9/10 the advice I give is to "just go talk to the other person". Just because we manage the property doesn't mean that we are mediators/psychologists/cheerleaders.

Your neighbor is assalting someone? Call 911.
Your neighbor is loud after the city noise ordinance kicks in? Call code enforcement.
Your neighbor is being loud during the day? Go talk to them!

[BlaqueKatt]

Your neighbor is being loud during the day? Go talk to them!

oddly enough my current landlord actually put that into the lease.......

[siskaren]

I have a friend who works reception at a correctional facility, and he's always annoyed at the folks who call him to try and report a crime....... 911 people!

And then you have the idiots who call 911 when Burger King screws up their order.

[mhkohne]

I'd occasionally get the late night call from someone who wanted me to give them permission to park on a stretch of thus-and-such street and override those signs that say "NO PARKING 2AM - 5AM" or promise I would give them a call if the police called me to have them towed so they could move their car. They really didn't understand why I couldn't do that "simple" little favor for them.

Do you go cruise by the lot or street in question after telling them no? Because I bet you could pick up a few tows that way.

Sadly telling them 'yes' and then towing them anyway wouldn't be sporting, as well as being illegal.

[violiavampyr]

Ghel, I post mainly from my iPad so I let that take care of most of the spelling.

[Argabarga]

Do you go cruise by the lot or street in question after telling them no? Because I bet you could pick up a few tows that way.

Sadly telling them 'yes' and then towing them anyway wouldn't be sporting, as well as being illegal.

Actually It wouldn't be illegal, it'd be very dishonest, which is why I don't do it, but, no law would actually be broken.

And yes, when someone informs me they are considering not following the rules, guess who makes my hit list for that night? Sadly, they seem to be smart enough to realize that since they CALLED the tow truck guy, they have tipped their hand somewhat, and I usually see the car in question out on the street, not in the lot, later in the evening. It'll usually be ticketed by the borough come the morning, but it won't be towed (I can't tow off the street unless the borough/cops request it, and they don't request it unless you block traffic or have tickets you haven't paid) Further clouding the issue is the fact that there are 4 towing companies in this town, and no single one is dedicated for police/emergency tows, it's simply whoever is next in line. So, I can say sure, I wont tow you, but, if the cops call Blue Truck Towing, or Crusty Old Guy Towing instead of Friendly Neighborhood Towing where I work, you're out of luck.

[violiavampyr]

This isn't by far the only WTF moment I've had, but the one that sticks in my mind the most.


A woman called, probably just before lunch, saying that she had just gotten back from vacation and it looked like her condo had been broken into. She wanted to know what to do. I guess she may have been in shock or something,but I don't understand why she didn't call the cops and her insurance people before us?
ETA
--------
Crack is Wack
A guy called in from one of our HUD properties saying that he's being evicted and that it must be a mistake. I transfer him to an account rep. Later on i find out that it was no mistake, because in the past week or so the cop had been called to his apartment where they found crack on him. So HUd revoked funding and an eviction notice was issued because of the drug use.

[EricKei]

I'm not nitpicking about your spelling, really. I just want to know where I can purchase a shiny, new reality. Preferably one with fewer SCs.

Ghel beat me to it...^_^ But I'm gonna post what I was gonna say anyway 8p

Bless you. Well all know that the SC's of the world need someplace to obtain a bit of Reality ^_^ You are doing all of us a great service.