Phone manners

[PineappleMama]

Quote:
I only WISH I was kidding. It took me forever to figure out what their number actually was because folks calling just said Remax, look up Remax and there's boodles of numbers but not one that's even close to mine... guess it's an internal line or something not the main switchboard? Anywho, when I did finally reach them the just blew me off, I don't think they even believed me, and since I've never seen a sign myself I can't prove it with a picture, etc. I even tried calling the Arlington Realtors Association... said they'd take care of it... nothing. They can't force those people to throw out cards and signs any more than I can. So, I just tell people "Sorry, for years they've been aware that they're misprinting their signs and cards and they've done nothing about it. If you manage to get ahold of them would you please let them know which sign it is that's misprinted?" Usually folks are happy to oblige, but it's still not done doodly.

The worst one ... "Hello"
"Yes I'm calling about the house."
"You're trying to reach Remax, this is our home they misprinted the sign"
"NO, I'm right outside the house and looking at the sign"
"Yes I know, the sign is wrong. It has our number instead of Remax's number"
"Well I don't need the realtor you can show me the house"
"No you don't understand, I'm in my house. You're in front of THAT house. Two different houses"
"You just don't want to show me the house!"
"It's not my job to show houses, but even if it was you aren't parked outside MINE."
"Yes I am I'm looking right at the sign"

Finally get her off the phone and she calls right back... and we go through it again.
And again.
And again.
Tried throwing in "Look, my house is YELLOW, white trim, with a big blue truck and a maroon car in the drive. Is THAT what house you're looking at?!?!?" Even still, would NOT accept that I wasn't inside that house just being evil.
Tried telling her "My number is 123456789 the number you need is 123459789, see they just made the 9 into a 6 is all" nothing doing, I'm a liar, etc.

Called again and I didn't answer... four rings, answering machine on, hang up... over and over and over and over for over half an hour. Finally I managed to turn the phone on before the next call came in and dialed the real Remax and said "Look this lady won't stop calling me PLEASE call her *rattle off number from caller ID* and stop this" got a few more after that but then blessed silence.

It was freaking scary. I was actually getting worried about whoever DID live in that house (if any) because this person was a total loon.

So... yeah, NOT happy with Remax. Also get calls for Mountasia Minature Golf... this used to be their number about a decade ago BEFORE THEY SHUT DOWN... it's not longer in the regular phone book, but there are web sites that list it... I contacted all of them, most removed it, but there are a couple that aren't really functional anymore ... or at least their webmaster doesn't exist anymore so those are still there... people call about this business and I tell them that it shut down a decade ago and they're like what why is it still on this site.... but they aren't mad at me about it.

Every now and then also get calls for the BMW dealership... REALLY... I can't afford ONE of those, much less a whole lot of them. I just find those calls amusing.

And that's on top of your regular, just dialed wrong, wrong numbers. In the end our phone rings a LOT each day, but actual calls for us... maybe 1/wk for kids... a few for DH (buddy wants to hang out)... and maybe 3 from family checking in. ALL the rest are just bogus.

 

[3goodeggs]

It is like in 'Keeping Up Appearances.' She is always so annoyed because she gets Chinese take out on her white princes slim line telephone. If she has to get wrong numbers, she wants ones of quality.
I really, and I mean R-E-A-L-L-Y, try to be a kind and generous person, but my inner shrew wants to just go smack people sometimes.
I feel better having started this thread. I am not as easily annoyed as I thought I was. Everyone else's complaints seem justified. Jerks happen, and unfortunately they have phones.

 

[Laurajean]

I have a few random rants on this topic:

I laughed a little when you (OP) said that people ask for your parents. Where I work we have one regular customer who has a very childlike voice. We have a note in her customer record that says "NOTE: Pam has a childlike voice. When calling, DO NOT ask for her parents!!".

My mother has a very deep voice, and when she answers the phone they'll say, "Hi, Mr. Smith?" and my mother sighs loudly and says "NO, MRS.!!" At this point they are so embarrassed they can barely proceed with the pitch for whatever they are selling.

One thing I can't stand is when I call customers who let their kids answer the phone when that kid isn't competent to do so. I have customers who do this all the time and I try to leave countless messages with a kid who never gives the message and then the parent wonders why they missed their appointment with us! And I have to walk the kid through taking a message..."Okay, can you get a pencil?"..."yeah"...."Okay, go get it now...." on and on for 10 minutes to remind someone of an important appointment, it's ridiculous. Some kids won't even attempt to take a message. Some are rude and hang up on me, others are way too little to be allowed to answer the phone at all. Just yesterday a little girl answered the phone. I asked for her mother and she said "She's on vacation". I said "Do you know when she'll be back?" She said, "At night".

Sure, it's cute and all that, but come on. I have legitimate business with these customers and they'll have the audacity to get mad at ME later when they didn't get the message. So I always notate when I talk to their kid, so when they later say I didn't call, I read them the dialog verbatim that I had with their kid and the day and times I called. I shouldn't have to waste time doing this though, just don't let your kid answer the phone if he/she isn't capable of taking a message or being polite.

Now when I'm home, there's different complaints. Lately I've been getting a lot of collection calls for my ex-husband who I haven't been married to for YEARS. How they got my number I have no clue. It's annoying enough that they call and wake me up and ask for my ex, but what's worse is that no matter how many times I have explained that he's my ex and I haven't seen him in years and have no idea where he is and to please remove me from their list, they don't believe me, and convinced that I'm some deadbeat covering for my spouse, the same people repeatedly call me over and over and over again.

Lately I just say, "For the 500th time, he's my ex and I don't know where he lives, but if you find him tell him he owes me money too", which at least gets a laugh before I hang up on them.

When I get telemarketers I like to do this: Telemarketers have Response Lists, which gives them the answer to whatever I say is my reason for saying no. So in other words, if I say "I can't afford that", they'll refer to their list and read the answer that says they offer an easy payment plan, and so on. So what I do is, no matter what they say, I say in an overly friendly way, "No thanks". Then they try to refer to a different approach, or they'll ask why, and I just repeat "No thanks" over and over again until they get frustrated and hang up. I walk away feeling satisfied that I was friendly, yet gave them nothing to work with, so it's a little amusing too.

 

[PineappleMama]

The first call ever in this house, phone on for MAYBE an hour and it was a collections call for my brother in law.

What the heck is THAT?

Try explaining that right this minute I'm unpacking and NO my BIL hasn't ever been to our new home and they assume you're really said BIL's GF/Wife and you just don't want to give him the phone.

As to kids and phones... my eldest, 12, will answer if it's Jesse calling (his friend) now and again if it's Nana... mainly if he called earlier and he was expecting a call back... otherwise they don't touch the phones...

 

[damarisgw]

We get calls from telemarketers non stop here at my house . It's funny when other family and friends come over and we'll be talking and they phone will be ringing and they're like "Umm..You gna answer that ?'
LOL
Then they always call asking for a bunch of random people whose names I've never heard of

Oh hello there is Cornelio Franco home? You have no idea how many times I have told them NO and they still call

 

[Beekissed]

Phone etiquette has always been a pet peeve of mine and I've really grilled my sons on just HOW to answer a phone and how to place a call. It is very annoying to get the "who's this?" when someone calls my home...I always answer, " I give up, who is it?"

My oldest son has a girlfriend who calls and always, no matter how long we've known her....over a year now and many millions of calls....immediately says, "Is **** there?" She never identifies herself or says anything like, "Hello, Ms. So and So, how are you? I was wondering if **** is available and if I may speak with him?" It is always "Is **** there?" blurted out all in a rush.

Sad and annoying.

I love caller ID and voicemail, love that I don't have to answer the phone to see who it is or if its urgent.

Like driving....people who don't use their blinker BEFORE they apply the brakes to slow down for their turn!!!!

That gets me more than most anything. I could care less what direction you wish to turn but I would have loved to have had a warning that you will indeed be stopping to turn. Putting on the blinker afterwards is just moot.

 

[Q9]

PM, I hope you don't mind...

That has got to be one of the most hilarious "loopy rude person" stories I've ever heard!!! *Falls over laughing*

Half of the people on here could be in a comedy show.

Including me!

 

[PineappleMama]

^Amen to all that Bee, and double for the blinkers.

Cornelio Franco... nope he's not here, and neither is Sandra Irwin, and this guy and that guy... there's like four different ones they call here for... never heard of any of them. OHHH bonus points for the automessage that says "If you are NOT Sandra Irwin please hang up now. By continuing to listen to this message you attest that you are Sandra Irwin. This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information gained will be used for that purpose....." for about four minutes but never once do they say WHAT company they're with. I understand not saying Capital One, or an account number... duh... but refusing to even name the Collection Agency so that when you call the number you know you dialed right? UGH.

You'd think, since it's a recorded message that they'd put a LITTLE thought into it.

 

[damarisgw]

Quote:
I remember someone posting on here about a special offer from Nasco , about some fly killing bugs that they would send you for free to test them out . So I went to the link and got some shipped out to me .
Well a month later they called the house and my mom answered , and the person on the other line asked my mom how we liked the free samples , she thought the guy was talking about some free samples of coconut cookies they had send to my dad's store so she replied "Oh yes they tasted very good !" (my mom doesn't understand English very well )I can just imagine the look on the man's face when she said that

 

[annageckos]

Quote:
I do that. But not to be rude. I have extreme anxieties, and the phone is a big one. I hate talking on the phone, I don't answer it, I let the machine pick up. Depending on my mood, and how much the telemarketers are calling and annoying me depends on what I do. They were so bad at the apt. my BF and lived at a few years ago that I would answer and try to sell them something. Or ask for their info or what ever it was they wanted to know. Sometimes I would keep them on the phone for 20 minutes or more, then tell them wrong number.