Why do some people not be more gracious when talking over the phone? Some people ought to be taught better telephone manners. As if downright rude and nasty customer service officers are not enough (granted some customers who call in are even more rude and nasty), but when one calls in and look for someone else, the least one can do is to ask politely instead of just screaming into the phone.
Just like today, someone called to ask for my supervisor, and since she was not around, the person asked for another lady, whom I was not sure who she was. I have only been there for a week, and not really introduced to everyone since a lot of the employees are on leave. So I put her on hold and asked my colleague who that lady was, and she answered that the lady in question was not around.
Thus I went back to the caller and said that the lady was not around, and then the person asked for another one of my colleagues. So I said I would have to check out who the person was. And the caller then said, "You mean you don't know?! How come you don't seem to know the people you work with?"
Excuse me?! I know the people I am working with, I just do not know some of the rest of the staff, and it just so happened that the people the caller were looking for happened to be those I did not know!
I told the caller that I am quite new there, since I joined the company only last week. The reply was, "Didn't you get oriented and introduced around? You should know everyone in the company by now."
Can you believe that?! I am not even the big boss or something, who am I to go around asking who everyone is? Of course, I do introduce myself whenever I see someone unfamiliar, but I do not think I have any right to just go around and making myself known to everyone. As if I am not already swarmed with work, now I have to be a receptionist to cater to some idiot's whims and fancies too?
Finally I told the caller that no one was available, and to call back later. The caller was not happy and kept asking for the numbers of the various people so as to call them personally. I then said my company is not in the habit of giving out numbers of the employess, so it would be best to call the reception and ask for these people.
Now I fear I may get into trouble because that person seems nasty enough to lodge a complaint. But if people are unreasonable in the first place, I do not see why I should tolerate that. And it is not as if I screamed over the phone, I believe I spoke rather civilly already.
Just like today, someone called to ask for my supervisor, and since she was not around, the person asked for another lady, whom I was not sure who she was. I have only been there for a week, and not really introduced to everyone since a lot of the employees are on leave. So I put her on hold and asked my colleague who that lady was, and she answered that the lady in question was not around.
Thus I went back to the caller and said that the lady was not around, and then the person asked for another one of my colleagues. So I said I would have to check out who the person was. And the caller then said, "You mean you don't know?! How come you don't seem to know the people you work with?"
Excuse me?! I know the people I am working with, I just do not know some of the rest of the staff, and it just so happened that the people the caller were looking for happened to be those I did not know!
I told the caller that I am quite new there, since I joined the company only last week. The reply was, "Didn't you get oriented and introduced around? You should know everyone in the company by now."
Can you believe that?! I am not even the big boss or something, who am I to go around asking who everyone is? Of course, I do introduce myself whenever I see someone unfamiliar, but I do not think I have any right to just go around and making myself known to everyone. As if I am not already swarmed with work, now I have to be a receptionist to cater to some idiot's whims and fancies too?
Finally I told the caller that no one was available, and to call back later. The caller was not happy and kept asking for the numbers of the various people so as to call them personally. I then said my company is not in the habit of giving out numbers of the employess, so it would be best to call the reception and ask for these people.
Now I fear I may get into trouble because that person seems nasty enough to lodge a complaint. But if people are unreasonable in the first place, I do not see why I should tolerate that. And it is not as if I screamed over the phone, I believe I spoke rather civilly already.
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