Sometimes I like my job

[ericcoleman]

Part of my job is answering the phones. A big part of that is fending off sales geeks. I can usually spot the bad ones pretty quickly.

The phone call I just got rang some bells from the first line. Here is how it went

Me: >insert company name here< Printing, this is Eric can I help you?
Sales Geek: What is the name of your shipping manager.

Ok, at this point I know that it is a cold call, otherwise this person would know at least one name to talk to. We have long standing corporate accounts that are not changeable by us. So my job is to say something like ...

Me: I can probably help you, what do you need? (and I usually can, since I know how most things are run in the building)
SG: I'd like the name of your shipping manager.
Me: I can help you, what do you need?
SG: The name of your shipping manager.
Me: I can help you.
SG: You're a dumb dick aren't you?
Me: I do my best (this said as he hangs up)

If he had been legit, he would have told me what he wanted. And I would have either pointed him to the right person or said that he needed to go to his next cold call. I do hope, for his sake, that his calls were't being recorded "to guarantee customer satisfaction".

Comments

[blur01.livejournal.com]

I was able to get a guy to curse at me over the phone once. I called back and talked with his manager.

"Im sorry, perhaps your sales person didnt realize that he was calling a church..."

[ericcoleman]

I don't TRY to frustrate them (well maybe a little), but ya know ... sometimes you just gotta ...

[blur01.livejournal.com]

I always let them know that I am NOT going to give them demographics information (human or computer oriented) about my company.

"I was trying to get ahold of your computer purchasing guy and I seem to have lost their name"

or my favorite

"do you have time to answer some questions?"

"No, I do not"

"Ok then, what is the..."

"Im sorry, perhaps you should stop reading your cheat sheet long enough to listen to my answer. I said no"