[tan] Phone courtesy

[JO]

All right, we all had it at least once : The phone representative or receptionist sounding completely pissed off by his/her job who tries to make you feel bad about it by being completely rude with you, besides your best efforts to remain nice and polite. Oh and if you request information (i.e. asking him/her to make an effort), you'll get the *sigh* and the summum of all rudeness..

I just booked a doctor's appointment with one of the worse person I ever got to speak with. I was biting my tongue the whole time because I feared she could have screwed me up if I had said something to her.. :evil:

Question : Did you ever say something to that person about his/her behaviour? If so, what did you say?

[The Diabolical Biz Markie]

I've never confronted the person directly--I am always hesistant to burn any bridges with people that I may need help from. Waiters, IT people, receptionists, secretaries...it never pays, IMO, to torque these people to badly, because if they start disliking you, all manner of bad things start happening.

Instead, I make a casual comment to the person's boss, if the situation presents itself..."Boy, [insert name here] is having a bad day, isn't she? Is there anything wrong?"

"No, why do you ask..."

Then you have a nice opening to give your opinion on the matter on a way that preserves "face" for everyone, and communicates the problem to the only person who is likely able to do anything about it.

[Maine-iac]

Question : Did you ever say something to that person about his/her behaviour? If so, what did you say?

Nope, but sometimes ultra-politeness works. If you point out their bad behavior, even in as nice and non-threatening a way as possible, they just get defensive. Ultra-politeness sometimes embarrasses them into better manners. It usually works on people who know better but are being rude because they are caught up in their own problems and annoyances. Some people are just rude to the bone, and nothing works on them.

[Lee Mellon]

I have occasionally asked if I have pissed them off in some way, and then asked if it would be better if I called back some other time. No adverse results to date.

[Mick Fan]

[quote="Maine-iacNope, but sometimes ultra-politeness works. [/quote]

I use this policy. A few of the people I talk with on the phone regulary seem like they're always cranky. I usually try to kill them with kindness. :)

On the other side, if I call someone that I don't care for and I get their voice mail, one of the ways to really annoy them is to leave them a long, rambling, ultra-detailed message. I've actually done this in the past. ;)

[42]

On the other side, if I call someone that I don't care for and I get their voice mail, one of the ways to really annoy them is to leave them a long, rambling, ultra-detailed message. I've actually done this in the past. ;)Uh-oh! I do this all the time, and I'm not trying to be annoying. :oops: (Of course, I'm Foghorn Leghorn with an FSA.)

[Keef]

Don't feel like starting a new thread for this:

2 people near me at work leave their cel phone ringers on and regularly leave them at their desk, then their cel rings, annoying ring tone...

I thought everyone had agreed to set their phone to vibrate mode, especially in public? :confused:

[General Apathy]

Do they leave them unnatended and unlocked?

Because switching everything to French and a daily 3:30 a.m. alarm would help things

[tometom]

Don't feel like starting a new thread for this:

2 people near me at work leave their cel phone ringers on and regularly leave them at their desk, then their cel rings, annoying ring tone...

I thought everyone had agreed to set their phone to vibrate mode, especially in public? :confused:Just go turn it off, or better yet, take it into the bathroom and take a picture of....... (I'll let you decide)

[Keef]

Do they leave them unnatended and unlocked?

Because switching everything to French and a daily 3:30 a.m. alarm would help things

Yep, pretty sure their unlocked

One of them is bilingual, but the 3:30 alarm is can't miss. :tup:

[Patrick Bauer]

steal the phones, sell them for drugs

[Keef]

I'm already high on life but I could always use some beer $

[MountainHawk]

Do they leave them unnatended and unlocked?

Because switching everything to French and a daily 3:30 a.m. alarm would help things
Chinese is better. No chance of accidentally being able to figure something out.

[yoyo]

whatever happened to The Diabolical Biz Markie?

[Patrick Bauer]

whatever happened to The Diabolical Biz Markie?

I heard he returned to his Bangladeshi thrown.