Heal the world... Make it a better place...


Now, I'm sure we've all got a bit of advice that we can give to the world. Make it a better place. Go on. Try.

Whether you're in work, or you're unemployed, or a full-time parent, I'm sure we've all got a bit of knowledge that we can share with others that'll make our own lives just that little bit better.



I'll start.

I work in an office. I deal with customers and (know-it-all) investors on a daily basis. In theory, it should be a simple job. Wrong! It has its' many frustrations. None of them life-shattering, admittedly, but preventable all the same. Here's some advice:


~ when calling an office to take complex information - that you will not remember as soon as the conversation has ended - please remember to bring a pen and paper. You knew you wanted that information, you have terrible memory skills, therefore please do not subject the employee to the sound of you reaching down the back of the sofa, scratching around, looking for a pen. Or arguing with your husband/wife/partner in the background as you say "I can never find a bloody pen!". It would be handy.


~ when calling an office, please remember that the person you are speaking to - no matter how lowly or pathetic they may seem - is indeed (a) a person - i.e. they have feelings and (b) probably well-trained in what they are speaking about Therefore - surprise surprise - you may be shocked to learn that that person does know what they're talking about. Imagine that?! Strange as that may seem, they are not making things up for your benefit. It may have definitely crossed the employee's mind before (and it would make their job a hell of alot more interesting) but - since it is usually a sackable offence - they tend to speak on behalf of the company. It is not a petty rule they have just created within the last 2 minutes because, well, you're an ass. Imagine that!


~ when calling an office, please do not get arsey with the employee when they attempt to re-direct you to the correct department after you have knowingly dialled the Freephone number (instead of the actual one, which usually costs money). Surprising as it may seem, please don't be shocked when they inform you that you're through to the wrong department. It's not rocket science! You dialled the number, dipstick.


~ when calling an office, yes - it's great that the world is, hopefully, becoming a more integrated place - but please remember that, although you may speak your language fluently, that the employee may not. Diversity is a wonderful thing but you may find that that same employee wouldn't call up an office in another country and spew out Welsh names and place names as if they were common to everyone. Do you know how to spell 'llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch'. No, I thought not.





Just spreading a lil' love and happiness there folks.

Now it's your turn...

Sorry... I just had to get that out of my system.


But it felt good.


And relax.

I did read it but I have serious issues with Customer "service" while I know you are a nice person (as are many people on the ends of phones) I got really reading it and decided not to reply.



Point 1 - I would go along with point one - it is stupid to go to the phone without a pen and paper

Point 2 - I always keep this in mind

However.....

Point 3 - if you have a problem with a service then the people you are paying for that service should pay for the call not you.

Point 4 - Change job. It's harsh, but the last place you work if you are still learning a language is on the end of a phone line. Although it is the employers fault (for not giving a shit) not the employee for trying to make their way in life at any opportunity.

Sorry if IO offend, but I hate to see a good thread go to waste

PREDOMINANT said:

Hey!

No mate, you haven't offended me. Thank you, though.

Re: point 3 - I'm really referring to people who see a freephone number, call that - regardless of whether that's the right number or not - then rant at me because I can't assist them. But I definitely see your point. I understand why customers get angry with large corporations. And there are examples of appalling customer service; hopefully I'm not one of them.

And re: point 4 - I might not have explained myself there properly but I'm not actually learning a language. Sometimes we get people who'll call from abroad and say "I'm Mr... (rattles name off)" or "My address is..." and we're like When you ask them to repeat themselves, some people can get quite funny. If I phoned up a company in France, I wouldn't assume they'd know how to spell my Welsh name or 'Aberystwyth', for example. It's just common sense. But - one thing you're definitely right about - I need to get a new job! Definitely.

Sorry, I wish I hadn't started this thread in a way. I'm not a whinger. Just venting, I guess.

But thank you - I do appreciate your comments.

onenitealone said:

Thats what the orgs for!

"Make sure you never ever use Nair on your scrotum."

Does anybody remember that thread?

retina said:

ewwww, no

brownsugar said:

The guy who posted it had apparently tried it and said his scrote had swollen up to the size of two tennis balls and turned bright red. And then he was totally taken aback when people started making fun of him, poor guy.

Remember to keep your mouth shut and never grass on your friends. I learnt that from Robert de Niro in 'Goodfellas'.

anyone going into management NEEDS to read and UNDERSTAND this story:

frequently do a 'select all' and 'copy' in case things crash. backup files, people! backup files