Another oldie but a goodie

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

From 2002, I was trying to describe to the caller how to get ahold of someone in Benefits (I do tech support only):

Me: Call the number back and hit star star zero.

Him: Five five zero.

Me: No, star star zero, you know the star key on your phone?

Him: Five five zero.

Me: Star star zero.

Him: Star five five zero.

Me: No, two stars. Star star zero.

Him: Oh, star five zero.

Me: No fives. Star. The star key on your phone? Star star zero.

Him: Star five five zero.

Me: Star star zero.

Him: Star five zero.

Me: Star star zero. You know, the star button on your phone, on the bottom left?

Him: Star star zero.

Me: Yes.

Him: Hit that now?

Me: No, when you call the number back.

Him: OK, I call the number then hit star five zero.


(repeat ad infinitum)

x-posted to customers_suck and my journal

Comments

[inahandbasket]

wow.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

This same call would happen over and over and over again because we would get retirees calling us and being very confused over why I couldn't change their insurance information.

[sarig.livejournal.com]

How on earth some people survive growing up is beyond me.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

This guy survived a good deal past that--he was a retiree.

[snoopyh42.livejournal.com]

That's short-yellow-bus kind of special.

[cmdrproteus.livejournal.com]

If he actually needed tech support, I would give my deepest sympathies for you...god my brain hurts thinking about that conversation.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

What's fun is resetting these people's passwords. I'll post about that later. ;)

[cmdrproteus.livejournal.com]

Oh that is so evil!! lol I love it! ;)

[chaobell]

I can hear this conversation in my head. It scares me.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

I wish I had it recorded. I really really do.

[dukesnorre.livejournal.com]

Maybe he was hard of hearing? You should've yelled at him. :)

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

Nah, he wasn't. I made sure. He heard everything else I told him. For some reason the concept of phone buttons was very difficult for him, though. Perhaps if he had had a rotary phone. As it was, I finally just told him to call the number back and hold on the line. Since it would keep prompting for a social security number unless you bypassed with the **0, it would take him about three minutes longer, but it was really the only way.

[shifuimam.livejournal.com]

Hahaha that made me laugh - first good laugh I've had all day. Thanks. :)

sounds familiar

[lilpeach.livejournal.com]

You know.. all I can think of when I read that is the part of Monty Python's Holy Grail with the two guards who needed to guard herbert and not let him leave the room until his father got back.


hilarity abounds

Re: sounds familiar

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

The reason that skit is funny is because that kind of thing happens all the time.

[pixeltwist.livejournal.com]

At that point I would have been like:

Yes, star five star star five zero. Thanks for calling and have a nice evening.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

I find that turnaround works, sometimes. Make them want to listen.

"Five five zero."
"No."

(pause)

"Five five zero?"
"No."

"Then... what?" <-- VICTORY!
"Star."
"Star..."
"Then star again."
"Star again..."
"Zero."

[jahbulon.livejournal.com]

A choice tactic and one I employ on many occasions. Instant power shift.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

Yes, but he would have gone through that and then said "OK, I call that number back then hit five five zero."

[rileydag.livejournal.com]

Who's on first, what's on second?....


:-P