Seriously, WHO does this??

[wanna-b-Tink]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who deals with this on a regular basis.

I work for a technical recruiting firm, and what's even worse is the women who will call for their husbands. "Hi, this is Mrs. So and So, I just sent over a resume for my husband and was wondering if I can talk to someone about openings?" I feel like saying, "lady, if he can't even pick up the phone to call on his own what makes you think we can help him?"

Ugh! I had a "girlfriend" call yesterday about a position we have open and proceeded to tell me how her boyfriend (who had absolutely none of the REQUIRED qualifications that were clearly marked REQUIRED) would be perfect for the job I had posted. In these situations, I always first ask for the boyfriend or husband's name, write it down for future reference, and then tell the girlfriend that unless someone is motivated enough to call me himself about job postings, he probably would not be a good fit with our company.

Sorry for the thread drift, but as a word of caution...if you are calling about a position for a boyfriend, girlfriend, etc, don't tell the hr person or recruiter that you are calling for someone. LIE! Tell them you are interested and wonder if your qualifications (which would be the boyfriend's qualifications) would be what they are looking for. Doing the calling for someone else immediately puts that person on the NO list for me!

I feel better now.

Oh, and I meant to add...I send out IVR messages to employees' homes, etc when we have something major everyone needs to know. The system works very well. What gets me is when the person will call me immediately and say, "Hey, I just got a message from you and it said....Is that right?" Me: "No, of course not. I like to send out false messages to our employees and risk losing my job." Duh!

This is why I no longer have a home phone!!!! I hate them!

 

[Becky2005]

That is bizarre. We don't have caller ID anymore (we got it when it was fairly new and it seemed 90% of the calls were "unknown" or something like that -- so we got rid of it as it wasn't that big of a deal to us) I know I wouldn't call back for several reasons.

I have adopted the theory of if it's important, they'll call back (OR leave a message on the answering machine!)

Sorry you have to deal with it. I know it's frustrating.

 

[Nancy]

I've got a different perspective on this. If you dial a wrong number, why can't you take the extra few seconds to say "sorry, wrong number." Cuz if you don't, and you're calling my cell and wasting my minutes, I don't see why I shouldn't reciprocate. Many times, I get calls that hang up just when I answer. Do you know how frustrating that is?

Buta aren't you wasting even more minutes calling it back? And what if they aren't using a cell phone to call you, then you aren't getting back at them cause they aren't usining minutes at all, but you are (unless you call back from a land line)

 

[annegal]

Who does this? Self-centered, self-important people who have nothing better to do with their time than to harass a poor receptionist.

Give me a break already! If they didn't leave a message, then IT WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT!!!! Duh.

FYI......Not everyone has a message machine. I don't. I only have Caller I.D.
& can understand someone questioning a call .

 

[Stepharoonie!]

We get a TON of people like that a day at our office.

"Thank you for calling the dermatology office I work at, this is Stephanie, how can I help you?"

"Yeah, someone called me from there."

"Okay, are you a patient here?"

"Yeah."

"Who is your doctor?"

"I don't remember. It was a girl." (We have three different women doctors that rotate)

"Alright, do you know if it was a nurse that called?"

"They didn't say. Do you know who called me?"

"No, I don't....I need to know the name of your doctor, then I can possibly find out the nurse that helped out."

"I dunno the name...just go and look it up in my chart."

OH. MY. GOSH. We have over 5,000 charts. To have to get up and search for that information is just ludicrous. It drives me completely batty that a) the patient doesn't know who their doctor is or b) that they have no idea why the nurse is calling. 9 times out of 10 it's for a biopsy result. The other 1 out of 10 is returning THEIR call.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have called people who had an answering machine, realized I had dialed the wrong number when the machine answered, left a short message to that effect (you know, somehting like "sorry I dialed the worng number"), and had the people call back to ask me why I called them. Now, don't you think if you saw a strange # on caller ID and had a message that said "wrong number" that you'd assume that the 2 were related?

My crazy SIL was all excited when she heard that i got caller ID because she thought she'd just call, let the phone ring 2x so the caller ID would pick up and then I'd call her back, spending my $$ on long distance. I don't think so. I told her that if she wanted something from me, leave a message.

I generally don't call anyone back if they are on my caller ID & don't leave a message.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My DD9 dialed a wrong number and it came back to haunt us. It was a crazy man's number. He would call in the middle of the night. He was drunk and wanted to know why did we call him! My DH called him back one day and told him it was a wrong number and if he didn't stop harrassing us we would call the police.

Lori

 

[powellrj]

I was calling landscapers from home for estimates for a PTA project. I few hours later, I get an irate phone call from a woman demanding to know who I was and why was I calling her DH. I had made a lot of phone calls that day, and it been hours ago. I finally asked her if her DH was a landscaper. She said yes, I then said thanks, I now know we won't be needing his services. I wonder how many other jobs her DH lost because of her phone calls.

 

[AprilShowers]

FYI......Not everyone has a message machine. I don't. I only have Caller I.D.

Ok, but do you call ALL the numbers that show up on your caller ID even if you don't know who they are? AND then get mad at the receptionist for not knowing?
THAT'S who I think is rude and self-centered.
I know lots of people who use their caller-ID instead of an answering machine, but they don't call EVERY number back and demand to know what they wanted!
Sorry if I offended you.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

This is why I block my home number when I make business phone calls. I do home health and have to call patients at their homes. I always leave my work number and voice mail number but they will just call back what shows on their caller ID so I block when I call from home. They don't need my home number. And I hate when they get my cell phone number. Also, when I call from work, it may end up going out on a voice mail line so if they use the number that shows on caller ID, they won't get the 24 hour answering service. That's their problem for not listening to the directions on their message.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Ok so I work at a large company at the front desk, and at least 10 times a day, someone will call and the conversation goes something like this:

Caller: Why didn't they leave a message? I don't understand why you're calling me! Is there someone I can talk to?

Seriously, WHO does this? I mean, if an unfamiliar number comes up on my caller ID and no message is left, I just hit "delete" and go on my merry way. Has anyone experienced this or done this, and for goodness sakes, WHY??

Obvoiusly some poor souls that have too much time on their hands and they haven't discovered the DisBoard..otherwise they would have time for nothing else if it's any consolation I work for a Police Dept...you can IMAGINE the calls I get

 

[tiggerlover]

I have to tell you, I used to work the switchboard for a company and this happened a lot.....it drove me nuts. I can understand if you want to see who was calling you, but don't badger the phone operator...they have no clue! I used to get them off of the line by telling them that if it was important enough, whoever it was will call them back and to have a nice day. Otherwise some would go on forever!

 

[Micca]

We get this too. At our business the receptionist gets the name of the person and does an email to everyone(there are about 70 people working there). The email says something like "Whoever called John Public he returned your call and can be reached at 893-XXXX". I see this email several times a week. I guess more than anything it placates the person who called in.

 

[rigs32]

Don't most cell services allow free voicemail access? So you're not wasting any minutes by listening to that message. I don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers so that I won't waste minutes.

I work for a law firm that's engaged in a class action lawsuit. The organization of employees in the class has a name, but it's something you'd only know if you're involved with the case. I get so frustrated by people who don't even know what group they've actively joined.

What annoys me more than the call backs, since most of them are fielded by the receptionist, are the people who pretend they are not themselves and make me convince them I am not going to bother them. Once satisfied with my identity, they just start talking. No "this is she" or what not. So then I have to ask "is this actually Mrs X?" and they get annoyed. Hello! You started this game.

 

[MAKmom]

Don't most cell services allow free voicemail access? So you're not wasting any minutes by listening to that message. I don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers so that I won't waste minutes.

.

Some plans charge you to listen to voice mail. we had anextel plan that charged a $1,00. I never leave a message on a cell phone because of this.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I worked in a small co (only 6 employees)....and I used to like to mess with people. I would put them on hold & tell them I would ask EVERYONE if the remembered dialing their #....and if they weren't in the office, I tell them I would track them down at home & on their cell JUST too check if they remembered. Its usually old people. LOL They actually either would hole (while I only asked the other 2 people usually in office) OR they would decide it wasn't important anyway & hang up.

I was being helpful. I was trying to answer their question. RIGHT? LOL

 

[pigletz]

I usually get this when I let my students use my phone to call home. Our classroom phones don't dial out and the office usually doesn't let them use the phone. I don't let them use the phone often but if they forgot a permission slip or forgot to tell someone they were staying for tutoring or sports tryouts I usually let them make a quick phone call. Normally I dial the number and remember to block it but sometimes I just hand them my phone. Whenever my number isn't blocked and the kid can't get ahold of a parent, I get an angry call back sometime later. I work in an inner city school so if I answer the phone when this happens I usually hear "Who the f are you and what the f do you want." As soon as I tell them their attitude usually changes though.

 

[Swimnoid]

No message, no returned call. Period. Not worth my time.

yep. me too. Very few people have my cell # so if I dont recognize it they are out of luck. Leave a message already

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

Ok so I work at a large company at the front desk, and at least 10 times a day, someone will call and the conversation goes something like this:

Me: It's a great day at Company X, we appreciate your business, this is lyzziesmom, how may I direct your call? (yes I have to say that every time)
Caller: Hi, um, someone called me from there earlier/yesterday/last week and didn't leave a message, I saw the number on my caller ID. Who called me?
Me: I'm sorry, I'm not sure.
Caller: What company is this? What do you do there?
Me: This is Company X, we do this & that.
Caller: Well I don't know why you're calling me. Who called me?
Me: We have over 200 people here, I'm sorry I don't know who called you.
Caller: Why didn't they leave a message? I don't understand why you're calling me! Is there someone I can talk to?

Seriously, WHO does this? I mean, if an unfamiliar number comes up on my caller ID and no message is left, I just hit "delete" and go on my merry way. Has anyone experienced this or done this, and for goodness sakes, WHY??

OMG! I had one of those calls today! The person was like, "Who called me and why did they call?". I was like, I'm not sure...sometimes people call and sometimes a recording will call. When did you get the call? Customer, "oh the other day."

I really hated this one:
Me: "I'm sorry, the hotel is fully committed."
Guest: "What do you mean?"
Me: "Unfortunately, the hotel is sold out for tonight."
Guest: "But I'm already on my way and I really need a room. There's nothing you can do for me?"
Me: "Ma'am, I'm sorry, unfortunately all of our rooms are taken at this time."
Guest: "Well this is just ridiculous! Why are you sold out?"
Me: "Ma'am, it's the Fourth of July Weekend. People have made their reservations months ago and you are calling on the day of."
Guest: "Well, isn't there someone I can talk to? I mean really, you must have at least one room left!"
Me: "Please hold"


Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[lyzziesmom]

Another thing I'd like the world to know: DO NOT assume that the first person who answers the phone knows everything! My company does tech support on some proprietary software, and I can't count the number of times someone will...
call,
listen to the recording that clearly states all the options,
press "0" for Operator,
listen to my spiel (see post #1) in which I clearly ask how I may DIRECT their call,
and proceed to launch into a detailed description of their history with the software and tell me step by step what they did and what each screen says, without taking a breath, and then...
when I tell them to hold while I connect them with tech support, they get huffy with ME because I can't help them! Hello????

My mom is one who will call the dr.'s office (or anywhere really) and describe her problem in detail to the first person who answers the phone, who will usually then have to connect her to another department, where she will again launch into her description, only to be transferred yet again to the correct person within that department. I tell her over & over again that this totally annoys us receptionists, but she still keeps doing it.

Will people never learn??