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I answer the switchboard for a community college. Tomorrow is thanksgiving, but we still have classes before 5pm today. For some reason, everyone decided that today was the day that the HAVE to schedule classes. It sucks, but half an hour hold time isn't unusual. You're better off just coming in if you can, but still, I've been getting a huge number of calls.
Explaining how a holding system works part 1
Them:"Well I've been on hold and I was wondering, are they going to answer the calls in the order they come in?"
Me:"yes" *of course, now that you've hung up to as me, you've gotten your ass back to the end of the line.*
Explaining how a holding system works part 2
"I just called Counseling and was told that all the operators were busy....what does that mean?"
Fax Numbers
"I need the faaaaaaaaax number for uuuuuuuuummmm..........to faaaaax something to.....umm.....for a class....to withdrawl from one...."
"***-"
"***, that's the fax number?"
"***-****"
More Counseling fun
"I've been waiting on hold for counseling for an hour and ten minutes. Are they even there??"
"They should be, let me check"
*I manage to get a hold of someone up there and get the information just in time for him to hang up*
Where's my car???
I have a lady call into the switchboard. She needs an officer outside because her car has gotten stolen (supposedly....usually they just forget where they parked). I get the information about where she is and then I ask her name. She gives me the first and then hangs up on me when I ask for the last name. Later she calls back and asks if the officer is on the way. Turns out her car was in fact just parked somewhere else.
Fire Alarm news
On a cute note though, the little boy in Kaetchen's story about the fire alarm that was pulled was brought up today by his dad. The dad apologized and joked with us for a while which was cool and the kid was adorable. Apparently the whole thing scared the crap out of him. The dad did say that since he was the dad, it was his fault (the kid is only 3).
Explaining how a holding system works part 1
Them:"Well I've been on hold and I was wondering, are they going to answer the calls in the order they come in?"
Me:"yes" *of course, now that you've hung up to as me, you've gotten your ass back to the end of the line.*
Explaining how a holding system works part 2
"I just called Counseling and was told that all the operators were busy....what does that mean?"
Fax Numbers
"I need the faaaaaaaaax number for uuuuuuuuummmm..........to faaaaax something to.....umm.....for a class....to withdrawl from one...."
"***-"
"***, that's the fax number?"
"***-****"
More Counseling fun
"I've been waiting on hold for counseling for an hour and ten minutes. Are they even there??"
"They should be, let me check"
*I manage to get a hold of someone up there and get the information just in time for him to hang up*
Where's my car???
I have a lady call into the switchboard. She needs an officer outside because her car has gotten stolen (supposedly....usually they just forget where they parked). I get the information about where she is and then I ask her name. She gives me the first and then hangs up on me when I ask for the last name. Later she calls back and asks if the officer is on the way. Turns out her car was in fact just parked somewhere else.
Fire Alarm news
On a cute note though, the little boy in Kaetchen's story about the fire alarm that was pulled was brought up today by his dad. The dad apologized and joked with us for a while which was cool and the kid was adorable. Apparently the whole thing scared the crap out of him. The dad did say that since he was the dad, it was his fault (the kid is only 3).
turns to ice. Hell has just frozen over. 
There is justice after all! 
They could have *walked* to the office and probably back in that time! And then they hang up just as they get someone to help them... 
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