Can't talk? Don't use the fucking phone!

[evilone]

Got a call from an old dude recently. Now apparently he had reached a level of decrepit that hindered his ability to talk clearly at all. I don't blame him it's not his fault. BUT! that is no reason for the pissy attitude when people can't understand him.

Me: (Blank) store, sporting goods. how may i help you?
sc: Mrram ie wann licence erishing.
Me: I'm sorry what? could you repeat that, sir?
sc: mramas erishin lllissens mmmm.

I make out that he wants a fishing licence of some sort and try my best to understand him. but as I keep asking him to repeat himself he gets more and more upset and far less coherant. finaly it ends with him going "mmrrr... PHUK YU" and then he hung up. He never showed up for the licence and I wasn't inclined to let him have one. but really, have a friend or relative call for you. Don't get pissed at me for your handicap.

[lobsterdance]

When i worked as an SA we had a regular customer who was like that. He was really difficult to understand and if you couldn't make out what he was saying he got more and more upset (and more difficult to understand) until he ended up screaming at us. My boss ended up ripping him a new one for shouting at a load of young girls (we were all around 16 or 17).

[cinema guy]

I am partially deaf. I recently contacted a utilities company by letter, and asked them to contact me by post or email. What did they do, phone me! The guy in the call centre explained that they were only allowed to make contact by phone.

[KellyHabersham]

Not that I would excuse these SC's for their behavior, but I can understand their frustration at not being able to be understood - many's the time I've had to repeat something because the other person claimed I mumbled/slurred half the words in my sentences. And since I'll hear myself as speaking at a normal pitch/speed, there's no way for me to catch or correct the problem, and it gets rather frustrating on my end.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I am partially deaf. I recently contacted a utilities company by letter, and asked them to contact me by post or email. What did they do, phone me! The guy in the call centre explained that they were only allowed to make contact by phone.

That would cause me to write a very angry sounding letter to the company president or CEO.

[Teskeria]

When I had a situation like that, where the person could not be understood, after the second time, I would tell them "I apologize for asking you to repeat so many times. We just don't have a clear connection and I want to be sure I have the correct information." A lot of times, once you take the 'fault' of off them, they calm down and are willing to repeat themselves as much as needed. Because It's not an insult to have a bad connection whereas, in their mind, it IS an insult to say you can't hear/understand with the implication (however true) that it is their speech that is the issue.

[cinema guy]

That would cause me to write a very angry sounding letter to the company president or CEO.

I don't deal with them anymore so it wasn't worth the hassle.

[Can I have a cheeseburger]

Not that I would excuse these SC's for their behavior, but I can understand their frustration at not being able to be understood - many's the time I've had to repeat something because the other person claimed I mumbled/slurred half the words in my sentences. And since I'll hear myself as speaking at a normal pitch/speed, there's no way for me to catch or correct the problem, and it gets rather frustrating on my end.

I'm amazed at how many customers I have just mumble their orders and can't speak a coherant sentence. When there are competing noises, I don't get how they expect me to understand them.

[Andara Bledin]

Ooh, it irritates the heck out of me when people won't enunciate, or get all pissy when they can't be understood, as if it's a fault of the other person that they are somehow incoherent.

Our receptionist has an accent and mumbles. It makes me cringe every time she pages someone.

I agree with blaming the connection, though. There's nothing like making it not their fault to make them more agreeable. Even when you both know better.

^-.-^

[Peppergirl]

How about the ones that phone in to a call center and make sure they are in the loudest, most noisy location they can possibly be in? Then get pissy when you have to ask them to repeat themselves 282 times.

I had one that chose to sit right next to the frapuccino blender at Starbucks and book all her travel for the next 3 months. She got pissy and annoyed and sighed dramatically every time I asked her to repeat herself. Rather than, oh...you know...MOVE her ass to a different table, or take her fucking drink and go home?

And yes, I work in an after hours, emergency travel call center. It was apparently VERY important to book travel for 3 months away that Saturday morning, as people who had true emergencies had to sit on hold. Bitch.

Sorry for the threadjack.

[CiggyStoreClerk]

What sucks the worst is when people mumble everything to you and then, when you ask them to repeat, they say everything very loudly and VERY enunciated, as if you're an idiot

[Food Lady]

That happens to me all the time at the FF.