Sightseeing Over The Phone

[TelephoneAngel]

Another one from yesterday, background, my office covers several towns and they have a different phone area code.

me "can I take your telephone number?"
customer gives phone number with no area code
me "and can I take the area code?"
customer *irritated sigh* it's obviously oxxx"

*I don't know why it's obvious, I didn't recognise that code*

me "and which town is that?"
customer *even more irritated sigh" it's obviously Norwich"

me *bites lip to keep from saying "oh sorry, only you were standing in the way, but now I see the famous Norwich market down the phone and recognise where you are phoning from"*

[dbuzman]

"If it was obvious, I wouldn't be asking you."

[MoonCat]

This makes me nuts. They give me the area code when they don't have to and they don't give it to me when they should.

[KiaKat]

I live in NYC. We switched over to 10-digit numbers a while ago, and most people gave their full numbers before that anyway, since we have, what, five or so different area codes (212, 718, 917, 646, 347). None of which are purely based on geography, except 212 (Manhattan only). And that's not counting the sheer number of people who have mobiles with out-of-state area codes. Including me.

Therefore, I always give my full 10-digit. So when I go to my mom's, and have to give my number, it takes me a second to remember that they don't need the area code (the entire state is one code, no one includes it in their number when dealing locally). Frequently I forget and give it anyway.

[Snowbird]

This makes me nuts. They give me the area code when they don't have to and they don't give it to me when they should.

It's incredibly annoying to have to pull info from people who assume the answers should be obvious, particularly that absolutely condescending tone they take.

On the flip side, I'd rather be given too much info than not enough. Even when I'm at a local store, giving a local number, they're still required to ask for the area code, so I've just gotten used to giving it automatically.

[papercut]

I'm in a rural area. The old-timers here give their phone as x-xxxx. The first two numbers are standard for their town. (or WERE standard until recently) Course, I can't always tell WHICH town they are from. I think they expect me to guess based on how they look or their accent. Since some little towns are redneckier than others, sometimes I can tell. Sometimes I can't. Luckily they are usually good-natured enough to figure out I'm not a native and a polite "pardon?" from me prompts them to politely give the entire number. I think they are actually a bit proud to stump the newcomer (I've been here 20+ years and I'm still an outsider. I think I'm glad to be one :-)

[Teskeria]

me "and which town is that?"
customer *even more irritated sigh" it's obviously Norwich"

"is that Norwich Connecticut, Norwich Kansas, Norwich New York or Norwich Vermont, Sir? We cover 3 of the 4 (or all 4 if he was in the kansas area)"

[Chromatix]

...or Norwich, Norfolk, East Anglia, England? Given that "normal for Norfolk" is a euphemism for "inbred"...