Urge to kill....rising

[Dave1982]

Oh my god....just.....ugh.....I was shaking with anger after this call. I'm at the insurance agency again, and I'm actually training a new receptionist (which is why I wasn't in chat today; the new girl was in front of the computer and I'm on my iPad).

So this asshole calls in asking to speak with an agent who is no longer with the company. She wasn't sure what to tell him, so I took the call.

Me: you were looking for [ex-agent]?

SC: Yes.

Me: I'm sorry but she's no longer with the company--

SC: I know that! Give me [ex office manager, who is also no longer with the company]!!

Me: She's no longer with the company either, sir.

SC: Then give me her forwarding number!!

Me: I have no such number, sir; she's no longer with the company. But if you give me your name I can get you the agent who's been assigned to your account.

SC: It's Blazing Asshole, but if you don't give me the forwarding number I'm going to cancel my account!!

Me: Sir, the people you are asking for are no longer with the company and I have NO such number to give you.

SC: If she's an ex-employeenyou HAVE to have a forwarding number BY LAW!!

Me (starting to lose it at this point): Doesn't mean we have to give it to you!

SC: Well, I want it!

Me: I do NOT have it!

SC: well then I'm canceling my account, if that's the attitude you have!

Me: Fine. Let me transfer you to the current office manager, since shes the one listed on your account, and she will be MORE than happy to do that! *transfer, click*

Of course, she didn't pick up, and when her voicemail did, he hit 0 to get back to me. Thankfully (sort of) I was able to see this on the switchboard and grabbed the phone so as to spare the new girl.

SC: She didn't pick up!

me: Then she must not be at her desk. Youll have to leave a voicemail.

SC: What's her name?

Me: [Name].

SC: *click*

Well, at least i didn't have to endure another round of bullshit, but GOD....

listen, asshole.....if you account is with this company, but the agent you want isnt, then what good is a forwarding number going to do you? She can't do anything with accounts at a company she no longer works for! How fucking stupid are you?? And even if I had a number at which to reach her, do you really think I would inflict a shit stain such as yourself on her? Go fuck yourself, seriously.

Since the new girl was pretty much all set with the phone system, I excused myself from the desk and spoke with the agents about this guy. I just wanted them to be aware of it in case he somehow managed to get someones direct line and started any shit.

By far, the WORST sucky customer I've had to deal with since leaving the Bent Staple.

[fireheart]

What was he expecting? The agents to magically have all of his information?

Alternately, it sounds like he was trying to contact them for other reasons....

[Captain Trips]

Probably a case of "well, when she worked there she disapproved my claim, so now I want to hunt her down and kill her. And her ex-manager, too."

What law says you have to have a forwarding number? All you are required to have is a "last known address" for the final paycheck. You gotta love it when people make up laws on the spur of the moment just to suit their needs.

[Kara]

Well, at least his Mama named him appropriately.

I had these from time to time. Not so much that the rep didn't work for the company anymore, but that it was literally impossible to transfer to another rep, aside from a sup. But really, what good does this raging assgoblin think it would do if you DID give him that person's forwarding number? So he could call them and they could do.... what exactly? Not working for the company anymore would allow them to do precisely jack about his account, regardless of handling it in the past. Because they were able to handle the account by being an employee of the damn company.

Actually, that would be awesome. No longer working for the company and getting a call from some crazy jackass they used to get paid to deal with at home, they could tell him exactly where to go and how to fuck himself once he got there.

[Android Kaeli]

Ugh. Have these from time to time, especally with several former managers -- even if I *had* the information, I am not *legally able* to disclose the information. I've told a few of them that I am not going to risk losing my job for a phone number.

[fma_fanatic]

SC: If she's an ex-employeenyou HAVE to have a forwarding number BY LAW!!

Really? Since when? Last I checked that info was protected. If the ex-employee wanted their info forwarded (at least at my company) it was their responsibility to hand out that info to reception, not the company to just pass it out willy nilly.

I've had people pull this crap on me. If I don't have their contact info, I don't have it, and no I am not passing you to HR, because our manager will tell you the same thing. Oh you want HR anyway? Okay.

Cue a call a few minutes later with the same jerk who will scream at me for passing them to an unhelpful HR manager who dared to not pass out the info either.

I'd be tempted to ask them to tell me what wonderful law it was they were quoting.

[Daemonmonkey]

SC: If she's an ex-employee you HAVE to have a forwarding number BY LAW!!

Your answer should have been something like this:

- Well, as you are so versed regarding the law, can I have the law, paragraph and section so I can check it, so I don't breake THE LAW?

usually this brings them out of balance...

OR.. You could always have said something like this:

- [Ex-employee] did SPECIFICALLY instruct that she NEVER was to be called by you, mr BA!

SC: What's her name?

If he had been listening the name (in most cases) would have been said by the AM, like "You've reached the VM belonging to [name]"...

[blas]

I don't blame you one bit, Dave. What a prick.

I was never in that line of work, but it always made me twitchy when people would call the store to speak with someone who didn't work there anymore (especially if it had been long enough that I didn't even remember working with that person, aka, they'd quit or been fired before my hire). Nine and a half times out of ten, it's shady. Even if it's a bill collector, it's shady, because that means that that person pulled a Drunken Victim (former coworker of mine) and left an old work phone number or number that they don't have to answer for those people to deal with, so now others would have to

[Raveni]

In my line of work, I am required to collect information like phone numbers of owners as part of the official records of the association. I am also expressly forbidden from giving out such information as part of a request from a homeowner.

So, yes, I have EVERYONE'S phone number, but I'm NOT allowed to give it to ANYONE, and this means YOU.

[Geek King]

SC: If she's an ex-employeenyou HAVE to have a forwarding number BY LAW!!

Me: Very well. However, we will be invoking Article III, subsection 32, clause 2, "Trial By Combat." You must face a member of our staff in mortal combat inside of our custom-fitted Thunderdome and win to recieve the information. Both fighters will enter unarmed, but able to use any weapons found in the arena. Possible weapons will be chosen at random, but include binders, pencils, power cables, rubberband balls, shopping carts, sissors, Swingline staplers, and tape guns.

SC: <sputters> There's no such language in the LAW!!!

Me: <sweetly> Well, then you'll need to provide me a bound copy of the law to prove it. In the meantime, our local customer service speciallist, Grod, awaits your challenge for information. Good day, sir. <click>

[taxguykarl]

Here at the tax office, it amazes me how attached some people are to their preparers. I've seen some burn time off to see me (I didn't realize I'm that good).
Back to the OP, point out that stalking laws forbid disclosing that info.