What part of "We do not offer that service" don't you understand?

[greensinestro]

Why is it when you tell a customer, as polite and professional as you can, "I'm sorry, but we do not offer that service", the same customer will not just say "OK, thank you" and just hang up?

Good example. I had a woman who called me earlier this week who first asked if we offer DSL. I told her I was sorry, but that we only offered dial up service at the present time and told her there was no information on whether or not it would be in her area soon. I thought this last part would be the answer to the most commonly asked question afterward, "Do you think you'll be getting it soon?" Nope. This lady then wanted to know, "Well, how fast is DSL if I get it?" or "What will the price be when you do get it?" and "When do you personally think it will become available?" Keeping my cool, of course, I answered her questions all together by saying, "I'm sorry, maam, but if we do not offer it in the area, I would not know the answers to those questions. However, the only thing I can tell you is that it is faster than dial up, and it does allow you to use your phone and surf the internet at the same time." My mistake there! "How much faster is it than my dial up? Are you sure you don't offer it?" Lady, I know my job and know for a fact it is not offered. Again, I had to tell her, "I'm sorry, but I do not have information on a product we do not sell."

This call went on for about three long, drawn-out, painful minutes with her asking me all of these questions. What part of "We do not have DSL in your area" did she not understand? Would this not be like a person who walks into Best Buy looking for a particular computer that they do not sell, but the customer goes on and on badgering the sales guy about specifics on an item they simply do not have? Why waste your time?

[BookstoreEscapee]

But I waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant it

[MadMike]

Hmm, what made me think the post was going to be about something completely and totally different? Don't know if it's my mind that is constantly in the gutter, or some of these customers who would actually expect something like that.

[greensinestro]

But I waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaant it

No problem. You can speak to my supervisor who has God-like powers and can create DSL facilities out of thin air for you.

[BookstoreEscapee]

No problem. You can speak to my supervisor who has God-like powers and can create DSL facilities out of thin air for you.

Yesss! Persistence pays off once again!

[CaroPhoenix]

Kinda OT, but in the same vein:

At The Gaming Store I used to work at, and it still happens now, people would call up asking about computer games/systems/etc. The only thing: We don't sell those. We sell: Board Games, miniatures games, RPG's, puzzles, comic books, CCGs, etc., etc. More often than not, the caller would be so stunned that we did not in fact have electronic gaming stuff, they'd just hang up. Or of course they'd ask: "Are you sure?" Or they'd say "Why not?" Or "Are you going to get any in?" 'cos you know, we can pull those things out of thin air - though if I could do that with the Wiis and the PS3's - I'd make a lot of $$!!!!

[BookstoreEscapee]

YEARS ago, BN carried software, but stopped because too much of it was walking out of the store without their boxes. People would slice the shrink wrap along the opening and remove the contents and we'd find empty boxes sitting there on the shelf. People still come in looking for it. But it's on your website...!

Exactly, you have to order it from the website. We don't carry it in the store, and we can't order it in the store, and no amount of whiiiining is gonna make it appear in the store.