Are we on the same planet????

[Racket_Man]

why is it lately I seem to get the total wack jobs on the phone????

me - loading up my AK-47 magazines
TDA - to dumb to be alive or how have you survived THIS LONG????

phone rings and I answer (sound familiar?????)
me - <opening spiel INCLUDING the name of my pizza place and our street location)

TDA - YEAH is this <pizza place>???? (Strike #1)
me - yes it is.
TDA - and where are you located???? (Ball #1)
me - <gives street address and nearby landmarks>
TDA - <mumble mumble talking to someone in the background> just checkin to make sure who you are. <HUH??????>
TDA - HEY can I have your store's phone number cause the phone book does not have your number??????? (Strike #2)

<cue cute sound effects>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRp_mVi969I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnbc4...eature=related

OK at this point one must stop and THINK...........did Elmira and Pinkey have a love child that got dropped on its head?????

YOU just called US and YOU WANT OUR PHONE NUMBER???????

let me say that again: YOU called US and YOU want OUR PHONE NUMBER?????

we continue with our regularily scheduled "I wanna order pizza" conversation:
me - (???????) OK our number is 12.....
TDA - 1
me - 12.....
TDA - 12.....
me - 123.....
TDA 123...
me - 123-45.....
TDA - 123-4......
me - 123-4567
TDA 123-456
me - 7
TDA 123-4567
me -yes
OK will this be for delivery or carryout?
TDA - delivery. I want a xyz pizza.
me - ok any <names sides and sodas> with that order today?
TDA - NO
me - OK your total is $13.98. and will this be cash or card?
TDA - CASH AND MAKE SURE THE DRIVER BRINGS ENOUGH CHANGE. I WANT THE RIGHT AMOUNT BACK THIS TIME. (STRIKE #3 YOUR OUT!@!!!!!!!

<this means you are going to stright stiff the driver and that means me. and yes I did get the delivery and i got straight stiffed. he even wanted his 2 cents back. cheap bastard>

now let us analyse this
1. you dialed the phone to reach my store
2. you should have listened to the opening spiel STATING the company name and location
3. baring some time warp activity you should know the phone number you just dialed.

[Cerys]

Much as I hate to defend this sucky customer, it's always possible that he phoned a classified directory service and was put through to you, so was never actually told the number.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Much as I hate to defend this sucky customer, it's always possible that he phoned a classified directory service and was put through to you, so was never actually told the number.

That's as may be, but it doesn't excuse the stiff.

[NateTheChops]

Customer stupidity tends to override any valid defense on their part.

[Cerys]

That's as may be, but it doesn't excuse the stiff.

Hence the fact that I hated to defend him. I've obviously been out of the game too long - I've gone soft in my old age.

[MoonCat]

Whenever I call directory assistance, they read off the number first before they connect me. Or least they did, I don't know, maybe they don't have actual people doing it anymore...been a while since I called them.

[Caractacus_Potts]

Whenever I call directory assistance, they read off the number first before they connect me. Or least they did, I don't know, maybe they don't have actual people doing it anymore...been a while since I called them.

May vary form place to place or from cell to hard line but anytime I call 411 on my cell they place the call without giving you the number and give you the option of having the number texted to you for an additional charge.

now let us analyse this
1. you dialed the phone to reach my store

As stated already, he dialed info to get your number. He even told you your store wasn’t listed in the copy of the phone book he has.

2. you should have listened to the opening spiel STATING the company name and location

Eh...customers rarely listen, might not have heard you clearly or more likely he wanted to make certain your store was the one he intended to call since he had trouble finding you number.

3. baring some time warp activity you should know the phone number you just dialed.

See above.

and yes I did get the delivery and i got straight stiffed. he even wanted his 2 cents back. cheap bastard

For this he deserves to be tarred, feathered and tied to the top of a pizza delivery car with a sign around his neck that says, "HELLO, I AM A CHEAP BASTARD". At the very least I would note this guys name and address and let the other drivers know that if he calls again his pizza box should be carried sideways and should be delivered cold. You need to give him incentive to bother some other pizza place (unless your place gives free pizzas to anyone who complains...in that case I would just lose his order anytime he calls).

[PepperElf]

Much as I hate to defend this sucky customer, it's always possible that he phoned a classified directory service and was put through to you, so was never actually told the number.

That's what I was thinking. Or he couldn't write it down.

although from the rest of the post it also sounds like, even if he had been given the number by the directory... he may have been too stoned to use it anyway.

[Moirae]

Actually, the most incredibly annoying part I read was that he had to ask if it was the place he was looking for. Guests do that to me ALL.. THE.. TIME. It drives me batty.

No, we are not a bank. No, we are not the doctors office. No, we do not sell ice cream. No, we are not your daughters school.

When I answer the phone, I tell you what we are. Can you understand the world Hotels? Is that not part of the english language? Then why did I just have to say it again three more times because you don't believe me?

ARRGGGHHH!

Sorry, that happens at least twice a day. Its one of my pet peeves.

[Cerys]

Reminds me of 'I don't know if you can help me - I have someone's name and address, and I'm trying to get hold of their phone number'.

Bloody good thing you rang Directories, then, isn't it...?

[MoonCat]

Actually, the most incredibly annoying part I read was that he had to ask if it was the place he was looking for. Guests do that to me ALL.. THE.. TIME. It drives me batty.

No, we are not a bank. No, we are not the doctors office. No, we do not sell ice cream. No, we are not your daughters school.

When I answer the phone, I tell you what we are. Can you understand the world Hotels? Is that not part of the english language? Then why did I just have to say it again three more times because you don't believe me?

ARRGGGHHH!

Sorry, that happens at least twice a day. Its one of my pet peeves.

We used to get calls from people who thought they were calling the Grateful Dead hotline. I kid you not. What are the odds that at least some of them were stooooooned?

[EricKei]

<this means you are going to stright stiff the driver and that means me. and yes I did get the delivery and i got straight stiffed. he even wanted his 2 cents back. cheap bastard>

...Which is exactly why, in many years of pizza driving, I have NEVER carried coin change, and I encourage other drivers to do the same. On average, the entire store I worked at got one such request per *year* (not one per driver, one total). For the reason stated above, we saw no reason to cater to SC's like that.

[Racket_Man]

...Which is exactly why, in many years of pizza driving, I have NEVER carried coin change, and I encourage other drivers to do the same. On average, the entire store I worked at got one such request per *year* (not one per driver, one total). For the reason stated above, we saw no reason to cater to SC's like that.

the problem is this guy literally telegraphed to me over the phone that he would be DEMAND his 2 pennies in change. and he seemed to be one that would call and get snotty with the MOD and demand that I bring him his 2 pennies and then demand his order for free.

Yeah I get the customers that demands the exact change only a couple of times a year. most of us know who they are and their addresses. for some reason they all tend to be in the senior age bracket.

I get that he might have been transfered from directory assistance BUT his POS record showed multiple previous orders. and I know for a fact that my store's phone number has been the same (and in the phone book) for at least 40 years.

[Cerys]

Ah. Just a prat, then.

[Moirae]

You know, I usually just give them a bill and call it done. Its easier. Its not a tip really, just that I don't feel like bothering with the change. Usually even if its $5, I Just let them have it. Though usually I'll give drivers more than that if I made them go out in sucky weather.

I don't know why 2 cents is a big deal.