How you know the customer has not listened to a word you just said...

[PepperElf]

@rose_metal,


My bills are emailed to me too but I still know that Billing Address = Physical Address. Sites like Amazon, Ebay, and Paypal require a billing address and as far as I know it's not possible to enter an email address for that field. The form is Billing Address: (blank) Apt2 (blank) City, State, Zip. That's not an email address. XD


For the original poster....

Not much to say but WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. O_O;

and here we have a further issue with billing addresses....

some of the *VERY* rural areas don't actually have addresses. seriously it trips my mind out but, those residents have to drive to the post office to pick up their mail. BUT... not everyone accepts a PO box for an address either.

it's given some of our customers issues when they try to apply for credit etc.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

When I place an order for a customer, if they don't have a customer number, I usually ask for the last name as it appears on the credit card, and then the billing zip or postal code. From there I ask for the billing street address, and I can go from there. Though it does annoy me when I ask for a zip/postal code and they start with the street address...sigh.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Me - I'm pleased to advise that your claim has now been paid
SC - WHAT?! You people are HOPELESS, you STILL haven't paid it!

That's is very similar to what just happened to me a few minutes ago.

Not wanting to thread jack I posted the story here

[BrenDAnn]

Let me add a couple of my favorites:

Me: Thank you for calling <C-store> CARRY-OUT PIZZA...May I take your order?
SC: Ya, I'd like to order a pizza?

AND

Me: *gives customer their total*
SC: How much was it?

Sometimes they're just blatantly obvious though. For example:

Me; Alright, go ahead and enter your PIN please?
SC: *staring off into space* Oh...what?

[Nemesis44UK]

@ Rose_metal

I do think repeating the same thing isn't helpful tho, if the customer isn't "getting it".

That is good advice, but I find that mostly, the customer just isn't listening to you the first time.

It is a little known fact that after picking up the phone, it takes 2 or 3 seconds for the brain to "tune in" to the call. That's why you go through the whole "Good morning, thank you for calling xxxxxx, how may I help?" routine.

Unless sucky customer cuts you off after half a second and starts shouting down the phone to you.

[auntiem]

and here we have a further issue with billing addresses....

some of the *VERY* rural areas don't actually have addresses. seriously it trips my mind out but, those residents have to drive to the post office to pick up their mail. BUT... not everyone accepts a PO box for an address either.

it's given some of our customers issues when they try to apply for credit etc.

My sister's address used to be "3.5 miles from the yellow blinking light" - she lived out in the boonies. At my last job we could use the emergency service's address if they didn't have a postal address for their residential.

[mattm04]

How you know the customer has not listened to a word you just said...

Because I spoke clearly and eloquently while using intelligent words in the proper conext.

After the blank stares I then grunted and made useless gestures and inchoerent sounds, they then paid me and left.

Sad, and true.