Customers who don't understand the word "OR"

[zzapp the witch]

I love Eddie Izzard. He scares my mom.

[ominousoat]

Speak of the devil, I just watched Eddie Izzard's "Dress To Kill" on BBCAmerica last night.

[flybye023]

This isn't an either/or SC but I think it fits here.

Backstory: SC bought 4 items from us, came back later complaining that all 4 were defective. Assistant Manager looked at them, decided they were fine, sent customer away. Customer complained higher, Manager said "Give them one new one free, make them pay for the other 3." It's left to me to inform the customer.

Me: We can give you 1 new one free, but you have to buy the other 3 new.
SC: Well, I think Place Down the Road has them for cheaper. I'll have to think about this and figure whether it's cheaper to accept your offer or buy them elsewhere.

**fair enough, however 2 weeks go by without us hearing what the choice was.**

Me: (in 3 separate voicemail message) Hi, this is Flybye023. We need to know what you decided so we can close this complaint out. Do you want to accept our offer or go with another shop?

SC: (finally responds in voicemail message) I thought we had decided this.

Me: *I still can't close this complaint out.*

[peoplesuck]

Customers have a point

Please not that the response to a OR type question with YES is valid.

Consider: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or_(logic)
and http://www.answers.com/topic/or-1

While it might be dumb of a person to answer a implicit exclusive or type question with yes or no they are responding correctly to the question as formed.

Consider: all of the following are valid
Will you be breathing or thinking today? - yes
Would you like cream or sugar in your coffee? - yes

This can, and has been, used to mislead people who are not quick of wit:
Do you McCarthy or are you a communist?

That is all

[Rapscallion]

Grammatically, that is correct. However, a person of average intelligence should deduce that they are being presented with a choice, and it would facilitate matters if they were to indicate which alternative would suit them best.

Rapscallion

[HYHYBT]

Forget "or" questions, I get "yes" to open-ended ones! For example:

"What would you like to drink with that meal?"
"Yes"

Alternately, and even stranger, are the ones who (to the same question) will answer "ketchup", "no onions", "ice cream cone", etc. And of course they're related to the ones who, when I ask if they'd like anything else, will hear "is that all", say yes, and wonder why I haven't given them a total.

[WizzleWozzle]

Please not that the response to a OR type question with YES is valid.

Consider: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or_(logic)
and http://www.answers.com/topic/or-1

While it might be dumb of a person to answer a implicit exclusive or type question with yes or no they are responding correctly to the question as formed.

As previously noted, this may be grammatically or even logically correct, but from a semantic approach, simply answering yes violates inherent conversational maxims. Maxims, or conversational guidelines, ensure that our interactions are clear and lack ambiguity. In other words, by following the conversational guidlines, you ensure your contribution is appropriate to the conversation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gricean_maxims

There are four maxims: (BTW, SC's *LOVE* to violate conversational maxims, which is probably why they're so sucky)
The Maxim of Relevance - Be relevant
The Maxim of Quality - Try to make your contribution one that is true. (Do not say things that are false or for which you lack adequate evidence.)
The Maxim of Quantity - Do not make your contribution more or less informative than required.
The Maxim of Manner - Avoid ambiguity and obscurity; be brief and orderly.

I would say in this circumstance (i.e. "Yes" in answer to an "OR" question), both the Maxims of Relevance and Manner are being violated.

[BusyBee]

Wow I actually had what may very well have been my first one of these yesterday, and forgot all about it til I read this!
A woman was paying with a bankcard and when the eftpos gave me the pick an account option it had all three so I asked: Cheque, savings or credit? She said Yes. I just stared at her for a while while my brain rebooted When she saw the look on my face she must have realised something was amiss and apologised and we started over.

[Reyneth]

While it might be dumb of a person to answer a implicit exclusive or type question with yes or no they are responding correctly to the question as formed.

Consider: all of the following are valid
Will you be breathing or thinking today? - yes
Would you like cream or sugar in your coffee? - yes

It is valid but it is confusing because as another poster said, it does not follow socity's implied rules for conversation. If you wish both options - "both" would be the simplest answer and not give the impression that you are not listening to the person - which is the case in 95% of retail/service situations.

[Simply Amazed]

Please not that the response to a OR type question with YES is valid.

Consider: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or_(logic)
and http://www.answers.com/topic/or-1

While it might be dumb of a person to answer a implicit exclusive or type question with yes or no they are responding correctly to the question as formed.

Consider: all of the following are valid
Will you be breathing or thinking today? - yes
Would you like cream or sugar in your coffee? - yes

This can, and has been, used to mislead people who are not quick of wit:
Do you McCarthy or are you a communist?

That is all

Thanks for that. I always answer questions like this with a yes for precisely this reason. I do it because it amuses me and I always, always laugh and answer what they are asking pretty quickly.

I apologize though here to anyone I may have annoyed when doing it. No one has ever said anything bad or looked upset when I've done it and several have laughed.

I also answer stuff like "can I ask you a question" with "I don't know, but if you can, you may." It hasn't seemed to upset folks and I don't say it in that nasty teacher voice.

I do sometimes get the 'smarta$$' comment back with a return laugh and after that simple fact has been established and acknowledged we have good rapport.

SHRUG

I know several people who listen to my calls can't understand how I can say some of the stuff I say and not get people mad but I have good rapport with customers and even do great taking escalations and defusing angry callers. I don't really know why, I just am myself and I almost never get emotionally string pulled by these exchanges.

[Simply Amazed]

I would say in this circumstance (i.e. "Yes" in answer to an "OR" question), both the Maxims of Relevance and Manner are being violated.

You know, I've wondered about this.

I find it extremely relevant to establish a personal connection with my callers. Anything, well almost anything, outside of the norm or routine tends to do two things, it tells the customer that you are paying attention to them and are hearing them ( with the yes thing it's important to immediately reply letting them know you're making a joke or you will violate rule four ) and also insuring that they'll pay more attention to you and that they acknowledge that you may be a smart a but you're not a dumb a.

There are lots of ways to achieve this and answering obtusely but correctly and doing it with tongue in cheek seems to do the trick with me a lot of the time.

[Simply Amazed]

It is valid but it is confusing because as another poster said, it does not follow socity's implied rules for conversation. If you wish both options - "both" would be the simplest answer and not give the impression that you are not listening to the person - which is the case in 95% of retail/service situations.

The fun rule of conversation to play with is the one about giving phone numbers in xxx-xxxx format. I used to do this for a while and would catch who was thrown by it and who wasn't. I like people who are mentally limber like this. When I get it from my customers for a minute it's off putting but I do get it and 1) enjoy the tiny bit of mental exercise and 2) have more respect for the caller.

Not respect in regards to anything but their likemindedness and I always enjoy a kindred spirit though deep down, I know it's an annoying habit and that's why I no longer give numbers that way.