Queens is not a state.

[CSR Kim]

This has become one of my biggest pet peeves while working in the furniture/bedding customer service department. Because our company is nationwide, we have several different regions, therefore the easiest way to locate a customer's salescheck is to start by asking what state they are in. I have noticed, particularly with our East customers, that the concept of "state" seems a bit foreign. As an answer to "What state are you calling from?" I have received as responses: Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, etc...over and over again. Normally I don't have to clarify, because I know where the cities are located, but I have had a couple of customers give me somewhat obscure cities, and when I ask them to clarify, they flip out because I'm not in their area...which is a whole other rant unto itself. Working in a call center has caused me to doubt the intelligence of the general population.

[El Barto]

As an answer to "What state are you calling from?" I have received as responses: Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, etc...over and over again.

Must be something in the water down there. I live in upstate New York and even my sucky customers know that they live in New York State. Of course, now that I've posted this I'm going to have some idiot customer at work today try to claim that Albany County is a state.

[Simply Amazed]

I once got in extremely mild trouble for asking a customer "so, that's the state of Philadelphia then?" but I really don't feel like I should have. After all, they answered "yes'. My bosses thought I was being condescending but can you possibly condescend to someone who has no awareness that they've been condescended to?

[KatL]

LMAO! I get that sometimes.

"What state are you in?"

"Springfield."

"The state of Springfield?"

"What?"

It's because they don't listen. They NEVER listen.

A while back between calls the guy sitting beside was talking on and on about a "one year contract" his dad had agreed to for satalite TV. When my phone rang, I accidently answered, "Thank you for calling One Year Contract, how can I help you?" She didn't even notice. Just said she wanted to place an order, heh.

[PW_Elle]

Phone Freudian Slips

I've done that. I used to answer my phone at the city "_______________ Gymnastics (my other job), how can I help you?" and they'd apologize and hang up before I got to correct my mistake... :-)

[Simply Amazed]

The not listening thing amuses me but again, one time I was monitored when the following exchange came up

"So, can you tell me your daughter's ( member on the account ) name?"

The customer doesn't respond but starts yelling at someone on his end.

"So, I take that as a no then."

At least my supervisor got a laugh out of it before he told me not to do it again. I didn't get in any trouble though it might have been worth it since I knew there was no chance that he'd hear me through his bellowing.

[myswtghst]

I think everyone in CS in call centers has made a few slips before. I know I've answered the phone incorrectly, or been chewing/swallowing when the ding came through and almost choked while giving my greeting.

I hate when people get mad at you for calling them on it when they don't answer the question you asked, or when you have to ask the same question (what is the case number? for example) multiple times just to get an answer.

[Simply Amazed]

Worse, we have as clients two competitors and have to answer the phone differently for each one and when they ring it's actual employees of said companies. Needless to say, accidents happen and the callers are almost never amused.

Can't really blame them though so I don't.

[myswtghst]

Ooh, this reminds me as well. We have "premier customers" who have to enter a pin number at the start of the call, so their company name pops up on our phone display and we answer with a "personalized" greeting. Every once in a while, I miss the display (if I'm reading or in the middle of something) but the only times I've been snotted at because of it have been when the display didn't pull, or the customer didn't enter the pin so it popped as "Prem Cust" without a company name. My absolute favorite is the ones who don't start entering their pin until after I've picked up and started speaking. If you can hear me, stop pushing the buttons!

[BookstoreEscapee]

What state are you in? A state of ignorance, apparently.

When I first switched stores I was so proud of myself when it took me 2 weeks before I answered the phone wrong hehe.

Thank you for calling BN Mytow-uh-Othertown Of course once I did it the first time I kept doing it.

[ahanix1989]

I get worried... I have a slight speaking problem where, if I don't fully plan exactly what I'm going to say, I mess it up. I get worried answering the phone at work because, I'm used to at my old job, "Fazoli's (town)". Now, I might pick up the phone at work and say "(My town, begins with an F) Deli", but accidentally say Fazoli's. And my boss would NOT be happy.

[Mark Healey]

La Jolla is a NEIGHBORHOOD!!

You hit one of my pet peeves. In San Diego, CA there is a wealthy neighborhood called La Jolla. It's not a separate city. It's not a coloquial name for an unincorprated area. It's part of San Diego.

The people who live there don't mind getting more than their fair share of San Diegos tax money they just like to pretend that they are "special". They even use that in their addresses. Fucking snobs.

[LemonZest]

The people who live there don't mind getting more than their fair share of San Diegos tax money they just like to pretend that they are "special". They even use that in their addresses. Fucking snobs.

They actually went though a huge long special process (in the late 50's) with the Postal Service so that they can use "La Jolla" in their mailing address rather than "San Diego" (I used to live in LJ, before it was 'all that', it was an Army Base).

Along with the ones who have their 'beach house' in La Jolla but their everyday residence in Rancho Santa Fe.
Ask them their address, city....'on the Raaanch'. Oh of course. You're SUCH a Special Snowflake, aren't you?

Oh So Innocently, our office manager then says, oh, Rancho Bernardo? LOL. Gets a rise out of them every time.

LZ (knows all too well of where you speak of)

[Hempress]

I've done that. I used to answer my phone at the city "_______________ Gymnastics (my other job), how can I help you?"

I've done something similar. At amusement parks there's a speech you have to give for every ride...like "Welcome to the Great Bear, blah blah blah, fasten harnesses, blah blah blah, enjoy your ride". I've made the mistake of giving the speech for the wrong ride, over the PA system. People laugh at you when you do that.

[greensinestro]

Come down to my neck of the woods.....South Florida. Many of the foreigners, mostly Cubans, are under the impression that Miami is another country, and not an exact city that is, well, last time I checked, still a part of Florida. And, yes, they get upset when they find out you're not talking to them from the same exact city, er country, that they are in. If I work in West Palm Beach, it's "Huh? Where is that at?"