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Phone Skillz0rz!

B

bassturtle

Apr 9, 2004
4,322
4
45
#1
Is it just me, or do people (especially younger folks) have no idea how to talk on the phone? Here's an example:

**phone rings**

Me: Hello.
moron: uhhh yeah...dave?
Me: ummm nope. There's no dave here.
moron: oh. Who's this?
Me: Who is this?
moron: John.
Me: Okay John, what can I do for you?
moron: oh..ummm...like are you guys hiring?
Me: Nope, sure not. If you'd like to drop of a resume for me to keep on file, that'd be great.
moron: Oh cuz someone told me you were.
Me: Nope, sorry buddy. Not right now.
moron: oh...well, they told me I need to talk to Dave.
Me: Well, there's no one here named Dave and I'm the owner so if I were hiring, you'd need to talk to me.
moron: Oh...so you're not hiring?
Me: Not right now, no.
Moron: oh.......
**insert uncomfortable 5 second silence**
Me: John? Is there something else I can do for ya?
moron: no....
Me: Okay, well you have a good day and feel free to drop me off a resume.
moron: okay....
**insert uncomfortable 5 second silence**
Me: Okay, well if there's nothing else I can do for you, then I'll let ya go.
moron: k....bye.


I know it's a small thing, but what ever happened to manners on the phone? There really seems to be an inability to properly communicate these days.
 
#2
I got a lot of this kinda crap when I worked in retail. Kids these days need to not smoke pot until AFTER they have solidified a job. I could easily pass for a college educated adult on the phone, and look it as well. You don't get hired sounding and acting like a stoner. By the way, will you hire me? :P
 
#3
The part that drives me the most crazy is the "Who is this?"
If you're the one who chose to call me you better damn well identfiy yourself first. It's even more annoying when it's said in sort of a demanding way.

brad cook
 
#4
I'm not a phone talker by any means, but here's what I do.


Me: Hi, is Dave there?
Dave's Mom: No, sorry, he's at...work.
Me: Oh, do you know he will be back?
Dave's Mom: He'll be back around 8:30, can I ask who's calling?
Me: Harry, I'll call him back later tonight, thank you
Dave's Mom: Ok, bye.
Me: Bye.


See? No awkward silence!


(Edit: Glaring Grammar mistake)
 
#5
Freaky Fender said:
I'm not a phone talker by any means, but here's what I do.


Me: Hi, is Dave their?
Dave's Mom: No, sorry, he's at...work.
Me: Oh, do you know he will be back?
Dave's Mom: He'll be back around 8:30, can I ask who's calling?
Me: Harry, I'll call him back later tonight, thank you
Dave's Mom: Ok, bye.
Me: Bye.


See? No awkward silence!
Click to expand...

That's Dave's mom though. She knows how to use a phone.
 
#9
Internet killed the phone star? I dunno, I personally Only care to use Phones for quick messages "hey I'm at your place" or "hey don't forget the milk" and "terrorists everywhere". The only person I can talk on the phone with for more than 5 minutes is my girlfriend, and we'll talk(actually talk) for hours at a time, it's great.
 
#12
medic8ed said:
*knock *knock

"Who is it?"
"It's Dave."
"Dave's not here, man."

:)
Click to expand...

"No dude, I'M Dave. I've got the stuff, and the cops are coming. Let me in!!"
"Who?"
"Dave! D-A-V-E, Dave!! Now let me in!!"
"Dave's not here, man, come back later."

I hate the fact that you beat me to the punch. And I always laugh when someone asks if Dave is here.:D

Rock on
Eric
 
#13
I take it you've never lived in New Orleans. Now those guys know how to hold a phone conversation. Example:

Me: "Werlein's Music; this is Benjamin."
Them: "Uh... you got tuba reeds?"
Me: "Yes, we do."
Them: "How much they be?"
Me: "They are $2.50 each."
Them: *click*

(Sometimes the *click* is prefaced by an "oh", but only in rare cases when the caller is being extrememly polite.)

Here are some of my least favorite openings for a phone conversation:

Them: "Ummm.... yes." (Why must EVERYONE start a conversation with this?! It drives me nuts!)

Them: "Umm, yes. How you doing today?" (This almost always warns of an extremely long and ultimately useless conversation involving the customer's need for advice on his hopelessly complex "recording studio". A "producer's" favorite opening line.)

And my favorite true story call:

Me: "Werlein's Music; this is Benjamin."
Them: "Um, yes. Benjamin, are you James?"

:eek:
 
#15
What I always loved were the people who called up for direction but didn't know where they were. These were usually people who had gotten lost and were calling on a cell phone:

Me: "HellothankyouforcallingGuitarCenterClackamashomeoftheguaranteedlowestprice this is Eric what can be done for you?"

(I hated to say all that, so I said it as quickly as possible so THEY didn't have to listen to it for too long, but they always got my name)

Caller: "Uh, yeah, how do you get there from here?"

Me: "Well, where are you calling from sir/madam."

Caller: "Um, well, I'm not quite sure. I think I'm on I-5.

Me: "Okay, do you want directions to this store or to our store in Beaverton?"

Caller: "What? Oh, uh, your store."

Me: "Okay, are you headed north or south?"

Caller: "Um, I'm not sure. Let me check." ( :eek: )

Caller: "I think I'm headed north."

Me: "Okay, what's the number of the nearest exit?"

Caller: "Just a sec. (pause) It says Highway 213 East."

Me: (puzzled, because 213 doesn't cross I-5) "Really? Um, are you sure you're not on I-205?"

Caller: "Uh, yeah, that's it, 205."

Me: "Okay, you're really close. You need to go 3 more exits, then take the 82nd Ave/Milawukie Expressway exit. Then you take your second right, and you'll see us and our parking lot."

Caller: "Great, thanks!!*click*"

::Wait 5 minutes::

Caller: "Um, there was no 82nd exit."

Me: (knows what happened) You weren't headed north, were you?"

Caller: "I guess not."

Me: "Okay, find the nearest exit, and turn around. You'll still use the same exit, you just need to come farther."

Caller: "okay*click*"

Maybe 7 times our of 10, our boy would never show up. Is it that hard to figure out which way you are headed, and which road you are on? Or is it a requirement of people calling a guitar store to be engaged is recreational chemistry?

Rock on
Eric
 
#16
Eric Cameron said:
Maybe 7 times our of 10, our boy would never show up. Is it that hard to figure out which way you are headed, and which road you are on? Or is it a requirement of people calling a guitar store to be engaged is recreational chemistry?
Eric
Click to expand...

Dunno, but my wife is a FedEx driver, and has maps that even emergency responders around here can't match. We'll be driving around Portland, where she used to work no less:

Me: go north two exits, then east for a mile.

Her: Which way is that on the map?
 
#20
Freaky Fender said:
THERE ARE NO SUCH THING AS TUBA REEDS! Tuba is part of the brass family n00b.
Click to expand...

Obviously, You don't know the first thing about sale then! If ben had said "no, Tuba reeds don't exist" then that caller would never come into the store, but by saying "Yes we do" then the caller comes to the store, giving you an opportunity to sell him SOMETHING.
 

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