Phone Peeve#1

Phone Peeve: #1

So, I talk on the phone at work. A lot. In fact, that pretty much IS my job. And I don't mind it. God knows I can talk and the passing on of information isn't the most difficult concept to wrap your head around. Not to mention that when I'm not talking on the phone or passing on information I'm either blogging, putting things in envelopes, emailing friends throughout the APS or surfing the interwebs. Not to mention an almost unlimited supply of tea and biscuits (WIN).

What I've noticed lately, is that there's an awful lot of things about this line of work that really tick me off. Particularly to do with the phone aspect of things. Not necessarily the technology, but also people's phone behaviour and all sorts of other wonderful factors that come into play. I've also noticed, whilst surfing the blogosphere that people tend to have regular little bit sized posts that they update once or twice a week. So, what the hell, I'm throwing myself on the bandwagon! Every so often, I'll update with something that annoys me. Yup. Which is what I do all the time, I KNOW, but this will be slightly more specific.

So, for today: It really, really annoys me when people call and ask how I am in a call. Like, that's their opener after I've done my initial customer-service, come, see how friendly I am, spiel.

"Thankyou for calling ****, you're speaking with ****, how can I help you?"

"Oh, hi ****, how are you?"

"Not too bad..."

At this point, I HAVE to ask the question back. I HAVE to. Not only because it's the polite thing to do, but also because, instinctively, as in it's how I've been raised, how I've always done things, can't help but do it, sort of thing.

"....and you?"

Now here's where it gets FUN

"....oh...I've been better."

"Crap."

"WELL, not as well as you are at the moment..."

So on, so on, so on. I know it sounds really bad, but I don't see the point in ASKING just so you can go ahead and whinge bitch and complain about it later. ARGH. And it's so morose. The people I speak with, arn't really in fantastic situations life wise. But at the same time, when there's someone on the end of the phone who is genuinely trying to help you get your life sorted out, it'd be nice if you could be a little more open to the idea -.- It's something that just comes with the job and that I'll inevitably get used to, but then there's those people who linger over the response, expecting you to absolutely gush sympathy.

Not on my watch buddy -.-