Phone Skills

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Me: This is Betty, how can I help you?
Man (in a very effiminate voice): Don't you just sound adorable?!
Me: Thank you.
Man: Who did I call?
Me: This is (company's name).
Man: And what do you do?
Me: Screenprinting and embroidery.
Man: And where are you located?
Me: Indiana
Man: Well, this is odd. I'm in southern Florida and trying to call my tennis partner!
Me: Well, I could use a tennis partner, but Florida would be a long drive. *laughs*
Man: Oh, you play?
Me: I pretend to. *laughs*
Man: Shall I hazard a guess as to how old you are?
Me: Why not?
Man: 27.
Me: Oh, no. I'm 23.
Man: Oh well, you wouldn't talk to me. *pause* Do you like older men?
Me: Well, my husband is 8 years older than me, so I would say yes I do.
Man: Oh, you shouldn't be talking to me. You're married!
Me: Good luck getting a hold of your tennis partner then.

And if that wasn't strange enough, the following conversation took place the same day:

Man: *mumbles incoherently*
Me: I'm sorry?
Man: This is the place that sells (product), right?
Me: Yes, this is (company name). Can I help you?
Man (yelling at top of lungs): Your prices are too fucking expensive!
Me: We find our prices to be quite competitive, especially considering the above-average quality of our products.
Man: I don't know how you figure that! Five dollars for a mug?! Forty dollars for a fucking sweatshirt?! Shit, give a nigger a break. *pause* I mean, for fuck's sake!
Me: Could we continue this conversation without you cussing at me?
Man (lowers volume considerably): Oh, I'm not cussing at you. *pause* *man hangs up.*

Hopefully I made him realize that being rude and yelling weren't the best way to convince someone to change their pricing scheme. For some reason, I doubt the stupidity ends there.