Crazy California Custy Calling

Long time, no post! BrianTheWerewolf back again to stalk the retail halls in all my furry-ness!

I work for a vendor that works for one of the largest banks in the United States, one that has been in hot water recently for its handling of the HAMP program.

At our call center, we are not allowed to give our location due to security and an incident that happened with a customer and a rep a few years ago where the customer used the reps location to insult him and run him into the ground and the rep defended himself (rep was suspended for defending himself but anyway...back to the story)....

I had a woman, wonderful lady to talk to, who showed that even the nicest customers can be utterly hopeless when it comes to geography. 

She asked my location and I told her what we are supposed to.

Me: (politely): "Mam, I'm on the east coast."

Customer: "Oh sounds foreign. Where is that?"

(I am resisting the urge to head-desk when I look at her address...it’s in California).

Me:  "Mam, you’re in California, right?"

Customer: "Right!"

Me: "Well, that's the west coast of the United States. The east coast is on the opposite side of the country." 

Customer: (totally innocent and not being mean at all): "Oh wow! You guys speak excellent English! I know that outsourcing doesn't always get good speakers but you're one of them! The east coast...I wonder which part of India that is in..." 

Rather than explode laughing on the phone, I simply end the call as humanely as possible and close it down just enough in time to burst out laughing as all heads turn in my direction and they will never know why. :) While most of the time, I hate the place where I work (as does everyone else), there truly are times that are absolutely priceless and make it worthwhile. 

Yours,

--Brian

 

 

Comments

[Arch Guy]

First of all, welcome back Brian. Secondly, why are people like this allowed to use electronics or anything else for that matter? They need to be kept in a pretty room covered in white padding.

[Queer Geek]

Hahahahaha! Outsourcing is right!

[IxenHeart]

The level of stupidity/ignorance some people have will never cease to amaze me...

[BrianTheWerewolf]

Oh work is a lovely drug riddled place where if you deal the crack and pot, your aces with the higher ups :)

[The Last Archimedean]

I'm starting to think Einstein was right. "The only two things that are infinite are the Universe and human stupidity."

[NC Tony]

I wonder if she wears a helmet everywhere?

[Minidoc]

It sounds like you NEED the crack and pot at work, to keep yourself sane.

[MamaZoe]

I believe Einstein's full quote is:

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

It is certainly appropriate!

[Humor_Me]

And this is why I'm glad I traveled extensively as a kid. I might not remember where all the states are exactly on the map, but at least I know my coasts, and can narrow down the states by elimination on a map.

You know kids aren't paying attention in school when your daughter tells you that one of her classmates thought Germany was a state! Makes me so glad I stressed education when my kids were growing up.

I try not to let my "stupidity prejudice" get the better of me, but when people say things like that, I want to require that they go back to their youth and sit through elementary school again. I'm no brainiac, but at least I try.

[Legal Minion]

When I was in college, I worked for the university doing fundraising. Most of the people we called were parents or alum, but every once in a while we'd get a wrong number. I'd say, "I'm calling from the University of Delaware." They'd say, "What state's THAT in?"

Geography FAIL.