Thursday, July 06, 2006
How this whole phone thing works
Sometimes a caller is difficult to deal with for reasons completely independent of their computers. An example:
"Terry speaking, how can I help you?"
"Hi, I was looking for wireless access. Do you guys provide that?"
"No, I'm afraid we don't. This is a dialup service."
And then... 30 seconds of silence. Literally. Finally, I broach it: "Did you have any questions about our service?"
"No, I just wanted to know if you had wireless."
"I'm afraid we don't, no."
"OK, bye."
I don't know what to make of that empty 30 seconds. She didn't hang up, she didn't ask a followup question, she didn't do anything.
As our owner once had to explain to a particularly ridiculous customer, "you don't understand how a conversation works. You make a point, and I listen to it. Then I respond to what you said, and you listen. An exchange ensues."
That seems like common sense to most people, but every once in a while, someone just doesn't sound like they get it.
"Terry speaking, how can I help you?"
"Hi, I was looking for wireless access. Do you guys provide that?"
"No, I'm afraid we don't. This is a dialup service."
And then... 30 seconds of silence. Literally. Finally, I broach it: "Did you have any questions about our service?"
"No, I just wanted to know if you had wireless."
"I'm afraid we don't, no."
"OK, bye."
I don't know what to make of that empty 30 seconds. She didn't hang up, she didn't ask a followup question, she didn't do anything.
As our owner once had to explain to a particularly ridiculous customer, "you don't understand how a conversation works. You make a point, and I listen to it. Then I respond to what you said, and you listen. An exchange ensues."
That seems like common sense to most people, but every once in a while, someone just doesn't sound like they get it.
# posted by Terry @ 7:05 AM 
