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Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 02:37 PM Jun 2013

Don't TALK to me like that! -- a mini-rant

Had to call Customs about a shipment that's been held up. The guy asked for a certain number, which I do not have. I asked "how would I go about finding out what that number is" and he said "HOLD ON, HOLD ON, hold on, hold on, hold on now, now just hang on, I can tell you what to do but just, just hang on." (That's close to verbatim.)

I displayed NO impatience. I did NOT raise my voice. I spoke calmly and clearly -- and he jumps all in my shit like this? ASSHOLE!

/rant

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MiddleFingerMom

(25,163 posts)
1. I used to hate when people would repetitively say something on the phone (usually when I made....
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 02:59 PM
Jun 2013

.
.
.
... a minor mis-statement that I would have corrected if they weren't poised to leap all over me).
I believe it was some "hidden" version of a verbal spanking. (I worked in call centers for a good
portion of my later "working" years).
.
What REALLY irked me was when people (usually sounding like corporate types or the spouses
of corporate types) would repeatedly use my first name three times within a single sentence. I've
never been able to track that one down, but I would bet the house that it's in some popular
corporate self-help book as a means of OWNING the person to whom you are speaking -- almost
certainly one you consider to be beneath you. It's definitely a tactic they would have spoken to
my supervisor about if I had used it back.
.
If you considered him to be disrespectful enough... it IS time to ask for a supervisor.
.
.
.

Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
4. I hope I don't have to talk to him again.
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 03:54 PM
Jun 2013

I hope I can get the other person I talked to. She wasn't outgoing, but at least she wasn't rude.

Using one's name frequently . . . I HATE that! I used to have a boss who did that. Grr.

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)
2. I don't know what tone was used, but could it have been a case of verbal placeholding
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 03:25 PM
Jun 2013

while the guy was trying to recall where to look for the number? Given how quiet phones are these days (no more carrier hum), he may feel a need to fill the silence.

Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
3. He was angry and defensive.
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 03:53 PM
Jun 2013

Clearly used to people yelling at him -- which I can imagine, since people call Customs upset that their shipments are being held. But he should learn (yes, I am judging) that not everyone acts the same way.

hedgehog

(36,286 posts)
5. Sounds like he was having a bad day, then. Too bad you had to deal with the results of
Wed Jun 19, 2013, 03:56 PM
Jun 2013

someone else's bad manners!

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