So I’m on the phone at work (a hazard of working for the phone company) and on hold with the onsite workforce in Dallas waiting for them to get back to me after replacing a piece of equipment. Music from a local radio station is playing and while I’m typing (I wear a headset instead of using the hand receiver) the music eventually becomes background noise. I’m typing between rounds of Snood (thanks to whoever posted that link, now I’m hooked on it) and suddenly the music stops and I hear someone say “Hello, I’m back.”
I was on hold for so long I forgot I was on the phone and had no idea who this voice was. I panicked and hung up. It took me 10 minutes to remember why I had called and then called Dallas back. Now I’m on hold again and listening to Dallas’s classic rock station. (currently The Immigrant Song is playing. Love that song.)
The day before yesterday, I meant to call the SO before I went to sleep and dialed my mom at 11:30pm by mistake. She answered and I panicked and hung up then too. I’m afraid this is becoming a habit with me. So what’s worse, being an idiot and admitting you don’t know who the hell you’re talking to, or being rude and hanging up?
I usually find that an admission to an honest mistake, and accepting the “must be brain dead today” responsibility, will diffuse almost any situation. People like to know your human, able to make mistakes, AND admit it. On the other hand, your right about hanging up. Somewhat chicken-shit and rude. I’ve gone as far as to *69 to my teenage kids freinds after being hung up on, telling them how rude that is, and demanding my $0.75 to find out who the rude person was. It’s usually good for joking about later on with them, but does get my point across. So, step up and get it over with, before I have to *69 you. later, Tom
hflathead is wrong to *69 on a hang up and harangue people who misdial. It happens. Don’t act like it’s anything else, like a snub of some kind. To continue with a wimpy apology is a waste of time for everyone. The *69 is a double waste, and the harangue makes it triple.
Is that the Immigrant Song by Gene Loves Jezebel, Bratman, or another? I’ve never heard their version on the air and don’t know of any other song with that title.
I sometimes play a sort of Russian Roulette while I’m on hold. I’ll sing, or burp loudly, or say something completely inappropriate loudly, to see if I can before I’m taken off hold. Or, to see if I can stop as I’m being taken off hold, before the other party notices.
I don’t think I’ve been caught yet. Or maybe I have, and they were just kind enough not to comment on the village idiot.
I hate the phone. Actually, receiving calls isn’t so bad. But I hate making calls. I never know if the person I’m calling will welcome the conversation (even if they’ve told me to call). And I always fear that I’m going to have nothing intelligent to say when they pick up.
I do make a special effort to call a girl if I’m interested in her, because I know (in the abstract) that’s usually appreciated. But damn it’s difficult to actually press those numbers.
None of us are perfect and I’m sure that other people have experienced the same problems. On the other hand, I can understand not wanting to look like an idiot. I am on the phone 6 hours a day calling people who don’t know me from Adam (NO, I AM NOT A TELEMARKETER!)occasionally I will stumble over what I want to say, so I write notes to myself. Next time, jot a note to yourself so that if you are on the phone for a while, you won’t forget who and or what. There is a reason that I’m choose SmoothOperator for a name. Ninety percent of the jobs that I’ve ever had entailed me being on the phone a good portion of the day.
BTW, my condolences on working for the telephone company. I worked for GTE for 9 years. Definitely a love/hate relationship there.
Yep, it is pretty rude to hang up on someone. And now with recent technology (caller ID, *69), you will end up looking like the dope anyway if the person you just hung up on knows exactly who you are and will wonder what the hell is going on.
You should always offer an apologetic, “Whoops, I must have misdialed”. Or, if you forgot why you called, simply say the kitchen just caught on fire and you need to call them right back.
