A strange telephone conversation

[Curvey_Brunette]

Because of some of the phone calls we make, (for example to our brokers or letting agents), we tape all of our business calls.

I've just heard one of the strangest conversations ever and wondered what others think:

<Royal Mail> Hi this is <name changed> Mike of Royal Mail customer services, how can I help you?"

<My Hubby> Hi there, we sent a guaranteed next day delivery package and I've had the recipient on the phone asking where the item is. I've been on the website and it says my ticket number is invalid

<Royal Mail> If you give me the ticket number I'll check for you <Tapping of keys> ....... I can't find any record of that ticket number, could you give me the number again and I'll try it again

<My Hubby> Sure, it's <ticket number> posted on 11th November at <post office> at 14:23

<Royal Mail> <More tapping of keys> I'm sorry sir but I can't find any record of that transaction.

<My Hubby> Are you winding me up? I have the ticket here in front of me!!! You've lost it haven't you?

<Royal Mail> No sir, we haven't lost anything. We don't lose mail sir. I can find no record at all of your ticket number. Unless there's something else I could help you with I'll have to terminate this conversation

<My Hubby> I'd like to make a claim because you've lost this package. Could you put me through to the claims department please?

<Royal Mail> Sir, we have no record of this transaction. I must ask you to clear the line now. There's nothing more I can do

<My Hubby> Could I please have your name and I would like to speak to a supervisor

<Royal Mail> Sir I cannot help you if you shout at me.

<My Hubby> I'm not shouting, I'm asking to escalate the matter. So, could I please have your name or reference number and could I please speak to someone in authority

<Royal Mail> I am in authority here. You can't go past me

<My Hubby> What's your name?

<Royal Mail> Why?

<My Hubby> Because I'll re-dial, get to speak to someone else and I'll be passed through to a supervisor

<Royal Mail> I'm not going to tell you my name

<My Hubby> OK then, I know your first name is Mike, where are you based?

<Royal Mail> I'm not going to tell you

<My Hubby> Do you feel it's appropriate to be this obstinate when you're a call centre representative for the Royal Mail?

<Royal Mail> I am not the Royal Mail sir, I represent myself and my family

<My Hubby> But you're at work!

<Royal Mail> Stop calling me!! Stop doing this to me! I can't take this any more. People calling me all the time complaining and complaining

<My Hubby> But that's why you're a customer services operator in a call centre!

<Royal Mail> STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

And with that he hung up!

wtf Is going on there??????

[OffDutyNurse]

I think the Royal Mail guy's had a bit of a breakdown during the conversation! Sounds like he needs to be spoken to...

[Curvey_Brunette]

I think the Royal Mail guy's had a bit of a breakdown during the conversation! Sounds like he needs to be spoken to...

I know customer services can be a very tough life, customers shouting and screaming abuse down the phone, but you would have thought the team leader would notice someone like that.

I do feel sorry for him, but at the same time I don't because he can always quit. Nothing is worth putting yourself through that for, not even money for Christmas.

They have managed to trace the package, (my hubby re-dialed), and they've said what happened will be looked into, but they didn't seem very concerned he was manning the phones.

[OffDutyNurse]

No, I totally agree! My hubby tried telesales once, and had so many people swearing at him down the phone, he started to take it personally - he was only there for a couple of weeks. Made me think about how I talk to telesales people, as annoying as the calls are, hubby had been made redundant, and we were desparate for money!

You've done all you can by telling RM about this man - sounds like he needs a new job, doesn't it! I'm sure that RM just think he'll quit soon, by the sounds of it! They're such a huge company, employees must be 10-a-penny! Employee satisfaction at it's best!

[AussieAdam]

I think the number your husband meant to dial was 606006 but I think he dialled was actually 600606 .... He got through to Albert who lives on Dock Road. That call was the 325th before 11am he had had thinking he was Royal Mail - He played along to humour your hubby but eventually got bored and just wanted ya hubby to hang up.

I recall getting a call once --- Our number used to end 811813.......not a lot different from the local Real Estate office.... my words are small script ....the customers are large ( and she was shouting lol )

It rang about 7pm I had just got in from work it had been a bad day, several cancellations and complaints you all know those days grrrr.

Ring ring ....ring ring... Ring ring... Hi 811813 Adam here..

NEVER MIND 811813 WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU

I beg ya pardon madam

YOU CHEEKY SOD YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD BE ROUND 5.30PM

Im sorry why did you expect me at 5.30pm I only accept appointments in the shop unless of course you have mobillity problems

YOU WILL HAVE MOBILLITY PROBLEMS IF I GET HOLD OF YOU !!!!!!

Im sorry if you were expecting me. Why on earth would you think tha.......BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD BE

I HAVE WAITED IN ALL DAY FOR YOU AND YOU DIDNT EVEN CALL

Look Im really sorry if you expected me to call round your house I guess I must have given you the wrong idea in the shop when you called. can I ask where you are looking to go? Europe, America, The Far East?

ARE YOU MAD - I NEED YOU TO SELL MY HOUSE FIRST - AND EVEN THEN WHY WOULD I WANT TO MOVE TO EUROPE OR AMER.....Can I stop you?
WHEN ARE YOU COMI...........Madam you think this is Marvins Estate Agents dont you? ...........AHHHH I SEE SO YOUR TRYING TO FOB ME OFF !!!!! OK WHATS YOUR NAME IM GOING TO YOUR HEAD OFFICE ABOUT THIS.

Madam I am a travel agent I have just got home from work, I am very tired and I think you have the wrong number, it happens a lot - the number you require is 811818... I KNOW WHO YOU ARE I RECOGNISE YOUR VOICE GRRRRRR DONT TELL ME WYHAT THIS NUMBER IS - DO YOU THINK I CANT COUNT?

Ok Madam I will be round at 10.30am tomorrow if thats ok with you and I apologise for the deception and inconvenience caused...

( there comes a point when you have to give in ) I would love to been a fly on the wall in Marvins at 10.35 the next day

[Hells Belle]

I used to work in a call centre, and it really made me lose faith in the human race. Some people are ok, but others defy the realms of belief. Until you work in such an environment, you can't even begin to comprehend how stressful the job is. The guy you spoke to seems a little too unbalanced, but if he'd dealt with several shitty customers, it's easy to see why he was so unstable.

[Curvey_Brunette]

I do understand how difficult the job can be and I do appreciate that some people explain why some animals eat their young, but I believe you have to be a very strong person to work in such a field.

During my uni days, (oooooooohhhhhh .... Should I admit this???? ), I did a few months for encyclopedia Britannia which meant cold calling on the phone. Some of the abuse I got was original and very direct, a lot of it was nasty and hurtful. So I can imagine some of the calls call centre workers get.

But the guy my hubby spoke to had lost the plot big time. Someone at that centre must have noticed his behaviour, if they didn't there's something wrong with the call centre supervisors and there's no wonder he was like that.

I really hopes he gets spotted and gets the help he needs.

P.S. I liked your post Adam, it made me smile

[kinghelfer]

...one of the UK phone numbers i used to have had the annoying feature that if you dialed the first two numbers the wrong way round it belonged to a taxi service and if you dialed the last two the wrong way round you got the yorkshire bank.
I got so sick of wrong numbers i started setting up direct debits for people who gave me all sorts of personal bank details and sending non existant taxi,s to peoples houses.....

[AussieAdam]