Learning how to use a Telephone 101

[Paintedcow]

It always amazes me how incompetent some people are when it comes to using a phone. Particularly when they leave a voicemail.

On numerous occasions I have called someone about an ad in the newspaper, or a craigslist ad, or (other), and left a message, saying I'm interested in your item, you did not list a price, or give the city you live in, or whatever, please call me and let me know....

So, what do they do. They call back and leave a voicemail that says: "I'm returning your call. Call me". Uhhhhhh, I already called them..... Why cant they just answer my frikkin question on the voicemail..... Normally, this means they just lost a sale, because I refuse to play phone tag.

But I just got the ultimate most stupid voicemail of all time. It said: "Hi, why dont you ever answer your phone? Call me". No name, no phone number, and I have no clue who that voice belongs to..... So, now I am going to have to cancel all my plans, and sit right next to my phone, for days, or weeks, or more, so I can be there when they call back..... *NOT*

(It was much easier to just hit the DELETE button, and send them straight to the BOZO BIN).

Maybe it's time they start teaching people how to use a telephone in our schools, and offer refesher courses for adults, whenever they buy a phone, or on a yearly basis....

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

Some people may assume that you have caller ID, and so would have that information.

[snip]

[Unquestionably Confused]

And we all know what "assume" means. Such a VM message illustrates it quite well.

[Ameri-Clean]

My pet peeve is when I leave a detailed message and they call back without listening to it and say "did you call me?"

[hrhofmann]

My pet peeve is when I leave a detailed message and they call back without listening to it and say "did you call me?"

My pet peeve/problem is mumblers, especially when there is loud background noise. So, I do sometimes have to use the caller id function altho it is a pain to have to go thru a decision tree to get to the calling in numbers file.

[Paintedcow]

That reminds me of something I recently encountered. I have an old farm tractor, which I use. But it came with the old "oil bath" air cleaner. They were always a pain to clean and maintain. And they were less efficient than modern paper filters. I wanted to change it to a paper filter.

I found a company that claims they have an air filter for everything. I had already done a lot of research to find if this tractor could be modified, and I found that it could be, but there are three possible filter types, and I need the right one.

I spent considerable time writing an email to this company, clearly telling them that I want to convert the "Oil Bath" air cleaner to a paper filter. I told them the make / model / year / serial number / type / engine size and even measurements of filter container, as well as the mounting bolt spacing, and even the dimensions of the clamps that hold the cap on it.

I ended this email by saying: "Please tell me what paper air filter(s) you have that will fit the oil bath container on this tractor, and include the price and shipping cost to (my zipcode).

They replied:

"Tell me the number on your old paper filter, and we will find you a replacement".

I was outraged.....

After saying some of my worst language under my breath, I decided to not even reply, because my reply would have been quite harsh and (deservingly) rude. Instead, I immediately made a note to NEVER - EVER do business with that company!

Followup note: I did find a different company, with coherent sales persons, and got what I needed with no problems.

[thekmanrocks]

PaintedCow:

You can thank FARCEbook and text messaging for the loss of those common social graces.

All this technology has dulled the edge of the blade of common sense! No one seems to think any more. Can't reach them by phone or internet? Hello - we still have a POST OFFICE.

smh

[Frank]

I agree. Today's world is the Twitterverse. Nobody thinks about what they are doing.

[danny burstein]

[snip]

People who call and leave a message, then end with "you have my number" rather than taking the same or even less time and providing it.

(Plus, of course, the hefty number of folk who mumble their phone number, which, combined with the miserable quality of most phone connections - plus voicemail crippling - these days, etc., etc. Me, I repeat my number when leaving it)