People + Telephone = Bad Combination

Human beings and telephones are a dangerous combination! Sounds absurd, right? Maybe I should rephrase: Some human beings just should not be given a telephone! Better? It amazes me every day the way people behave on a telephone.

I have the unfortunate task of answering telephones as a part of my job. Not surprisingly, people’s phone manners are as diverse as the people themselves.

* I frequently get calls from frustrated people who just want to bitch out whoever answers the telephone – never mind if that person has anything to do with the problem or can even fix it.

* Then there are the people who are condescending asses on the telephone; you can just see their nose jutted up in the air!

* Of course, there are those who think it’s appropriate to talk as if they know you and try to carry a conversation – get to the point please!

* Depending on my mood, I find it amusing that people call with a question, but then don’t shut up long enough to hear the answer. If you just want to rant, don’t ask a question to begin with.

* How about the “brave” callers who leave a nasty voicemail, full of insults, but don’t leave a telephone number for you to call them back?! Cowards!

* Some callers have trouble managing their frustration and end up hanging up on you. Why call at all if you’re going to hang up on me?

* Callers can be impatient. Our company telephone greeting is somewhat lengthy (and I have to say it over and over again every day!) and callers don’t want to wait until I’m finished, they start talking right away. I’m sure they think me rude when I ask them to repeat what they said because I’m not able to (don’t want to?) talk and listen at the same time.

* The most annoying are the telemarketers. For trying to market their product(s), they really take stupid approaches. One of my favorite ones to pick on is a recording that begins with “This call is important to us, please stay on the line…” If it’s so important, why is it a recording and not an actual person. Whoever thought of that one was a real genius!

* I have a great deal of respect for my elders. Unfortunately, a good number of my elders are grumpy old men (and women). I understand being less tolerant of certain things as one ages (I’m guilty myself), but some people seem to have been in short supply of pleasantness from the very beginning.

The invention of the telephone was a wonderful thing; unfortunately, some people just have to ruin a good thing.