Thursday, June 15, 2006

another frustrating phone call

First let me give some background. I was mailed a letter from a company that we owed money to. I didn't have any record of what they were asking for, so I faxed a request for them to fax me copies of the bills. Someone named "Faigy" (as close as anyone could read it) sent back the bills, but not a word could be read because the fax was too light. Here's what happened when I called them to fix it:

(machine): Thank you for calling X Paper Company. If you know your party's extension, please enter it now. For a company directory, press 1.

I figure I can talk to this "Faigy" so I follow the instructions for finding this person. There is no record of "Faigy." So I'll talk to customer service and they can transfer me to the right department.

This is Amy.
Hi, I'm just trying to reach accounts receivable.
Hold on. (with more than a hint of rudeness)

Accounts receivable.
Hi , I'm calling from X Printing Company. I just -
You're calling from where?
(slowly and clearly) X Printing Company.
I don't know anything about any printing.
No, I'm the printer.
This is accounts receivable.
I know that. I'm calling from X Printing. I just received a fax -
I didn't send you a fax.
Okay, well someone did, and -
What company are you trying to call?
X Paper.
Hold on.

Accounts receivable.
(slightly exasperated, and very slowly, again) HI. I'm calling from X Printing Company. I just received a fax - I don't know if it was sent by you - of some copies of invoices I had requested.
Hold on, let me look up your account.
(hold music, then I'm disconnected)

I went to my boss, who sits right next to me and heard most of what I said and recounted the conversation(s). He said to email them, and we'll send a scanned version of the bills we can't read. There is no email address. They don't have a website. I can't find them on Google. If we didn't order paper from them all the time I would swear they didn't exist.

This is why I try to avoid using the phone at work.

2 comments:

Bamboo Lemur Boys Are Mean To Their Girls said...

You have double posted my friend.
This situation would twist me. I have a feeling you were very polite despite what you were feeling. I think, said company may not last long with such ineptitude.

super des said...

I did double post. Stupid thing. So here's Suebob's comment from the other one, which I will now try to delete.

Oh man Des. That is fucking crazy.

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