The Vent - Part 2

[SapphireDreams 71]

okay someone CALLS me.. and then says "oh there's the beep.. I need to grab that it might be important" (important? HUH?) and then puts me on hold for (no exaggerating 5 min).

That's annoying, I'd probably hang up

I'd hang up too and say I gt disconnected.

[beans 7]

I'd put down the phone and go about what I was doing and apologize and say I was doing something important.

[Marilyn. 340]

what bothers me is when people talk and talk and don't let you get a word in..

in high school I had a friend like that.. she would call me up and stat yammering away and all I could say was uh-huh or yeah.... one time my mom needed my help so I put the phone down and went to help her and came back and she was still talking, she had not realized that I had left ..

[trailmix 77]

I'd put down the phone and go about what I was doing and apologize and say I was doing something important.

I wouldn't apologize - but I would hang up

Anyhoo, today I am hoping to get some real estate stuff sorted out. I'm a bit frustrated with not getting answer from my Realtor (who I think is doing her best) and quite unhappy with the RBC mortgage woman for always discussing our mortgage needs with the realtor and not with me.

Yesterday the realtor emailed me to say that she had spoken to ms RBC and she had suggested that we go with such and such a mortgage for various reasons.

I do not understand why ms RBC is discussing that with the realtor and not with me. But let's give her the benefit of the doubt. So I email said mortgage person and say hey, I hear you have a great mortgage idea, can you email me the details? I never hear back from her, of course.

So today I will call her, which I avoid, she is gruff and last time we talked I had to hear all about her views on Obama vs George Bush.

[thetreble 19]

what bothers me is when people talk and talk and don't let you get a word in..

in high school I had a friend like that.. she would call me up and stat yammering away and all I could say was uh-huh or yeah.... one time my mom needed my help so I put the phone down and went to help her and came back and she was still talking, she had not realized that I had left ..

In my line of work, I get a lot of upset students, visitors and employees that call me about parking tickets. They often are so upset they just go on and on without letting me explain. Often times I just put the phone down because they are so loud I can hear when they finish. They don't realize that by doing that, they aren't going to get the help they need and they need to vent to their family or friends when they are in the wrong.

So working at a university makes me realize how youth is really on a slippery slope. I was always respectful of my elders and respectful when I went into any ones office or called any one on the phone. I never screamed, yelled or even raised my voice at any one, even if I thought I wasn't being helped properly.

I often get sworn at by 18 year old kids on the phone. I have had students come to my office and get in my face. Did you know that my department and the department of housing on our campus has panic buttons because students have so much aggression now a days you never know what will happen.

I had a student call me yesterday who had racked up over $500 worth of tickets and her car finally got booted. She calls the parking office who then intern calls me and tells me the student will only pay her fines if she gets a ride down to the office from her car because it is raining out. She refused to walk in the rain. (this is no joke)

We have shuttle buses on campus that make regular stops, and one was literally a 15 second walk away from where her car was parked but she refused to wait.

So, me being nice, I called the driver our our PWD bus (Persons with Disabilities) and asked him if he had 5 minutes to pick her up. Keep in mind this bus is only supposed to pick up people in a wheel chair, a walker, or who have broken their leg, etc. He agrees to do it after I butter him up a little. About 10 minutes later she calls me from her cell phone and says,

"I've been waiting here for 10 minutes and a bus was supposed to come pick me up..why isn't it here yet..."

THE NERVE! I'm thinking to myself, why can't you walk? It's called an umbrella. All the other students are walking. I was nice to her and told her it would be there soon. She then continued to give me attitude and say that we can never get anything right. I had to seriously bite my tongue. What is wrong with these kids? (Sorry to those of you that have teenagers or young adults in your households but...I've never seen/heard so many disrespectful kids like this before...)

I'm not too sure what is going on...maybe it is generational, maybe it's because I'm older and I'm noticing it more..I don't know. There were really crappy kids when I grew up, of course! But many of those kids had it rough at home, single parents who worked long hours...kid wasn't involved in anything, etc. But these are upper middle class kids, for the most part. It's really sick.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Yep - youth are way too entitled. You can blame the parents (and sometimes society) . Right now overall, we are allowing our children to do more at an earlier age. We want them to have everything and to come by it easily with little personal effort. We as parents make excuses for our kids and swoop in to solve their problems constantly

I'm sorry Amanda - as a parent....I can see other parents doing it and also myself. As for the violence issue -= no respects personal space or authority (again mostly a parenting issue IMO) kids fluff off mostly everything as 'no big deal' And then they become adults and they don't know how to deal with everyday disaapointments or situations that they themselves got into........i think in actuality, they are pissy because there isn't an easy solution like mummy and daddy offer and they have NO problem solving skills to cope.

$500 of parking bills? I assume that's not just a single ticket - how come she didn't get it the first time or 2? I wouldn't have sent a bus for her, just perpetuated the 'you deserve special treatment' scenario....but it was nice of you on a rainy day.

[beans 7]

Its hard to say treble. Because I'm young (23) there are times when I'm forceful on the phone I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm swearing yelling and screaming and I'll try the whole nice thing first but if that doesn't fly I'm going to express by displeasure and say whats happening isn't right. Lol granted getting parking tickets is no ones fault but your own. Generalizing it into young people is hard it could be a variety of factors from as mentioned problems at home, struggling with their new found independence, just being dumb/spoiled in general lol I do understand what you're saying though.

[Carlawarla 1]

I'd put down the phone and go about what I was doing and apologize and say I was doing something important.

I wouldn't apologize - but I would hang up

Anyhoo, today I am hoping to get some real estate stuff sorted out. I'm a bit frustrated with not getting answer from my Realtor (who I think is doing her best) and quite unhappy with the RBC mortgage woman for always discussing our mortgage needs with the realtor and not with me.

Yesterday the realtor emailed me to say that she had spoken to ms RBC and she had suggested that we go with such and such a mortgage for various reasons.

I do not understand why ms RBC is discussing that with the realtor and not with me. But let's give her the benefit of the doubt. So I email said mortgage person and say hey, I hear you have a great mortgage idea, can you email me the details? I never hear back from her, of course.

So today I will call her, which I avoid, she is gruff and last time we talked I had to hear all about her views on Obama vs George Bush.

I can't believe that! Why would RBC be talking to your realtor? That's incredible! I would think it would be a breach of some type of confidentiality as well. I'd be suggesting you want another "mortgage person" at RBC if they can't respect your wishes that all contact be through YOU. The nerve!

[Sprailenes 47]

Its hard to say treble. Because I'm young (23) there are times when I'm forceful on the phone I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm swearing yelling and screaming and I'll try the whole nice thing first but if that doesn't fly I'm going to express by displeasure and say whats happening isn't right. Lol granted getting parking tickets is no ones fault but your own. Generalizing it into young people is hard it could be a variety of factors from as mentioned problems at home, struggling with their new found independence, just being dumb/spoiled in general lol I do understand what you're saying though.

Its not just young people, it's people in general. When I worked at the hotel I'd get yelled at and screamed at my people of all ages.

No one has respect anymore. It is sad.

But you also need to think about what is going on in their lives and what kind of pressure they're under too, and no it isn't an excuse, but it does give you some understanding of where they are coming from.

I just hope you're not taking any of it personally Amanda, because you're the first person they speak to regarding their problems so you're like their punching bag. It's certainly not fair to you though. Here you are taking all of that negativity in... where are you supposed to release it?

I remember when I worked in hospitality I'd just go outside and cry some days. Some people can be really mean and you're just supposed to stand there smiling and nodding.

[beans 7]

Its hard to say treble. Because I'm young (23) there are times when I'm forceful on the phone I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm swearing yelling and screaming and I'll try the whole nice thing first but if that doesn't fly I'm going to express by displeasure and say whats happening isn't right. Lol granted getting parking tickets is no ones fault but your own. Generalizing it into young people is hard it could be a variety of factors from as mentioned problems at home, struggling with their new found independence, just being dumb/spoiled in general lol I do understand what you're saying though.

Its not just young people, it's people in general. When I worked at the hotel I'd get yelled at and screamed at my people of all ages.

No one has respect anymore. It is sad.

But you also need to think about what is going on in their lives and what kind of pressure they're under too, and no it isn't an excuse, but it does give you some understanding of where they are coming from.

I just hope you're not taking any of it personally Amanda, because you're the first person they speak to regarding their problems so you're like their punching bag. It's certainly not fair to you though. Here you are taking all of that negativity in... where are you supposed to release it?

I remember when I worked in hospitality I'd just go outside and cry some days. Some people can be really mean and you're just supposed to stand there smiling and nodding.

So true, I do that too. lol I only smoke so I can get a chance to leave my post (I work in one of those places where you work 8 hours and don't get lunch or anything)

Edited April 21, 2009 by beans

[JillA 2]

What I don't understand is why people are upset about getting a ticket in the first place. YEAH it sucks, costs us $$ but most of the time, if we get a ticket WE are in the wrong. They don't hand out tickets for nothing. The 3 times in my life I received a speeding ticket I was polite and cordial to the officer, I was speeding so it was my fault. Why would I be rude to them? They're doing their job and making the streets a safer place. When I went to my medical in TO and my car was getting hooked up to the tow truck, I ran outside profusely apologizing for not reading the sign correctly and begged them nicely to let it go on a ticket. They did and the Toronto parking enforcement gave me a $70 ticket which I paid the next day. I thanked them. They were also doing their job, it was my fault clearly. So why get mad at people who are doing their job when it's YOUR fault in the first place you were ticketed.

[beans 7]

Exactly. I've never been pulled over but I have gotten a red light camera ticket (for speeding) and a parking ticket both of which I paid the day I recieved the tickets. I know I was wrong, I'm not going to fight it. It's the price you pay for not paying attention lol

[Sprailenes 47]

In hard economic times, sales people are more aggressive. This sucks. On Friday I had a sales lady call me from our copy company asking to speak with me. I pretended I was someone else and said: "Nevada isn't here" and she said: "Okay I'll drop by.." and I said: "Well no, I'll tell her you called and if she is interested, she'll call you"

So today she drops by. I have no clue who she is, she just walked into the office and said: "Nevada?" and I looked up and said yes. And she proceeded to talk to me about copiers and blah blah blah.

I was sooo annoyed at her. I mean she's assuming I have nothing else better to do. We have your crappy copiers and duplicators and they have been nothing but a pain in our necks. Go away! So I just told her how much I hated the copier and how we have someone servicing it every other week, and then she asks me to demonstrate the problem. No! I am busy! So I just told her to leave her stuff with me and if I am interested I'll call her. She asks me to set up an appointment and I tell her again: "If I am interested, I will call you"

Then she asks me for my last name and I tell her I am not allowed to give out that information.

She got really confused and I guess she got the hint because she finally left.

[Emancipation 2]

In hard economic times, sales people are more aggressive. This sucks. On Friday I had a sales lady call me from our copy company asking to speak with me. I pretended I was someone else and said: "Nevada isn't here" and she said: "Okay I'll drop by.." and I said: "Well no, I'll tell her you called and if she is interested, she'll call you"

So today she drops by. I have no clue who she is, she just walked into the office and said: "Nevada?" and I looked up and said yes. And she proceeded to talk to me about copiers and blah blah blah.

I was sooo annoyed at her. I mean she's assuming I have nothing else better to do. We have your crappy copiers and duplicators and they have been nothing but a pain in our necks. Go away! So I just told her how much I hated the copier and how we have someone servicing it every other week, and then she asks me to demonstrate the problem. No! I am busy! So I just told her to leave her stuff with me and if I am interested I'll call her. She asks me to set up an appointment and I tell her again: "If I am interested, I will call you"

Then she asks me for my last name and I tell her I am not allowed to give out that information.

She got really confused and I guess she got the hint because she finally left.

It must bet the spring.. i've had 1/2 dozen copy people come by the office and bug me. They just drop in, most don't even call actually! Silliness. One guy was SO aggressive I had to put my foot down too and said.. I'll get around to looking up our current lease and sending you a copy when I have a moment, now is not that moment, later this week is not that moment, and next month doesn't look good either. Geesh!!

[The_Dude 1,142]

As someone who does get a bit "annimated" on the phone in situations like that described above, I can atest to my own motivations. I do it because it gets results. It's like a petulent child. If you let them get their way enough times through this behavior, then they will perpetuate it. I definitely try not to get vulgar or to the point where I'm screaming at the phone. However, I will change my tone, and will not take no for an answer. Most conversations end with "........ let me talk to your supervisor". I only do it because I get usually get my way. If supervisors weren't so chicken sh!t, then I'd probably just pay the service charge and be done with it. But they aren't, most in my experience are either too afraid, or simply can't be bothered with a persistent customer.

Now, as to the girl who would only pay her fines if she got a ride. I wouldn't have accomadated her...... purely out of spite. She was out of line and way beyond reasonable.