Thursday, December 14, 2006

Is It Me?...



Or do I have this giant magnet on me that attracts insane people?Seriously.

It's 4:50pm. I am just wrapping things up here at the office and I am just about to walk out the door. The phone rings. I shouldn't have answered it, but I did. It was "Nutjob storage lady". She had called the day before around 5:00 and I had already left so there was voice mail waiting for me when I got in yesterday. She needed to speak to me about the weight of her shipment, the cubic feet of her shipment, and about getting a copy of her inventories. When she called me yesterday, she started off, fairly normal. I asked how she was and asked what I could do for her.She started by telling me that she had been in litigation about something or another for the last 35 years. (There's a shock---and why do *I* care?) She asked if I had gotten her voice mail message. I explained that I did, and I would be happy to forward her a copy of the inventories of her belongings. I then explained that her shipment was never weighed, as that is not standard procedure to come into storage, and that is why I couldn't give her this information. When she demanded that it be weighed. I explained to her that we would NOT be doing that. We COULD do that, but then we would have to charge her for labor etc to take everything out of her storage, load it onto a truck, and take it to a weigh station. Year right...not gonna happen.

She flipped out. 

She said she need the information in order to determine if she wanted to take out more insurance on her shipment. Well...that has nothing to do with the coverage of her goods, and I explained that to her....or rather tried...but she talked over the top of me so she didn't hear me. Of course that is probably the one thing that will piss me off quicker then anything. I am explaining your contract...don't be a know it all, and cut me off...no no no...don't EVER talk over the top of me. That makes me want to kill you. 

I take a deep breath, and remember *I* am the pro at this. I can do this...just be nice, and calm, and empathetic. Ok so I tried that...she shouted at me, she said nasty things about my ability to work here. SHE is the onw who is reading thins wrong. I know this, it's NOT me. I still lost it. I said "You know what Mrs. XXXXXX? I am going to refer you to my boss, who is also the owner of the company, as you don't seem to want to deal with me." That usually gets rid of their attitude, but OH no...when you are insane, it works just the opposite...silly me. How could I not know this? So...she then says "No! You won't refer me to anyone, I am dealing with you. I will call you back in a few days, and hopefully by then you will have someone explain the contract to you, that you clearly don't understand. I won't deal with anyone else, and I don't want to hear it, I am terminating this phone call" I tried to calm her down and explain to her that she needed to tell me what form she was looking at so maybe I could assist her better, as she was claiming that she was reading something on the contract that does NOT exsist... she said "I don't have time for this, and I am standing on a public phone in the rain" I said "Mrs. XXXXX, you just told me you needed a copy of your contract sent to you, if you don't HAVE a copy then how can you tell me you read it?" She spouted something about I am a fool and need to learn how to run a business, and said again that she was terminating this phone call and how I had better be prepared the next time she called me. 

I hung up on her.

I told my boss what had happened, when he called this morning. He said he would give her 30 days to get her things out of storage, and I wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. He would handle it. I have been in some form of conflict reslolution, Customer service, quality assurance, or retention position all of my life. It's what I am trained to do, it's what I am good at. I don't feel bad that I couldn't keep this woman happy, and retain her business. In fact I probably did my employer a favor. He will thank me...I just know it.

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