Ever do something funny embarassing or stupid on the phone?

Last edited by WebDunce on Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:03 am, edited 2 times in total

I'm new at this; so I'll probably have a ton of "stupid things I've done" stories just over the next few weeks.

Today I get a call:

Representative: yes, this is so and so, I'm an agent calling from (something I just didn't quite understand). I've got a customer here (I think he means she's standing there beside him). She's just ported her number in and the port process is complete. However, her phone is not working. I have verified that her SIM number and IMEI number are correct, but whenever she tries to use the phone she gets the message "unregistered SIM."

Me (trying to sound like I know what I'm doing): OK, so so her number is ported in, and you have verified the SIM and IMEI, but the phone displays the "unregistered SIM"?

Representative: yes.

Me ( completely clueless): OK, let me look into that for you.

Representative: OK. While you do that, I'm going to refresh the customer (I thought, boy, that's an odd thing to say...I hope she didn't hear him say that).

I think about it for a moment. I vaguely recall that there is a department dedicated to handling number porting issues. I cannot remember the name of the department, so I look into our database to see if I can find the name of that department. I type in "port number" and press submit to search for the proper policy/procedure. The first one I click on in the second paragraph indicates that port number issues should be transferred to the PAC. We have a program that helps us figure out what all the stupid acronyms mean, and I find out that PAC stands for "port activation center" (or something like that).

Me: Sir?

Representative: yes?

Me: Have you tried calling the port activation center?

Representative: This IS the port activation center...

(ah, so that's what he said that I couldn't quite understand)

Needless to say, I was tremendously embarrassed. Oh, the customer was on the phone...now it's all making sense.

I did research the issue...had to get a Team Lead to assist me...wound up needing xfer to tier 2 tech.

Anyway, got a kick out of that one...afterwards, at least.

Another one:

Lady calls from her cell phone. She is driving in her car. Customer is disputing charges. This is about a previous situation...it's in the notes...she IS supposed to get credit for half of text message usage and all international roaming charges associated with voicemail. My job is to determine the text message charges (and divide by 2) and the voicemail roaming charges...and issue the appropriate credits.

The bill looks very confusing to me. But I do find the text message charges. Now I must find the roaming charges associated with voicemail calls. The bill is 27 pages long. I have no idea how to tell if a particular call is a voicemail call or not.

I probably spent 10 minutes (or more) hem-hawing around trying to figure out how to tell if a call is a voicemail call...and trying to come up with new ways NOT to sound like a clueless idiot.

Even though we're not supposed to let the customer know that we're clueless... I can no longer hide the fact and I tell the customer, "I've got your text message charges figured out, but I'm having trouble telling when a particular call is a voicemail call or not."

She tells me that she will be at her desk in a few moments (apparently she was on lunch break) and she will pull her bill up online and help me look. In a few moments, she determines that four of the calls (and it seemed there were hundreds of calls) are voicemail calls. I ask her how she can tell...

She points out that the number shown in the call detail is in fact her voicemail pilot number.

Duh! Of course!

Well, now I know!

Hey don't worrie to much we all have done this a time or two i have been working in calls centers for over 5 years and when i change from department to department I mess things up or have to ask the cust for help reading there own bill to give me the line item they are disputeing.

But hang in there it will come as secondary nature to you just rember when you are at home and half asleep and answer the phone do do like i did and answer thatnk you for calling cingular wireless

in my center we get a warning "ding" just before a call comes in... after a particularly long week (several hours of OT a day)... I was gettuing out of my car... headlights still onn... and the warning ding for that is almost exactly the same.... first thing going thru my head... "Thank you for calling ATT wireless" (looong time ago)

i had last winter when my center offered unlimited overtime not for my department which is tech support but in care. between my normal hours and the overtime hours which payroll call my team leader to see if i really worked all the hours which they were supprised when my tl said yes i had a pay check for 145 hours in two weeks. i was a walking zombie i would answer my tech call thank you for calling cingular wireless and on care calls i would answer thank you for calling ne tech support.

Then you go home and asnwer your own pohone with call opening scripts and my friends were like you are not at work why are you answering you home phone like this

ha ha, elmo and cptech. yup, i've done the same thing...but not for Cingular...not yet, anyways.

i know, sometimes when i go to use a phone i'll start to dial the "9" before the number, then remember not all phone need that

the other day i was at home checking my email, and instead of putting my username as mandiepantz, i actually typed in my CUID instead. it was a sad afternoon off.

hmmm an afternoon off what is that??

lol, seriously...

Ever do something funny embarassing or stupid on the phone?

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