Caller ID
At work I often have to call lab and chemical companies requesting information. It's pretty amusing how many different types of people I get to interact with by phone, even though it's only for a short period of time. About half the time, especially if I am calling a well established chemical or materials company, I will receive a competent individual, often male who makes my day easier and gives me the information I need asap. On more than several occasions, however, I get a clueless moron from a low-brow company, often female who has no idea on what the heck I am talking about and takes forever to send me information by fax or otherwise, which results me me becoming highly irritable since I have to call more than twice just to get what I need.
Today I had to make a few calls to some suppliers for some medical machinery and a a nice, probably middle aged man in his mid 40s to 60s answered the phone, gave his name, asked for my name and confirmed all the information very throroughly. Now, although it took slightly more than 2 mins, I think what he did was good standard operating procedure and courtesy. You shouldn't just give any information to any random individual without confirming who they are.
The next call I made had a relatively young male, possibly late 20s early 30s who picked up with a relatively obvious southern accent. I check the information sheet and find that I am calling someone from South Carolina. Figures. This makes me smile and I begin to imagine scenes from a book I am currently reading and movies I've seen having images from the South. I realize this is a stereotype, but I couldn't help it. The man I was speaking to was polite, a real "country" sounding folk. He tells me his business that he is currently multitasking taking care of his baby since his wife is out and his other child or assistant is away to school or something or other. Now I usually deal with dull or very robotic accentless people who just give the info and leave, but on rare occasion I get some people who are animated like this guy. So he asks me to hold on as he checks their data base. I am a bit amused because of the easy going country-like scenario going on in my head doesn't really fit an internet connected computer in the scene. He checks and asks for the info I need and says he will fax the info asap. While he is checking the computer I hear his baby crying in the background. I guess it's a family owned operation. Not common, but not too rare.
I realized that many small family owned businesses exist, especially in the south and Midwest. I guess that's pretty cool, especially since they are getting business here in the US instead of some large company outside of the country. Still, sometimes I wish these guys would get with the program and get a decent website. The big guys almost always have it, but they make it so freaking hard to navigate and retrieve anything. Well anyway, at least I get a human on the end of the line on the first two rings versus a virtual recording from the big guns. Hmm cold technology and efficiently vs. courtesy and compromising speed and accuracy? Sure the latter is fun once in a while, but with the business going the way it is, we need things now, so I guess technology would rule out on this one =\
Today I had to make a few calls to some suppliers for some medical machinery and a a nice, probably middle aged man in his mid 40s to 60s answered the phone, gave his name, asked for my name and confirmed all the information very throroughly. Now, although it took slightly more than 2 mins, I think what he did was good standard operating procedure and courtesy. You shouldn't just give any information to any random individual without confirming who they are.
The next call I made had a relatively young male, possibly late 20s early 30s who picked up with a relatively obvious southern accent. I check the information sheet and find that I am calling someone from South Carolina. Figures. This makes me smile and I begin to imagine scenes from a book I am currently reading and movies I've seen having images from the South. I realize this is a stereotype, but I couldn't help it. The man I was speaking to was polite, a real "country" sounding folk. He tells me his business that he is currently multitasking taking care of his baby since his wife is out and his other child or assistant is away to school or something or other. Now I usually deal with dull or very robotic accentless people who just give the info and leave, but on rare occasion I get some people who are animated like this guy. So he asks me to hold on as he checks their data base. I am a bit amused because of the easy going country-like scenario going on in my head doesn't really fit an internet connected computer in the scene. He checks and asks for the info I need and says he will fax the info asap. While he is checking the computer I hear his baby crying in the background. I guess it's a family owned operation. Not common, but not too rare.
I realized that many small family owned businesses exist, especially in the south and Midwest. I guess that's pretty cool, especially since they are getting business here in the US instead of some large company outside of the country. Still, sometimes I wish these guys would get with the program and get a decent website. The big guys almost always have it, but they make it so freaking hard to navigate and retrieve anything. Well anyway, at least I get a human on the end of the line on the first two rings versus a virtual recording from the big guns. Hmm cold technology and efficiently vs. courtesy and compromising speed and accuracy? Sure the latter is fun once in a while, but with the business going the way it is, we need things now, so I guess technology would rule out on this one =\
posted by shine
at
Thursday, September 01, 2005
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