LIGHTHEARTED - INEFFICIENT STAFF

[CrispsnDips]

Can I book a table for two this Saturday 30th at 1pm?
yes, what time in the evening?
1pm lunchtime
oh sorry, wrong book
pause
what time?
1pm
how many for?
two

HELP! Have you suffered the same inefficiency recently? (Let’s have a giggle)

I don't have any staff ones but I've got a funny customer one!

Caller: hi, I would like put in a complaint about my pension as you've been messing me around.
Me: hi, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience but we don't offer or deal with pensions, we are X company and offer X services so you have called the wrong number.
Caller: well I'm going to add that to my complaint that now you won't even take my call!
Me: apologies, but I can't take a call for something we can't help you with. Check your paperwork for the correct contact number.
Caller: you've been messing me around with my pension.
Me: as previously stated, it won't be us that you're trying to contact as we are not affiliated with pensions.
Caller: well pass me through to whoever deals with pensions!
Me: again, I cannot do that as we are not a pension company, we are an X company.
Caller: great help you are, what sort of customer service is this and what service I'm paying for! I want to speak about my pension.
Me: literally repeats all of the above for a 3rd time
Caller: great help you are (and hangs up)

Bane. Of. My. Fucking. Life. 😂

To be honest I don’t think the restaurant is anything to giggle about . Probably a stressed member of staff who picked up the phone to be bombarded with all the information with having a chance to pick up a pen . I’d have said “ I’d like to book a table for lunch please” and leave them to ask the questions.

@farnhamgal - couldn't you just save everyone's time and say, 'sorry, this isn't a pension company, I'm afraid you've dialled the wrong number, goodbye' and hang up?

I did say that.. many a time.

It's rude to hang up on someone.

Not exactly inefficient but was recently at Specsavers having had an eye test and bought glasses and asked if I could have a complementary glasses cleaning spray.

Member of staff replied, yes but you'll have to pay for it .😁

I have one from a busy A&E department:

Elderly lady brought in after a fall. Seems to have dementia, her son is with her.

Doctor: I think we better send you for an X-ray.

Lady: I don't want an X-ray, I want to be sent home!
Sohn in a cheery convincing voice: But Mum, you love X-rays!

Made me chuckle, as it reminds me of DH and his mum!

Haha!

My friend booked a table online under her name. She has a very first-namey first name and a very last-namey last name. Let’s call her Sharon Johnson

We went in “We have a table booked for 2 at 7pm under Sharon Johnson”
Server: “I’m sorry we don’t have a booking under that name”
Friend: “Oh! Let me get the confirmation on my phone”
Server: “We do have a table for 2 at 7pm booked under Johnson Sharon. Might that be you?”

🤣

We now have a running joke that we hope Johnson Sharon didn’t turn up and see their table already taken.

BTW be prepared for a flaming, service staff on MN seem to be a marginalised group who can never ever be criticised 🙄

Sorry but “Can I book at table for 1pm on Saturday” is way too confusing for a member of staff they’re in the wrong job.

Yes, I agree.

I don’t work in a restaurant, but I still get the same thing with a tonne of information thrown at me within the first 10 seconds of picking up the phone.

I tend to say “I’d like to book a table please” and then wait for them to ask when/time/how many/etc.

I had a guy get shirty with me earlier - he phoned, bombarded me with information for 2 minutes - I needed to get someone to call back him and he complained to my boss that I hadn’t remembered his name - given at the beginning of the 2 minutes of information overload. Slow down a bit.

My MIL once worked in a call centre and said they were only allowed to hang up on callers if they got abusive!

My hairdresser.

She can never find the products she needs. When she does find them, they're running out so she'll make a note on her phone to order more. But that means finding her phone. Then she'll notice it needs charging so she'll head off to find the charger.

Then she never mixes up enough product so has to pause 3/4 of the way through to make more which restarts the process of product-finding again.

If she offers me a brew, she'll always be missing an essential ingredient. If she has the Saturday girl there, she'll send the Saturday girl out for the supplies. But this involves finding paper and a pen that works. And then finding the petty cash tin.

Everything just feel so slow and inefficient. It's really frustrating. I'm thinking of changing but can't actually bear to start that process of searching for a new person again.

HAHA if someone doesn’t have a pen and paper handy when they pick up the phone, they must be crazy …pen and paper (or whatever technology they prefer to use) first, pick up the phone second.