Wednesday, February 25, 2009

This happens weekly

A nondescript, yet stocky man enters the building.

Nondescript Stocky Man (NSM): "Hello. Is Chuck [not the employee's real name, btw] in?"

Me: "I would be happy to check for you sir. Do you have an appointment?"

NSM: "No, but I was referred here by so-an-so and was told I should contact Chuck."

Me: "All right sir, please feel free to take a seat while I see if Chuck is available."

He remains standing, nee, hovering in my personal space.

I dial "Chuck's" extension... it goes to voicemail.

Me: "I'm sorry sir, it appears that Chuck is unavailable. Do you have a business card or some contact information I could give to him?"

NSM: "Yes. Here is my card."

He hands me his business card. I, in turn, receive the card, holding it as if it is a delicate and precious flower.

NSM: "You wouldn't happen to have Chuck's card down here, would you?"

Me: "I'm sorry, sir, I don't happen to have one of his cards."

NSM: "What about a generic business card?"

Me: "I'm sorry sir, we actually don't..."

I pause because he's already heading out the door, whilst shooting me a patronizing look.

NSM: "So basically, you can't offer me any help and have proven that you're completely useless."

I'm assuming this last quip was rhetorical (oh if you could have heard his vocal inflection... priceless), seeing as how the end of his sentence was punctuated by his exit.

[He probably should have waited for me to finish my sentence, because I was about to offer him our main line number, accompanied by Chuck's extension... but I guess he'd rather be unpleasant and condescending instead. Oh yeah, and it is important to note that NSM is a salesman, not a client. Meaning he acted like that and didn't even have our business yet. Smooth.]

2 comments:

Kimba said...

I don't know how you don't rail on these people. The nerve! And a salesman!

Apparently not a good one. Hence his arrogance. A complete circle.

kenna said...

And that's when I would have flipped him off.