(02-06-2015, 03:26 PM)Zhavi Wrote:(02-06-2015, 02:53 PM)Xheja Rajhera Wrote: The majority of my job is vehicle registration and titling. But today, I feel more like a telephone-based relationship counselor. Love awkward 30 minute calls where someone bitches about their husband without end.
Like in what weird reality is this acceptable c'mon people.
It's pretty common that we get older donors who call and want to share their life story with you, problems with their kids, relatives, locals, whatever.
Then, every time they call back (either to donate or for whatever), they tell you the same exact things, just with different wording.
I think for most of them they just don't really have people irl to talk to. Â They don't use the internet, they really just don't have an outlet. Â Same thing for spousal issues -- sometimes you don't want to talk to people you know about it, because you don't want anything to get out (you tell your friend, your friend tells his/her SO, the SO tells someone else . . .and it gets back to the person you weren't ready to talk to yet, oops). Â So while you have that stranger captive on the line, it just comes pouring out.
People sometimes are very easily disarmed by niceness. Â Sometimes I'll get someone who sounds perfectly fine calling to have their dead relative taken off the mailing list -- soon as I say that I'm very sorry about their loss, you can hear them start to lose it. Â I never intend to make someone cry, but sometimes all it takes is that little bit of sympathy to break down all the barriers.
Very true. I suppose I should clarify my frustration. I never mind the calls I get where someone sincerely just wants to talk or vent. I actually sat on the phone with one little old lady for the better part of an hour one day, just keeping her company, and enjoyed every second of it.Â
I just get annoyed when we get the "Jerry Springer" calls where someone calls, gets angry at me because they're actually angry at their significant other, and wants to yell angrily on the phone for thirty minutes when I have other customers to help. There's a difference between lending an ear to someone who genuinely needs it, and someone who just wants to rant and rave for the sake of hearing their own voice, IMHO.
