How to Talk to People on the Telephone

Waited all morning for a Tintin competition prize to arrive and nothing. My mum waited all afternoon, after I went into a rage and decided to go out, and still, nothing. Very annoyed with you Dego for saying DHL would deliver today and they didn't!

While waiting in the morning there was a phone call. I stupidly thought, ooh maybe its DHL calling, why the hell would they call? It turned out to be some guy from UK Accident Helpline.

-Hello I'm calling from UK Accident Helpline-
-What? Sorry, who did you say you were?
-UK Accident Helpline
-Oh. Er . . . right er, I've got nothing to do with this . . . er bye.
And then i put the phone down.

I couldn't think what to say so I said that. I heard the guy sighing before I put the phone down but I was too busy thinking how suspicious and weird I sounded.

Another strange reply/blunt reply I've given on the telephone was yesterday. I was annoyed that the phone kept ringing in the middle of a TV show. Usually someone else will get the phone first but this time it was me. When I answered, they asked if they were speaking to Mrs Hogan (my mum) and I just bluntly said 'No, you're not.' Then there was silence. My mum walked past at that point, so I just yelled 'MUM, someone on the phone for you.' She asked who and I said "A man." Handed the phone to her and walked off. I suppose this is a bad habit of mine, I (usually) never ask who is calling. But when ever I call someone else I always ask for a person and then say its me calling.

I think one of the best phone calls I've had though was when I was working at a Pharmacy. An obviously elderly woman called and I ended up arguing with her on the phone for about 15 mins and in busy pharmacy time that's a long time.

-Hello good afternoon Minal Pharmacy-
-Is that the Pharmacy?
-Yes, Minal-
-Do you have loyalty cards?
- Yes we do-
-Are you a Lloyds Pharmacy?
-No this is Minal Pharmacy-
-Then why do your cards say Lloyds?
-They don't-
-I tried to get points with my card at Lloyds but it wasn't working.
-But we're not a Lloyds Pharmacy-
-Then why does your loyalty card say Lloyds?
- (Pause) I don't know. I don't know why.
-Well that's not good is it?
-Well all I can say is that we are MINAL Pharmacy, you must have a different card or another phar-
-But it says Lloyds on your card.

And I think you can get the idea of kind of person I was dealing with. Eventually I just said yes to whatever she said and told her I was busy and had to go, I almost put the phone down on her. I should have. Learn from this, if the person on the other end of the phone is wrong, just make a dull tone sound then actually put the phone down.