Hello, I’m a Machine
As I sit here watching election returns trickle in (Obama just made it 12 wins in a row by taking Vermont), I was thinking about what I should blog about today. Then it hit me… We’ve been getting calls at the Reference Desk from an automated message. It appears that some car dealership has the wrong number, and they’re desperately trying to get in touch with a valued customer. From what I heard earlier today, the message goes something like this:
[Female Voice] Hello, this is Acme car dealership calling to remind you that your car is due for service very soon…
I never get beyond that before I hang up because I have far too much to do to listen to a machine, let alone a machine that is actually looking for someone else.
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@ the Library 
I tell them to piss off as if they can here me. Makes me feel better.
upset waitress said this on March 4, 2008 at 9:45 pm |
It pisses me off because I’m too busy to futz around with it. That and I feel like fool because it sounds like a live call at first not a recording so I’m all, “Hello this is Dumbass Public library, how may I help you…”
Woeful said this on March 4, 2008 at 9:51 pm |
we get about 6 calls a day from an automated voice saying “hello, we have an important message for you. all our operators are busy please stay on the line and one will be with you shortly…”
and then a ‘real’ voice takes over saying “hello? hello?” usually in an indian accent from a call centre.
just in time for me to reach the delete button
nursemyra said this on March 5, 2008 at 2:47 am |
Of course, if you found out their telephone number, and then consistently tried to send a fax to it, would that fall into the ‘evil library activities’ category, or the ‘making the librarians day more joyful’ category… 😉
And when they call and say ‘you’re jamming up our phone line with a fax’, you get the fun of saying ‘you’re jamming up our phone line with audio spam’.
And of course end with a good, evil ‘mwhahahahahahahaa!’
jennielaw said this on March 5, 2008 at 5:36 am |
I like the way you think Jennie!
Woeful said this on March 5, 2008 at 10:08 am |
Seriously..
This is why we should give up the telephone. It’s ruining our lives. 🙂
ashley said this on March 5, 2008 at 11:54 am |
That works for me… email is my favorite form of personal communication because I can read and respond to it at my leisure. Although I do have a nice new smartphone that has full Internet access now!
Woeful said this on March 5, 2008 at 12:09 pm |
We are CONSTANTLY getting a similar call at my house. It’s a recording about how my car insurance will expire “very soon” and how I need to buy insurance from Company XYZ, etc. etc. The Caller ID bounces between a few very generic-sounding names as the origin of the call.
friendlyfried said this on March 5, 2008 at 3:04 pm |
We have had a problem like this as well, but with a collections company. They are nearly impossible to convince that they have the wrong number.
Rachel said this on March 5, 2008 at 7:17 pm |
… It’s all very frustrating. I don’t want unsolicited calls, but if they occur I want the person/company to have the decency to call me him/herself and not send their robot to do their dirty work.
No Love.
Woeful said this on March 6, 2008 at 7:50 am |
Bullshit!!! you have nothing better to do than kiss Obama’s ass and serve up big cups of Obama kool-aid! PS how much did the dealership charge to have the right hand turn signal lights removed from your hybrid?
You fucking lefty bitch!!!
DynaDave said this on March 6, 2008 at 9:58 pm |
Have you been the one pranking the Library Dave?
Woeful said this on March 6, 2008 at 10:01 pm |
you work at Dumbass Public Library? OMG!!! I work at Dumbass Public Library too!!!!
grindchopblend said this on March 7, 2008 at 12:50 am |
I’m at the other branch.
Woeful said this on March 7, 2008 at 12:54 am |
I’ll never tell!
DynaDave said this on March 7, 2008 at 8:00 pm |
haha the comments are funny 🙂
upset waitress said this on March 8, 2008 at 7:29 pm |
Hi Upset!
Woeful said this on March 9, 2008 at 12:19 am |