Wednesday, February 15, 2006

me: [blah blah blah construction company], how can I help you?

caller: Yes, may I please speak to [Bossman]

me: I'm sorry, he's not here right now, may I take a message?

caller: (long pause) he's... not... there...?*

me: No, I'm sorry, he's not here right now, may I take a message?

caller: When you say that he's 'not there'...?

me: (long pause) When I say that he's 'not here', I mean that he's not... here... (long pause) so... unfortunately... you... wouldn't... be...able... to... speak... to... him...

I'm no business expert, but I think that if you're going to work in the telemarketing field, you might just want to be a little bit familiar with commonly used English phrases, like "he's not here", for instance.

* This line is delivered as though I had just informed the caller that Bossman was out in the warehouse wearing a tutu and shearing some sheep.