Private numbers

Wallet Inspector

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

- Call me back
- Will do
- You never called me back
- Yes we did, check your missed calls
- Oh but I don't answer private numbers

Or

- Can I get a callback?
- Sure. Just to be advised, the call will come from a blocked number.
- But I don't answer blocked numbers
...

What do they want? The phone system rehauled just for their call?

Just being difficult for nothing.

The customer is always wrong. Good strategy.

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

- Call me back
- Will do
- You never called me back
- Yes we did, check your missed calls
- Oh but I don't answer private numbers

Or

- Can I get a callback?
- Sure. Just to be advised, the call will come from a blocked number.
- But I don't answer blocked numbers
...

What do they want? The phone system rehauled just for their call?

Just being difficult for nothing.

Apologies if I'm getting too personal but what sort of company do you work for that deems it reasonable in these times to acquire a 'private number' slot to showcase to existing and potential customers on their phones?

I wonder if Wallet Inspector could get away with sending email without an address, if he could. I would expect businesses to have numbers that are fully available. Whats the business reason?

EmmetSpiceland

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

- Call me back
- Will do
- You never called me back
- Yes we did, check your missed calls
- Oh but I don't answer private numbers.

- You never called me back.
- Yes we did, check your missed calls
- Oh, a private number, didn’t know that was you. Did you leave a message?
- No.
- Why not?
- Em...because we like being difficult?

Wallet Inspector

Deleted User wrote: »

The customer is always wrong. Good strategy.

Not always, but yeah very often. It's perfectly clear how they were being difficult and narcissistic for the craic. No need for the obtuseness.

buried wrote: »

Apologies if I'm getting too personal but what sort of company do you work for that deems it reasonable in these times to acquire a 'private number' slot to showcase to existing and potential customers on their phones?

I've no idea what sort of company. It's just a thing some companies have - I don't read into it, I don't think there's a nefarious reason. I just thought that calls from extension numbers don't always come up, but do from the main switchboard. That was a few years back - maybe they've changed since. Call centre.

Fandymo

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The customer is always wrong. Good strategy.

You know “The customer is always right” was just a business slogan, like “Just Do It” or “P-p-pick up a penguin”. It’s has no basis in reality.

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

I've no idea what sort of company. It's just a thing some companies have - I don't read into it, I don't think there's a nefarious reason. I just thought that calls from extension numbers don't always come up, but do from the main switchboard. That was a few years back - maybe they've changed since. Call centre.

You should tell them to wise up in whatever limited way you can. There is good reason the vast majority of people in these times won't answer a 'private number' showcase. The banks and credit card fraud section don't use private number mobile showcasing. With good reason too, because when they call they usually want you to answer, and they want you to answer the call fairly quickly.

Wallet Inspector

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Not always, but yeah very often. It's perfectly clear how they were being difficult and narcissistic for the craic. No need for the obtuseness.

As I said 80% of people don't answer blocked numbers. Nothing narcissistic about it. They are mostly spam, or cold calls, or something like that. I treat private numbers like I treat spam, I ignore it. In fact if I could block private numbers I would.

I've no idea what sort of company. It's just a thing some companies have - I don't read into it, I don't think there's a nefarious reason. I just thought that calls from extension numbers don't always come up, but do from the main switchboard. That was a few years back - maybe they've changed since. Call centre.

Well, here's a thought, fix that and stop blaming customers.

Fandymo

Fandymo wrote: »

You know “The customer is always right” was just a business slogan, like “Just Do It” or “P-p-pick up a penguin”. It’s has no basis in reality.

It's a bit odd to totally ignore your customer preference never the less, even if that particular statement is trite. Also P-p-pick up a penguin isn't a business slogan, it's an advertising slogan.

The number of people on here defending bad business practice and the idea that we are all at the beck and call of anybody who calls us is weird.

Wallet Inspector

Yeah I'll just fix it. I don't work there anymore so I'm speaking in general but I will blame customers for being difficult for the laugh (utter narcissism) - when they have requested a callback as per both scenarios I described. Different story if they didn't request a callback of course.

Wallet Inspector

Deleted User wrote: »

It's a bit odd to totally ignore your customer preference never the less, even if that particular statement is trite.

The number of people on here defending bad business practice and the idea that we are all at the beck and call of anybody who calls us is weird.

And I think it's weird how bizarrely angered calling from a blocked number makes people. And it's also weird how not answering a call when expecting one, just because of coming from a blocked number - having requested this call - is deemed nothing other than rude.

I'm not defending or criticising it, I just don't see the big deal. And saying "just fix it" is bizarre. Where is the evidence that I had any control over it?

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Yeah I'll just fix it. I don't work there anymore so I'm speaking in general but I will blame customers for being difficult for the laugh (utter narcissism) - when they have requested a callback as per both scenarios I described. Different story if they didn't request a callback of course.

Well, a good thing to keep in mind in your next job is that the customer is ultimately there to pay your wages and they also want to know who exactly they are dealing with. The customer is not there merely to exist to be cold called or treated as some sort of 'mark'. Your company or employment won't last long utilising that sort of mindset.

Wallet Inspector

buried wrote: »

Well, a good thing to keep in mind in your next job is that the customer is ultimately there to pay your wages and they also want to know who exactly they are dealing with. The customer is not there merely to exist to be cold called or treated as some sort of 'mark'. Your company or employment won't last long utilising that sort of mindset.

Um... where are you getting all that stuff from?

I'm long finished that kind of work. My "next" job? I have a job.

I didn't cold call. I made callbacks if requested to - the opposite to cold calling.

I had no control over the phone system.

And literally zero evidence for you to go on about having a bad attitude towards customers (only ones with a bad attitude themselves, and I'd hardly say it to them). Getting secretly annoyed by one thing doesn't mean you'd be rude/unhelpful to customers otherwise.

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Um... where are you getting all that stuff from?

I'm long finished that kind of work. My "next" job? I have a job.

I didn't cold call. I made callbacks if requested to - the opposite to cold calling.

I had no control over the phone system.

And literally zero evidence for you to go on about having a bad attitude towards customers (only ones with a bad attitude themselves, and I'd hardly say it to them). Getting secretly annoyed by one thing doesn't mean you'd be rude/unhelpful to customers otherwise.

No need to get so pissy wallet, all I gave to you was the straight story. You literally said you were 'laughing' at them. That's literally having a bad attitude towards them, the customer, And they have every right to have a bad attitude, its not them looking to keep you going or your company going, you are a service there for them, that's how consumerism works, if you as a consumer engage with a bad service, you, the employee ultimately pay the price, such as loosing their custom and your business, and ultimately your job as a employee. Its no good to laugh about it.

Wallet Inspector

Are you actually serious? (Did I really say I laugh at them?)

I don't work in that area any more and when I did, I wasn't rude or unhelpful. I have simply posted here about how annoying it was when people looked for a call and then didn't answer despite expecting a call but just because the number was blocked.

If you're being serious, what are you on about?

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Yeah I'll just fix it. I don't work there anymore so I'm speaking in general but I will blame customers for being difficult for the laugh (utter narcissism) - when they have requested a callback as per both scenarios I described. Different story if they didn't request a callback of course.

Yeah! There's you laughing at them!

What happened that company you worked for anyways?

Wallet Inspector

"Customers who are being difficult for the laugh".

I... left it because I got another job, which constantly happens. The place is still there - that was years ago. I don't think calls from a blocked number is going to shut down a company. Maybe they don't call from blocked numbers anymore.

You're getting a good kick out of this I see. :D

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

"Customers who are being difficult for the laugh".

I... left it because I got another job, which constantly happens. The place is still there - that was years ago. I don't think calls from a blocked number is going to shut down a company. Maybe they don't call from blocked numbers anymore.

You're getting a good kick out of this I see. :D

I'm getting no kick out of it man, more fool me but I'm trying to show you how its not good practice to blame the customer for your own actions, or your employers actions or how people like yourself are shoddily trained in the inability to deal with how an actual successful consumer business operates.

Wallet Inspector

You're completely misrepresenting/misinterpreting me.

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

You're completely misrepresenting/misinterpreting me.

Call me tomorrow on a private number and we can talk about it

Greyfox

Deleted User wrote: »

It's a bit odd to totally ignore your customer preference never the less, even if that particular statement is trite.

If companies want to ignore a preference for there own convenience they are perfectly entitled to do so, they may even have a reason. For example i know KN engineers working for telecom companies always call from a private number as if you miss the call its someone elses job to reschedule.

buried wrote: »

Well, a good thing to keep in mind in your next job is that the customer is ultimately there to pay your wages and they also want to know who exactly they are dealing with.

That doesnt mean they get to dictate the way a businss operates. Grand if your not expecting a call but if your due an important callback from somewhere and then get a private number call its common sense just to answer anyway and hang up if its not a call your expecting

ExMachina1000

https://youtu.be/6Pp154xRvIE

A great guy

Feisar

My gran aunt who suffers terribly from notions, has her number private but get this; also doesn't answer private numbers.

buried

Greyfox wrote: »

That doesnt mean they get to dictate the way a businss operates. Grand if your not expecting a call but if your due an important callback from somewhere and then get a private number call its common sense just to answer anyway and hang up if its not a call your expecting

Its not common sense though these days is it? Everyone is being bombarded with tales of both online and phone scams, not only bombarded with tales, but actually being cold called by actual scam merchants claiming to be from 'Micrasoft' telling them 'der is prablum with your compeewta machine'. You can hardly blame the consumer for being 'paranoid' about what could happen to them when this dodgy $hit is happening day in and day out and nothing is done to quench it.

As I've said, the banks and the credit card companies fraud divisions do not operate this 'private number' showcase call screen operation.

Its more common sense for the companies to get their $hit together and realise what sort of world their consumers, the actual people these companies rely on to exist, have to operate in, not the other way around.

NewbridgeIR

My car broke down at the weekend. Thankfully I have Breakdown Assistance. Both callbacks from them were on private numbers. I wonder what would have happened if I refused to answer them.

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKLyac_-Jdg

buried

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

My car broke down at the weekend. Thankfully I have Breakdown Assistance. Both callbacks from them were on private numbers. I wonder what would have happened if I refused to answer them.

Call the local breakdown car mechanic who probably was 5 minutes away? You were hardly going to die out in the wilds of the tiny island of Ireland like

NewbridgeIR

buried wrote: »

Call the local breakdown car mechanic who probably was 5 minutes away? You were hardly going to die out in the wilds of the tiny island of Ireland like

It was late and I was returning from A&E with a frail relative.

buried

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

It was late and I was returning from A&E with a frail relative.

We've the best community police service in the world and they'd be out in two seconds to an event like that, along with the local mechanic.

Greyfox

buried wrote: »

Its not common sense though these days is it? Everyone is being bombarded with tales of both online and phone scams

The scam calls go away after a few days. By avoiding all private numbers you run the risk of missing something important. A family member could even be calling you and not realising there caller id has been turned off.