Get Your Fax Straight

(My manager hangs up the phone and starts mocking a customer he was just talking to about faxing prices. Note, we are in Canada.)

Manager: “SIX DOLLARS TO FAX TO THE STATES?!”

Me: “No, it’s two bucks; it’s only long distance to the States.”

Manager: “But it’s a different country. It’s out of our nation, so it’s international.”

Me: “But we have the same country code, so it’s long distance. I’ve also helped people dial to the states before and they didn’t have to put 011 in first. If it was international it wouldn’t have worked without dialing 011 first.”

Manager: “It’s still international. It doesn’t matter if it needs the 011 or not; it’s a different country.”

Me: “But I think it does matter. Just like the fax machine won’t dial a long distance number without the 1, it won’t dial an international number without the 011.”

Manager: “The 011 is needed when you’re sending to different continents. It still counts as international to send to the states.”

Me: *not wanting to argue anymore* “Then yes, it’s six dollars to fax to the states.”

(After he leaves, I Google it because I’m sure it’s only long distance. Another coworker starts to defend my manager.)

Coworker: “But what about my phone plan? I have unlimited Canada-wide calling. So, if I called the states, it would count as international.”

Me: “It would count as long distance. You can call long distance numbers within Canada for free, but if you call outside of Canada then it’s long distance unless your cell phone company just has an extra charge for outside of Canada.”

(I find it on Google and it says it counts as domestic long distance. My manager comes back out and I start to tell him I was right but he cuts me off.)

Manager: “I was actually coming out here to tell you that I called my old store, and they actually have a pricing break down of all the different types of faxing…” *long pause while he stares at me* “Aaand it’s long distance.”

Me: “HA! I knew it! I’m sorry that you’re wrong, but also I’m not actually sorry.”