Hard Pass On The Pass Code

A guy called in because he was having issues with creating an account on our website. I’m guiding him through the process.

Me: “Now you need to enter your phone number. It’ll send you a six-digit confirmation code that you need to type in on the next screen.”

Caller: “This is where I had issues last time! I don’t want to give you my number! I just put in some random numbers, and it wouldn’t do anything!”

Me: “Well, yes, sir, you would need to put in your actual number, or you won’t receive the six-digit code.”

Caller: “It’s a bad idea to rely on people having a cellphone! Not everyone has a cellphone!”

Me: “You can also sign up using an email if—”

Caller: “—not everyone has one of those, either! You need to rethink this whole signing-up thing!”

Me: “I will pass that note up the chain, sir.”

Caller: “What about old people! What about eighteen-year-olds! They don’t all have phones! What are they going to do?”

I hear someone in the background of the caller’s call say:

Caller’s Friend: “Seriously? There are maybe three eighteen-year-olds in this country who don’t have a cellphone, and that’s because they’re Amish.”

Me: *Stifling a laugh, pretending I didn’t hear.* “I will pass on your note that you’re concerned about the old people and older teens in this country who do not own a phone. Now, shall we continue your sign-up?”

He kept looking for more reasons why using a phone number or email address was a bad idea before he finally relented and gave me something that he could receive the six-digit security code from… after about twenty minutes. Either way, I’m still getting paid.