Not Losing My Temper… Or My Job

I have a caller on the line who is calling for someone else. For this specific question, I need to have the person who signed the contract present as well. The caller did not sign the contract; it was their father.

Me: “All right, if your father is not present, then—”

Caller: “What is this nonsense?! I always call for him, and I’ve never heard this before.”

Me: “You are asking something that falls under [Privacy Law], so I either need the one who signed present, or—”

Caller: “—My father is ninety-two! He can barely speak Dutch! I always call for him.”

Me: “I am looking for a letter of authorization, did you—”

Caller: “—I already sent that ages ago!”

Me: “When did you send it, because I can’t find—”

Caller: “—It’s not my problem if your organization is such a mess! What are you, new? You must be new!”

Me: “I’ve been working here for over ten years. We’ve recently been reminded that by not completing the authorization—”

Caller: “—I’ve never heard of this before! Just do [what they wanted].”

Me: “I can’t. If I did that, it would risk my job.”

Caller: “That’s not my problem!”

Me: *Really wanting to hang up.* “Look, I can’t, and I won’t give the information you want, as it could cost me my job. I am not going to risk it. I can give you general information that’s on our website, and I recommend you write a letter that your father will sign and then…”

Caller: “I am not going to do anything! You don’t have your mess in order! I don’t care if you—” *Mocking* “—’risk your job’. You are just lazy!”

Me: “Our website states that [information, which does answer 90% of his question, except for the privacy part]. But if you want [what he called for], then your father needs to be present, or you need a signed authorization you can call on his behalf. Do you have any other question?”

Caller: “And the number?” *Needed for what they wanted.*

Me: “It’s [number]. It’s also on our site if you need it at a later moment. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Caller: “NO.”

Me: “Then all I can do is wish you—”

And they hung up. I checked it again, but I didn’t find a mention of their name in the past six years; then I stopped looking and just took another call. 

I don’t doubt they wanted to help, but it’s not worth losing my job over.