I work at a popular wing restaurant and people are constantly getting us confused with a more popular wing restaurant that is all over the US. At least once a day, we get someone that calls or comes in that doesn’t realize that we are separate companies. This day is no different. 

Coworker: “[Manager], there is a lady on the phone complaining that when she got her delivery order it was cold and gross.”

Manager: “Okay, well, just tell her that she’ll have to contact the delivery service to get a credit because there’s nothing we can do on our end to give her a credit.”

My coworker doesn’t want to go back on the phone call because she doesn’t want to get yelled at by the customer, so I offer to take the phone call. I was a manager at my last job so I have no problem dealing with rude customers. 

Me: “Hello, this is [My Name]. How can I help you?”

Customer: “I just got a delivery from you guys and the food was cold and gross and hard and I need a refund.”

Me: “Okay, which delivery service did you go through? [Service #1] or [Service #2]?”

Customer: “I don’t know. Whichever one you sent me when I ordered online.”

We offer delivery through [Service #1] and [Service #2] apps only. If you order online, you must come pick the food up yourself. 

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we actually do not offer delivery through our website.”

Customer: “Then you need to educate yourself on your website, because I’m looking at it right now and it says you offer delivery.”

Me: “Again, I’m very sorry, but we actually do not offer delivery through our website. If you order online, you must come pick your orders up yourself. The only way we have delivery is through the [Service #1] and [Service #2] apps.”

Customer: “Well, I’m looking at [Other Restaurant]’s website right now and it says you guys offer delivery through your website.”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but we are [My Restaurant], not [Other Restaurant].”

Customer: “Well, I ordered from [Other Restaurant].”

Me: “Well then, ma’am, you’re going to have to call them, because there’s nothing I can do for you. We are [My Restaurant] at [Location], not [Other Restaurant]. We are completely separate companies and there’s nothing I can do for you.”

I think it finally started to dawn on her that she had called the wrong store and she mumbled something, said okay, and then hung up.

In the shop near my home, there are a few debit-only registers where you can’t pay with cash, generally used when it’s busy, since it’s easier to open an extra one. These are clearly marked. They have signs everywhere, stickers on the floor, and the dividers and even the belt are all bright blue and white with signs saying, “DEBIT ONLY.” Even then, the cashier always asks, “Are you paying by debit?”

But we all know that for some people this isn’t enough.

My mom and I happen to shop together, getting some cake and drinks. We enter the “Debit Only” line and wait our turn. We notice that the woman in front of us is having a debate with the cashier and it’s heating up. It’s obvious the woman wanted to pay cash but went to the wrong register.

My grandmother on my mother’s side had a great way to deal with this sort of thing, and we silently decide to honour her memory. We start talking to each other in a tone that’s a little louder than usual.

Mom: “Well, she does know the language, so that rules out that she didn’t understand.”

Me: “But illiteracy is higher than one might expect and on the rise, so perhaps she couldn’t read all the signs or the belt.”

Mom: “That is a possibility.”

The cashier notices us and smiles a little. This alerts the woman and makes her throw an even bigger fit. 

Me: “But why wouldn’t she hear the cashier ask? Is she perhaps deaf, as well?”

Mom: “No, because she clearly understood the cashier explaining just now.”

Me: “Well, that leaves another possibility, but we haven’t ruled out illiteracy yet.”

Now the woman knows we are talking about her and turns her attention towards us. 

Woman: “I’m not deaf.”

Mom: “Then perhaps you can’t read.”

Woman: *Fuming now* “I can read!”

Me: “Then perhaps hard of sight, since you didn’t see?” *Points to all the signs in general* 

We can actually see her starting to feel embarrassed so my mom takes it easy.

Mom: “If you don’t have any excuse not to be able to see, read, or understand all the signs, then perhaps you shouldn’t take it out on the cashier who is just doing her job. Just pay your stuff with debit, or let the cashier do what she offered and take your receipt to another register to pay there.”

The woman nodded meekly and paid by card.

Whenever a patient checks in to an appointment, we always confirm basic information with them, including their phone number. Inevitably, a variation of the following conversation will take place when the patient checks out. This happens way, way too many times.

Me: “We will call you to arrange your next appointment.”

Patient: “Oh, what phone number do you have on file there?” 

Me: *Thinking* “You mean the phone number we just confirmed with you at check-in?”

I’m a volunteer at a public building in the centre of our city. Part of the building is a tower, which is one of the tallest structures around, and tourists can buy a ticket to climb up and see the view of the city from the top.

It’s opening time, so while a colleague unlocks the exit doors and mans the counter inside, I throw the entrance doors wide open and take out the two giant A-frame advertising boards which we place on the plaza outside the building. Each side of each board has the exact same thing: the words “Climb the tower!”, a picture of the view, and the ticket price. The bottom third of each is taken up by the giant text, “TOWER OPEN,” and an arrow pointing toward the entrance.

A family of tourists has watched me putting out the boards. They wander over, study one of the boards, and then look over at me, now standing by the open entrance ready to welcome visitors. They walk round to the other side of the board and read that, and then they move over to the second board and read that one, as well. Finally, they approach me.

Tourists: “Is the tower open?”

Me: “…”

This conversation occurs at least a dozen times a day. I don’t know what more we can do.

I’m a senior manager in a call centre, but we’re on a skeleton crew so I’m answering the phone as well as my other duties.

Me: “Hello, [Company].”

Customer #1: “Hi, I had a message to call [Coworker]. Who have I called?”

Me: “[Company], you’ve reached reception. I’ll put you through to [Coworker]. Who’s calling, please?”

Customer #1: “Yes, but which company are you?”

Me: “[Company]. Who is calling, please?”

Customer #1: “No, I want you to tell me which company you are.”

Me: “As I said twice already, my company is [Company]. Now I’m going to put you through; who shall I say is calling in?”

Customer #2: *Barging onto the phone* “Look, just tell us which company you are!”

Me: “As I said to the lady three times, sir, we’re [Company]. I’ll try and put you through.”

My coworker was not happy. Apparently, the customer was upset that I was “asking a load of questions,” and he likewise asked “too many questions” by asking, “Who am I speaking with?”

It’s gonna be one of those days!