I am manning the shipping department by myself; my supervisor is out on a week-long vacation, and I am extremely busy. Work is busier during the summer since a lot of business we get is based on construction and with it being summer here in Minnesota, everyone and their cousin is busy with construction projects.

I’m in and out of the shipping office, making sure things are being handled appropriately as we ship out millions of dollars of inventory a month and it’s no fun screwing up a shipment and having the owners come around to talk to you about it. 

I have to step out of the office for about ten minutes to handle a couple of tasks out on the shipping dock. Upon my return, the phone is ringing on my desk. The phone readout shows it’s the receptionist. She probably has a call to pass along to me, so I answer it.

Me: “Hello?”

Receptionist: *Yelling* “You need to stop sitting at your desk and ignoring my calls! When I call your phone, you need to answer!”

She then hangs up on me.

I’m not sure what brought this on. I’ve answered any call she’s passed my way when I’m in the office. All I know is that I am pissed and seeing red. The fact that the receptionist resides in our other building about a mile away means I can’t just walk over to her and talk. (Most likely it would have been me sternly talking to her… maybe yelling. Okay, most likely me yelling at her.) So, I pick up the phone and dial her extension. 

Receptionist: “Yes?”

Me: “I don’t know who the f*** you think you are coming off the way you did and telling me what I need to do. I’m not ignoring your calls. I’m busy, in and out of the office. If I don’t answer, then you need to do your job and take a message and pass it along. Don’t ever call me and speak to me like that again.”

Then, I hang up on her.

I email my supervisor about what just transpired and go about my day. A few hours later, my phone rings and it’s the receptionist.

Receptionist: “I just wanted to apologize for how I spoke to you earlier. I thought you were just avoiding my calls. I didn’t know your tasks took you away from your desk at times.”

Me: “Thank you.”

She hung up, and after that, she no longer snapped at people if they didn’t answer. She wasn’t a very good message taker, but at least she wasn’t getting mad at other employees if they didn’t answer their phones when she called.

I am the main receptionist at my office, and part of my job is to determine exactly who customers need to speak with to avoid unnecessary transferring and confusion. This means I may need to ask a few questions before I can transfer people. For context, we have multiple people in our billing department with different specialties. I took this call today. 

Me: “Good morning, [Company]. How can I direct your call?”

Rude Guy: “Billing.”

Me: “And what specifically are you calling regarding? There are a few different people I could send you to.”

Rude Guy: “I’m from [Company for which we have almost 1,000 locations].”

Me: “Yes, sir. And what concern or question do you have so I can direct you to the correct person?”

Rude Guy: “Jeez, what is your problem?! Look, I don’t like your tone, lady. I need billing!”

Me: “Yes, sir. And as soon as I know why you are calling, I can transfer you to the correct person who will be able to help you as we have multiple people in our billing department.”

Rude Guy: “God! Why is this so hard for you? I need a final billing for my machine! Is that so d*** unreasonable to ask?”

Me: “Thank you for explaining the reason for your call. I will transfer you to the person who can assist with that.”

Rude Guy: “F****** finally, you—”

The line cut off as I put him on hold.

I immediately warned the person I was sending him to. It turned out that all he needed was to have a copy of his invoice sent to his email, which I could have easily done had he told me that.

I wake up quite sick one morning. I feel terrible and I’m coughing a lot. I suddenly remember that I have a dentist’s appointment first thing in the morning, so I call the dentist’s office.

Receptionist: “Hello, [Dentist].”

Me: “Hi. I have an appointment this morning but I’m quite sick, and I wouldn’t want to get anyone sick, so I need to reschedule.”

Receptionist: “That’s fine, sir. Just so you know, we charge a $50 fee for same-day cancelations and missed appointments.”

Me: *Pauses* “Okay, then I’ll just come in for my appointment.”

Receptionist: “I’m sorry, sir?”

Me: “I’ll just come for my appointment, then. I don’t mind coughing on people.”

Receptionist: “Please hold, sir.”

There’s hold music for a bit before the receptionist comes back.

Receptionist: “We will waive the fee this time. When would you be available to reschedule?”

I had a dental procedure done recently. My insurance covered half, and I paid the other half. A month later, I received a bill from the dentist for the full amount. I called them to figure out what was going on.

Me: “Hi, this is [My Name]. I’m calling about a bill I just received.”

Receptionist: “Birth date?”

Me: “[Date].”

Receptionist: “Address?”

Me: “[Address].”

Receptionist: “Name?”

Me: “…[My Name].”

Receptionist: “One moment.”

Five minutes of smooth jazz hold music later, she was back. 

Receptionist: “That bill is for your procedure done last month.”

Me: “Right, but I don’t understand why I’m being billed. I already—”

Receptionist: *Rudely* “Because we don’t provide free services. You—”

Me: “I already paid. I have the receipt for my half in my hand, and I have the statement from my insurance company saying it was paid off.”

Receptionist: “It can take up to sixty days for our system to acknowledge that insurance has been approved.”

Me: “Okay, but why are you billing me for the whole amount?”

Receptionist: “Insurance pays half, you pay half.”

Me: “I already paid my half, and that doesn’t explain why you want me to pay the whole bill.”

Receptionist: *Sigh* “I don’t know how else to explain this to you, honestly.”

Me: “Then get me someone else, because this is ridiculous.”

She put me back on hold for twenty minutes, probably either hoping I’d hang up, waiting for someone to be available to take my call, or looking for something to explain how I owed 100% of the bill.

Eventually, the office manager picked up. 

Office Manager: “Hi, this is [Office Manager]. I hear you have a question about your bill?”

Me: “Yes. I already paid my half, and I have a statement from my insurance saying they paid their half. Why do I have a bill for the full amount?”

Office Manager: *Confused* “You shouldn’t. Let me see.” *Typing* “Can you confirm a few details for me?”

Me: “Yes.”

We went through all of my identifying information again, adding my insurance company and the date of my procedure.

Office Manager: “I see what happened. Somehow, your insurance information is incorrect. I have updated it, and you’re all good. You can throw that bill away.”

Me: *Relieved* “Thank you!”

I still don’t understand how they were able to properly bill my insurance and then say it was wrong in the system, but it worked out. When I went in for my follow-up, the receptionist was very cold toward me. I suspect she had something to do with the mixup.

For checking in appointments, my doctor’s office staff first asks for your birthday (American style).

Receptionist: “Birth date?”

Me: “Ten, twenty-eight, sixty-four.”

Receptionist: “Nineteen sixty-four?”

Me: *Thinking* “No, 1864. I’m 158 years old.”

Me: *Speaking* “Yes, 1964…”