Their Brain Has Been Erased

I work in a call center taking orders for medical equipment for lease. We have an online form patients can fill out requesting we call them to complete a reservation.

I call one patient three times and leave messages. Finally, his daughter calls back.

Caller: “Hi. My dad put in a reservation online and we didn’t receive a call. His name is [Patient].”

Me: “Actually, I personally called both numbers he provided and left messages. Did you receive those messages?”

Caller: “My mom erased it.”

Me: “Did she listen to it before erasing it?”

Caller: “Well, no. She just erased it without listening. So you should have called back.”

Me: “I have no way of knowing that my message was not heard; I wouldn’t have known to call again.”

Caller: “That is a ridiculous excuse. You should have called when we didn’t receive your message.”

Me: “I guess I’m not following.”

Caller: “Can I get someone with a brain in her head? Someone who cares when people don’t get her messages?”

Me: “Well, it seems you did receive my messages. I can’t control if you decide to listen to them or not.”

Caller: “Well, you should just know!”