Librarian Ire

Ballsy Telemarketer

Every now and again we get a telemarketer calling up the library. More often than not they're hawking a "deal" on a particular magazine or trying to sell us their copy machines. Until today they have always identified who they are and asked to be transferred to acquisitions or the person "who purchases office supplies". Today though, a got the ballsiest telemarketer ever.

Here's what happened. I answer the circ phone, give my name & the institution. The woman asks to be transferred to the reference counter. (suspicion #1)
I reply that there is no one on reference duty at 8am can I help her?
She says, "Yeah, can you just tell me the model number of the printer there." (suspicion #2)
I ask, "You want the model number for the printer? Why?"
Her: "There was a mix up here with the paperwork and I just need to verify the model number of the printer. It should be on the front."
Me: "We don't have a printer at the reference DESK. Do you mean the printer nearest the reference desk?"
Her: "Yes, whatever the printer around there is." (suspicion #3 & #4)
Me: "I'm in view of all the printers on this floor, do you mean the one nearest the reference desk?"
Her: "Yes, the one nearest the reference desk. You can find the model right on front of the printer" (Hinky meter 99.9)
Me: "Yes maam. I know how to find the model number of the printer. If you'll wait I'll walk over to see what it is. Who did you say you were with?"
Her: "Blah-blah (really fast) from Microtech something or other." (Meter 100, suspicion #5-#7, b/c I heard a baby crying in the background)
I tell her what the model is, b/c frankly I can't see how this could adversely affect me or the institution and there's a possibility she works for our service contractor, of which I don't know the name, and I don't want to be a complete bitch.
The woman then ask me to transfer her to the director of my department. (director of a department?! Suspicion #8 - this woman has clearly no knowledge of how universities are structured.)
Me: "Do you mean the director of the library?"
As I'm going to look up the director's number she asks me to tell her the extension number - "Yes maam, I plan to give you the extension number before transferring you, but I need to look it up first." (suspicion #9) Then she asks my name, which I give her again (suspicion #10) and she says "oh yeah, you told me that before."

In the end I was more than happy to transfer this Ballsy (possibly even fraudulent, she clearly implied a relationship with this place) con artist to the director. He has no tolerance for crap, she will be crushed. mwah-ha-ha-ha

posted by Loki at 8:46 AM