irritatedCast:
Me: innocent vacationer
CE: Clueless Employee who answers my call
SM: Surly Manager who pops up later
Me: *after giving member information* I just purchased another week of timeshare, and would like to add it to my account.
CE: You did what?
Me: *thinking she must not have heard me, bad connection or noise perhaps* I purchased an additional week of timeshare at a new resort, and I want to add it to my existing account.
CE: I don't think you can do that.
Me: *moment of stunned silence* Um...yes I can...I did it a couple of months ago...I have the proof of ownership, if that's what you mean. I also have the week ID and the resort number....
CE: No, I mean you can't just add a week.
Me: *moment of silence* Uh...why not?
This goes on for a few minutes...a few very frustrating minutes. Then she finally answers me.
CE: This isn't the right phone number. I can forward you to the right department.
Me: *about ready to reach through the phone and strangle her for not just saying that in the first place* Okay, thanks.
I then sit on hold for approximately nine thousand years. Finally, around the time I was packing my once-infant daughter's belongings so she could head off to college, someone answers.
SM: This is the manager, what's your problem?
Me: *stunned at his attitude* Um...I don't really have a problem...I just need to add a new week of timeshare to my account, and the woman at the main line said she couldn't do that. (At this point, the man stays silent for so long that I finally have to throw out a "hello?" to be sure we didn't get disconnected.)
SM: What was the woman's name?
Me: I'm sorry, but I didn't catch it. (Again, unnecessarily long silence, and a "hello?")
SM: I'm just looking up the name of the employee you talked to. She shouldn't have done this. She can handle this.
Me: *not caring, just wanting to add my damn week and get off the phone* Okay...so can I add my new week?
He then says yes, he can do that, and we go through the very simple steps. He then asks if I need anything else, to which I reply, "No, thanks, that's all I needed." He then hangs up. No "Thanks for calling RCI, have a great day!" or even an "Okay, bye then." Just...nothing. Christ.
Perhaps not a big deal, but jesus. I didn't appreciate having to wait on hold for so damn long just because the initial woman was too damn dumb to know that this is a very common part of her job. And damn, I'm sorry, but as someone who manages a business, I cannot stress enough the importance of people skills in management.