Message #58174

[geminigirl]

I once worked as a telephone sales executive (as we were called!) for a roadfreight company.  We would occasionally get irate customers put through to us because their parcels hadn't been delivered for been delivered late.  One time I had this very very angry man on the phone complaining that his parcel hadn't turned up - he was effing and cursing for ages for about five minutes.  When I could eventually get a word in - other than trying to placate him and being talked over whilst doing that - I said, very politely, "I'm sorry, sir, I am going to hang up now as I am not paid to take this kind of abuse."  Two minutes later, the General Manager came storming into the office to ask who had hung up on a Customer X.  I held my hand up to it straightaway.

He then started talking at me (not to me) that I shouldn't do this kind of thing to a paying customer and anyway, why did I hang up on him.

When I told him the kind of language that had been used, he mumbled sheepishly that of course I don't have to listen to it and walked out with his tail between his legs ...

I don't mind the occasional swearing - I have two brothers, for heaven's sake! - but I do object when it's used to excess - when every other word is a swear word, and used as if it's a normal word.  Well, I guess they are normal words to some people.