4-6-11

My first real job was at my friend Sammie's family restaurant.  It was a pizza shop, and my job was to answer the phones and place the orders that people wanted.  I didn't mind it at first, because it was simple to take charge of the conversation and to keep the communication flowing so I got the information that I needed.  Also, everyone knows how to order a pizza, so anybody I talked to was able to make the conversation short and easy.  While most of the people I talked to were polite and deliberate, every once in a while I would have to deal with a crazy person.  One busy night, I had someone on hold while I answered the phone and asked what the person wanted to order.  It took them such a long time to respond, and when they did, their words were slurred and I could barely understand what they were saying.  Under the instruction of my boss, who is very no-nonsense about things, I hung up because I didn't have time for someone who didn't know what they were doing or even who they had called.  I continued to answer calls and place orders, when the phone rang again.  It was the same person who had called before, but this time they managed to yell 'YOU HUNG UP ON ME!'.  I don't take crap from anyone, and I knew my boss would not have been okay with someone treating me like that when it was clearly their own fault.  Still, I was shaky from my first angry customer, but I knew I had to remain firm.  "Yeah I did, because I had people on hold who were actually talking to me." I shot back.  I was surprised, but this shut the woman up right away, and she promptly ordered her pizza.  This was definitely a nerve-racking first for me, and I was freaking out at the time.  Looking back though, even though it seemed horrible at the time, I'm glad it happened.  I learned that people will generally respect you when you stand up for yourself and take charge for the situation and ownership for your actions.  I'm sure the psycho lady learned a few things too; 1. have your act together when you try to order a pizza on a friday night and 2. don't call a pizza place when you're drunk and belligerent.