"Am I stupid? Do I look stupid - to you?"

Ok, don't answer that question.

I may not be the sharpest tack in the bunch, nor may I be a super genius like our IT coordinator, but I think I have a reasonably intelligent human being. After twelve years of elementary and secondary education, six years of collegiate learning, four years of post-collegiate work, I think I've mastered the basics of arithmetic, reading, and writing. At least you would think so.

Apparently such was not the case when I was talking to an AT&T wireless sales representative yesterday afternoon. Upon previous drive-bys of the shopping center where the store was located, I noticed they had a sign out front that said, "Add a second line for only $9.99/month." Since I had some free time yesterday afternoon and happened to be in the area, I stopped by the store having driven in through the back entrance. Thus, I did not see that they had changed the sign.

I entered the store noticing sales flyers everywhere indicating a new promotion. "Add a second line and get a free phone, free activation, and $50 credit." So I approached the lone saleswoman in the store and told her I was interested in adding a second line to my existing cellular phone plan. She looked like she couldn't be bothered. Somewhat impatiently, she rattled off the latest promotion almost reading the flyer verbatim. Of course with that promotion, you had to pay the regular monthly charge depending on which plan you signed up with.

I asked her if they had the $9.99 add a line promotion still going. She looked incredulous. "No," she replied curtly, "this is the current promotion we have right now." I asked her didn't the sign out front display a $9.99 promotion. She adamantly said it didn't and that they never had that promotion.

Fighting a losing battle, I decided to leave Ms. I-got-my-panties-in-a-bind to her lonesome and left the store. There are days when customer support or customer sales staff astound me. I know the customer isn't *always* right, but treating a customer with disdain, disrespect, or rudeness is the worse offense I think anyone in sales can do. In fact, I rarely see anyone in a sales position treat people decently or go the extra mile to take care of someone. If people at my company treated our clients or potential clients like most customer service personnel, business sure wouldn't be good, that's for sure.

At our quarterly office meetings, our company president always stresses that whenever you meet someone you leave an impression. Whether you leave a good impression or not is totally within your control. And a "no impression" (i.e. the person doesn't remember meeting you) can be just as bad as a bad impression. Granted whenever I go shopping or whenever I talk to a sales associate I may not be buying something right that minute, but nothing makes me stop a sale faster than treating me rudely or disrespectfully. If I was only thinking about buying something to begin with, I sure the hell am not going to be buying anything if I'm given the cold shoulder.

And don't even get me started with telemarketers. My premise with them is, if I wanted whatever they are selling, I would have bought it already! Or I would have called them, not the other way around. No, I don't need siding or a roof for the house I'm *renting*. No, I don't need any more credit cards so I can owe even more money. No, I don't need international long distance to call China as I don't know anyone there! And double no I don't need you assuming I'm ready to buy whatever you're selling and all you need is my permission/signature/authorization to complete the sale.

There are days when I wonder how I'd do as a customer service representative or salesperson. Since I always take pride in whatever I do, I wonder if I'd outperform my competition. Or would I become as jaded and dissatisfied with my job as they are after working only a short period of time.

"I already told you, I deal with the customers so the engineers don't have to.
I have people skills, I am good at dealing with people, can't you understand that, what the hell is the matter with you people??!!"