ffice where I work. My stint as the "front desk girl officially ends today around 5 PM. I have to give a lot of credit to our Office Manager for putting up with all she does from patients. Today is a classic example of what I know she deals with quite often....We had a patient come in this morning that I didn't recognize. The conversation with her went like this:
ME: Can I have your name please so I can check you in.
Patient, "NO!" I don't want to tell you who I am.
I was a little taken back by this, and said to her, "Well, I can't check you in unless I know who you are." In which she loudly replied, "I don't want you to know who I am!" Okay, I have to admit, I was a tad bit irritated by the tone of her response, so I didn't say anything else to her. I knew that any patients that would be arriving would be early for their appointment, so I just let her sit in the waiting room while I did some filing. After about 10-15 minutes I walked over to the computer, checked the schedule and saw that we weren't expecting an older lady, but I noticed she had a boy with her, so I thought maybe it was for him--But the age didn't fit. So, I finally said to her, "You have to tell me your name because I don't think either of you are on the schedule for today." She had another snotty reply saying to me that she had an appointment at 12 o'clock! I told her she had to give me her name so I could check what time her appointment was, which she finally did. I looked her up in the computer and found that she has an appointment--But it's NEXT week!! At which she replied with a meek and a bit humble, "oh..." Of course I was very nice, but inside I was really smirking and gloating as I handed her another appointment card with next week's date and time--Maybe that'll teach her to not be sarcastic to the front desk girl!!
Strange woman! Wonder how she got the little boy, with that chip (boulder) on her shoulder?
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on fully appreciating the work that receptionist's do because they have to deal with PEOPLE instead of dogs and cats who are a whole lot nicer!
ReplyDeleteHow strange that she didn't want to tell you who she was! I wonder if she was offended that you didn't recognize her? I was also wondering if you were going to tell your readers that she came in a few hours earlier so she could enjoy an air conditioned room but your ending was a bit funnier than mine!
good grief, some people!
ReplyDeleteI often deal with disgruntled artists in my job and let me tell you, it ain't pretty.
You know I'm loving this story!! Hope she didn't have a $5.00 copay!! Those are the ones that would get me.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!! Glad you're back on your job.
Our motto in our office is that we hate patients. Especially ones that act like this. To bad you can't say what's on your mind!
ReplyDeleteHa ha - nice one, some people really ask for it don't they.
ReplyDeleteI could NEVER do a receptionist's job because I would probably have told her to take a flying leap. Kudos to you for handling it in a very professional manner.
ReplyDeleteSo funny yet so sad!
ReplyDeleteSigh... working with customers is always a tricky business. When I worked on the front-line as a Teller at a Financial Institution we had some doozies too ~ people trying to cash other people's cheques, trying to cash a cheque with no ID... on and on. It's very difficult when your are just trying to do your job - no?
ReplyDeleteWell you made it through your day - good for you! Hopefully your evening is full of politeness and courtesy Kim! :)
xo Catherine
You deserve 2 KK for being so nice to the old biddy! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing I taught little ones, I have no patience for rude adults...
Hope y'all are staying inside as much as possible and out of this relentless heat!
Hugs and belly rubs to all,
~K
Wow! You seem to get some heck at that office. Sounds like your a strong woman to deal with that. Im still not sure why she would argue about giving her name. Its not like you were asking for her social security number!
ReplyDeleteThe life of Customer Service agents...daddy has many years under his belt and sometimes felt like taking that belt off and using it...but the big smile was so much more effective....He smiles at me alot!
ReplyDeleteYou have the patience of a saint...something I certainly wouldn't have!!!xxx
ReplyDeleteAh gee whiz! People are just RUDE sometimes! A humbling experience for her and I hope it taught her something about herself.
ReplyDeleteYeah!!! Actually, I think you handled that extraordinarily well - I couldn't have fared so well. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteHugs xoxoxo
Sammie and Ma
Woof! Woof! I wonder WHY she did not want to tell her name? ... How strange is that. Well, being mean did not help her at all. for sure if she was nice you would have taken her in. This incident absolutely shows your calmness and Golden Patience. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
ReplyDeleteThat story is quite funny- when you share it with us,,,,, i know it was not funny to you.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, dealing with stuff at work- is not funny until mich later!
You kept your cool- like I know you probably always do.
That story makes my heart giggle -
thank you for sharing and putting that smile in my heart- you are awsome
love
tweedles
Very strange lady, indeed! Did she think you were a spy or something?!
ReplyDeleteLiz
What a strange individual. Boy am I glad to know that it's not only me that comes face to face with people like this. For the first fifty years of my life everyone seemed to act quite normally but now all of a sudden it's as if the worlds become a permanent oddballs convention.
ReplyDeleteStupid woman.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment about names - it reminded me of when I met hubby to be. We were both working in Antigua. I sent flowers home as my brother & wife had their first baby.
The card should have said have said Love from Penny & Roddy - but they put Penny & Rudi... so my family were expecting a burly Antiguan not a Sea Dog Scott when I brought him home to meet them !!!!!
Hey Kim...I got one comment from you, only in case there was more than one....
ReplyDeletethere are some strange people out there isn't there?
ReplyDeleteYou were a true professional though in how you handled it....
Gill in Canada
Why wouldn't you want to give your name at a doctors appt? How very strange! I think you might have more patience than I do!
ReplyDeleteSam
That ranks right up there with "Don't you know who I am?" Lol. What a jerk. :o
ReplyDelete-C