I occasionally have experiences like these with my customers. There are some people who seem unable to conduct a business-like exchange (which is, after all, what we're supposed to be doing), and must include every extraneous and utterly irrelevant detail of their lives while I'm struggling to get or deliver some basic information about their piano. Today I was treated to the irony of a young lady client who was complaining about her car repairman being too "gabby," while she herself indulged in a seemingly endless gushing of personal information, to the point where I couldn't get a word in edgewise about her piano. I've never found a completely satisfactory of dealing with people like these, which I find especially annoying when potential clients I don't know do it over the phone. It seems to me that if I interrupt them -- "Perhaps we could get stick with the subject" or something similar, they'd be horribly offended and hang up thinking I was the bad guy. The other day, I actually finally did something along those lines. A lady kept repeating her question (barely rephrasing it), and I kept answering it -- seemingly in some form of excruciating broken record feedback loop -- when I finally said bluntly: "You have asked that question three times, and three times I've answered it, so I'm at a loss of what more I can say." She responded huffily: "Well, I'm very sorry, but it's been a long day. Goodbye, and sorry to have wasted your time." So I still am not sure how to best handle people like these. Fortunately, there aren't overwhelming numbers of them. Jeff O. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Kline" <skline@peak.org> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2005 1:12 PM Subject: Re: [CAUT] I am a genius. > Well, you know, Michelle, there's another tactic, but I bet you won't want > to use it: > > "innoculate" them against too much chat, by talking their little ears off > a few times. Just when they *finally* get into "summing up before breaking > away" mode, change the subject and start *all over again.* After about > three changes of subject, finally release them, and then run after them to > add one more unwanted detail ... Then they'll avoid you, instead of vice > versa ... > > ssssssssssssssssssssnnngabgabgabgabgab > > P.S. This is purely theoretical. I've never done it, except unconsciously. > <g> > > At 03:04 PM 8/13/2005 -0400, you wrote: >>You know what Susan? >> >>I'd never have to make that sign inviting people in to talk. >> >>I don't know what it is-... >> >>People who work for the State maybe??? Or most likely it's me.... i just >>don't know. >> >>:( >> >>This'll sound REALLY snooty, but I think you all know what I mean... we >>all have an uhhhhhhhhhhhh...... "A" list of people we know who could talk >>with us at ANY time- and we don't think twice about hanging with them when >>possible... (PS- when using my "no stop-n-chat" sign I did alert these >>folks that they had cart blanche..or howeveryouspellit...) >> >>It's those people who you could actually say "get outa here man!!! I gotta >>work!!!!!!! GEEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!" >>And they would LEAVE. >>It would be /funny/ but they get it. >> >>There's more up here than not where *I* work- where you hem and haw and >>squirm and "welp" and they do_NOT_GO. >>They don't get it. >> >>Ehhhh..... heh! I've been having a alot of fun with this and I hope no one >>takes offense.. so far- the few days I've used it- it works. >> >>:) >>Michelle >> >> >>--On Saturday, August 13, 2005 10:39 AM -0700 Susan Kline >><skline@peak.org> wrote: >> >>>At 11:22 AM 8/12/2005 -0400, you wrote: >>>>NO "STOP-N-CHAT" >>>>I GOTTA WORK. >>>> >>>> >>>>(then- I put a scull and crossbones below this statement.) >>>> >>>>I'm going to use it today for the first time. >>> >>>Hi, Michelle -- >>> >>>How about having the other side read, "Open for CHAT"? >>>Then, if you're doing some stupid, repetitive job, or just happen to feel >>>like touching bases with everyone, they know that you are ready to gab. >>> >>>Also, if they know about the other side, and they see the skull and >>>crossbones, they know that you really do need to work, and aren't just >>>bored or mad at them. >>> >>>sssssssnnn, who always chats too much >>>_______________________________________________ >>>caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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