Higher education = Greater pain in my ass
Howdy folks! Its been awhile. Last time I posted I was a humble undergrad working college cafe lunch rush. Now I'm a Professional. *ooOOOOoooo* I'm a museum curator. In my small niche museum this also means I answer the phones and run the gift shop.
Here's the most common example of customer suckiness I get. It happens at least once a week. The callers vary, but the purpose is always the same: To make me want to hurt them.
MC--Madame Curator (that's me)
SB/J--Stupid Bitch/Jackass
*phone rings*
MC: Nation Museum of Blady Blah, how may I help you?
SB/J: Is this the Blady Blah museum?
MC: ...yes. May I help you?
SB/J: Yeah, I need to talk to the director.
MC:...yes, that's me.
SB/J: Uh [apearantly was expecting a male], right, well, I have this *artifact our museum is based on* and I want to know how much its worth so I can sell it on Ebay. [no, they SERIOUSLY say that] I have the patten number and they're in mint condition.
MC: Well, I'm sorry, Ma'am/Sir, but I'm its against museum policy to offer assessments on artifacts, perhaps you should try an antiques appraiser.
SB/J: Yeah, well, I did that, but they said they didn't know anything about it. But I have the patten number and they're in mint condition. They're even still in their box!
MC: I'm sorry, I cannot help you.
SB/J: But its *X* company and it has *this year* on them! They're totally in mint condition.
MC: I'm sorry but that company made those EN MASSE for over 30 years. There are THOUSANDS of them still in existence. If you would like an official appraisal you'll have to talk to an antiques appraiser.
SB/J: But I have the patten number!!!!! Do you want me to send you pictures?
MC: Well, that's wonderful, that will be quite useful to the appraiser you contact. [big fat lie, but dude!]
SB/J: But they're in mint condition!!! What if I bring them by your museum? Are you open on Mondays? I could be there Monday. [usually they tell me they're like 2 states away] [large, Midwestern state]
MC: [are you kidding me?] We are open M-F, 9-5, but Ma'am/Sir, we do not have an appraiser on staff and there is no one here that could help you.
SB/J: [now has attitude] So you don't KNOW how much they're worth? Why can't you just enter the patten number and tell me how much they're worth?
MC: o.O [wonders what kind of database that would require, how much it would cost and how bloody useless it would be] No, ma'am/sir I'm sorry, I cannot help you. It is against museum policy to offer appraisals on artifacts.
At this point they generally hang up. But my god, who calls a MUSEUM and demands I tell them how much something is worth? And beyond that, what would possess them to tell me they want to sell it on EBAY? WTF? Even if it wasn't against policy, every fiber of my being as a historian grates against someone asking the monetary value of an artifact so they can make a profit.
And ya know what? Antiques are only worth what people are willing to pay. If there's no buying your artifact is basically worth SHIT. And guess what? For these artifacts there are no buyers.
Eat shit and die you uncultured bastards.
Here's the most common example of customer suckiness I get. It happens at least once a week. The callers vary, but the purpose is always the same: To make me want to hurt them.
MC--Madame Curator (that's me)
SB/J--Stupid Bitch/Jackass
*phone rings*
MC: Nation Museum of Blady Blah, how may I help you?
SB/J: Is this the Blady Blah museum?
MC: ...yes. May I help you?
SB/J: Yeah, I need to talk to the director.
MC:...yes, that's me.
SB/J: Uh [apearantly was expecting a male], right, well, I have this *artifact our museum is based on* and I want to know how much its worth so I can sell it on Ebay. [no, they SERIOUSLY say that] I have the patten number and they're in mint condition.
MC: Well, I'm sorry, Ma'am/Sir, but I'm its against museum policy to offer assessments on artifacts, perhaps you should try an antiques appraiser.
SB/J: Yeah, well, I did that, but they said they didn't know anything about it. But I have the patten number and they're in mint condition. They're even still in their box!
MC: I'm sorry, I cannot help you.
SB/J: But its *X* company and it has *this year* on them! They're totally in mint condition.
MC: I'm sorry but that company made those EN MASSE for over 30 years. There are THOUSANDS of them still in existence. If you would like an official appraisal you'll have to talk to an antiques appraiser.
SB/J: But I have the patten number!!!!! Do you want me to send you pictures?
MC: Well, that's wonderful, that will be quite useful to the appraiser you contact. [big fat lie, but dude!]
SB/J: But they're in mint condition!!! What if I bring them by your museum? Are you open on Mondays? I could be there Monday. [usually they tell me they're like 2 states away] [large, Midwestern state]
MC: [are you kidding me?] We are open M-F, 9-5, but Ma'am/Sir, we do not have an appraiser on staff and there is no one here that could help you.
SB/J: [now has attitude] So you don't KNOW how much they're worth? Why can't you just enter the patten number and tell me how much they're worth?
MC: o.O [wonders what kind of database that would require, how much it would cost and how bloody useless it would be] No, ma'am/sir I'm sorry, I cannot help you. It is against museum policy to offer appraisals on artifacts.
At this point they generally hang up. But my god, who calls a MUSEUM and demands I tell them how much something is worth? And beyond that, what would possess them to tell me they want to sell it on EBAY? WTF? Even if it wasn't against policy, every fiber of my being as a historian grates against someone asking the monetary value of an artifact so they can make a profit.
And ya know what? Antiques are only worth what people are willing to pay. If there's no buying your artifact is basically worth SHIT. And guess what? For these artifacts there are no buyers.
Eat shit and die you uncultured bastards.