When I step out, I'm quite sensitive about missing phone calls. I know I shouldn't be. I mean, if someone has to call back, so what.
It's just that I can't relax while urinating or defecating when I hear the phone ringing. My first instinct is to dash back to the office - obviously impossible with my pants around my ankles.
I have dashed back. If I'm down the hall and almost at the bathroom, I'll run back if the phone rings. Once I was actually outside the building and I heard the phone. I ran back inside our office. (We're right by the front door.)
Sometimes people see me do the dash and they must think, "That guy is dedicated to taking his important phone call."
Yet almost 100% of the phone calls are unimportant and unnecessary. They ask questions which are clearly answered on our website.
A few interesting things about our phones:
- We have 4 lines and only 2 full time people. We often say, "Call on hold for you 3025" or "Call holding on 3069", which makes us feel very, busy important and big.
- I've been here 4 months and I still haven't transferred a call. I simply get up and walk to the person's office and say, "call for you on hold". I do have the one page instructions on how to transfer and I think I know how to do it, just haven't bothered yet.
- Each of our phones is a different volume. The main reception phone at the front desk is super loud. If I'm sitting there and the phone rings, I jump.
- One of the phones rings a split second before the others. So we get a mini 0.5 second warning that the phones are about to ring. This could be very handy and convenient, but is not.
- I have this huge desire to stay home one day when everyone else is gone and just forward all the office phone lines to my home phone. I'd log onto my email from home and work on my files from my home computer. Why bother going into the office in this day and age?
Here's a tip - before you go to the bathroom, press all the buttons so all the lines are in use - then the phoner will get a busy signal or message machine - you can relax in the can and phone him back at your leisure.
ReplyDeleteAnd for an organization that has no money, why do you have 4 lines? Do you know each line costs money? Where's the belt tightening?
I wasn't here when the new phone system got installed, but that was back when we had money. We're moving locations within a couple months, and doubt we'll have this luxurious phone system by then.
ReplyDeleteor stretch the cord so the phone can reach the bathroom. Then if the phone rings while you are peeing, you can just pick it up, and keep peeing. Freedom.
ReplyDelete