You can call me...

...but that doesn't mean I'll be able to help you with your Benefits question. I'm still getting a lot of misdirected phone calls, as described in an earlier entry. I've tried to be as nice about it as I can, since it isn't like a single individual is actually flaking out and calling me over and over. However, that is how it feels from my end of things. The phone rings, I answer with my name, a slightly confused voice on the other end asks me to repeat what I said since I didn't give some sort of canned "Welcome to the Benefits Department. How may I help you?" greeting. After clarifying just who they have managed to call, the confused soul on the other end of the line does one of two things:

• They realize they have a wrong number, and say something along the lines of "I'm sorry, I was trying to reach benefits". I like these people. They actually listen.
• They decide that I must be a very unhelpful member of the benefits staff (what with not mentioning that I work in that department and all) and charge ahead with some sort of insurance question. I've had to actually interrupt this type to inform them that they have dialed the wrong number.

I then proceed to describe their mistake in what I like to think is a kindly, it-could-happen-to-anyone sort of way in an attempt to get them to actually dial the number as it was written. I am rather surprised by how many people don't seem to believe that it will work. I actually have a note on my desk where I have written out the numeric form of the correct phone number so I can prevent them from calling me back. This is a sign that giving out a telephone number to thousands of people without all the numbers is just asking for trouble.