# Getting Told Off at Work



## thetah (Dec 25, 2014)

At work I sometimes answer the phone when everyone else in the office is busy at that exact moment (it's a fairly small office). I'm not used to answering the phone and I never call anyone myself (except close family members, not even friends) so naturally I'm going to be a bit nervous about it.

This morning I've had my line manager come up to me and _politely_ tell me off for not using proper phone etiquette when answering the phone. She also told me that basically everybody in the office has spoke to her about this issue. To make things worse, she has printed out an extremely patronising sheet of paper with a script of different scenarios and how I should respond to them.

I don't know whether to be angry or upset. I honestly thought I was getting better at it and I did feel more confident, but now I'm back to how I felt before I started this job. Now I really don't want to answer the phone because I worry that every word I say will be analysed and critiqued by co-workers.


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## sajs (Jan 3, 2015)

If they are paying attention to what you say or do not say, they probably are not busy. I dont know what happens to people, is this their problem ? do your co-workers pay your salary ? Mother ****ers ...


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## meandernorth (Nov 12, 2014)

It seems like some of your co-workers have a bit too much time on their hands. Some of my workplaces had high school environments (or worse). The best you can do is learn and move forward. If you're in college, perhaps this is just a temporary job that will end when you graduate. Otherwise, you can build some experience where you're at and see where things take you. Just don't come down to your peers level.


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## Hayman (Dec 27, 2014)

I absolutely loathe answering the phone at work. It's probably one of my biggest pet-hates about the job.

Whilst I do work in the sales office, I'm not directly involved in sales. I'm more on sorting out incoming deliveries and what's going out. If my workload is light, then I'm okay to help out with sales related stuff. I have been told this by one of the directors only 18 months ago. This was also in front of the whole sales team in a general meeting (not about me).

However, it become apparent that the sales team didn't really listen to that and question, almost daily, why I don't take more phone calls. Try to explain to them that I'm busy on my main tasks and their response is always the same "_we're all busy_". That may be true (although I've caught some on Facebook), but they don't have to get involved with my main task at all - which is virtually a full-time job in itself. They're always dropping hints about the phones. Always... It's got me so down to the point that I've even built up the courage to discuss this in private with the same director again only a few weeks ago. As he doesn't particularly like confrontations himself, he can only really sympathise with me and agree with my complaints.

If anyone I work with in that office makes a mistake, it's quickly and quietly dealt with. Not much else is said. If I make a mistake - it's broadcasted throughout the office and everyone needs to know. It's highlighted, underlined, put in bold e.t.c....

The next thing I know I'm sweating again, got the jitters, stuttering my words... It basically wrecks the rest of the day. I often struggle to sleep that evening too, so I'm absolutely shattered the following day.


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## Swagonite (Jun 24, 2014)

just say thank you and do your best next time. I worked at a busy office for a year answering 4-5 lines going off at once and actually had 2 phones in each one talking to two people at once (via muting each call while listening to the other) my manager told me I needed to sound like I was smiling more through the phone but eventually the customers knew I was just serious and business minded so they accepted me for getting the job done and my manager eventually shut up about it.

I would recommend just take the paper they printed for you and if anything it will help you because you'll be able to know what to say without needing to think about it and soon you'll be the best at the phones just tweak the responses a bit to fit your own personality as well.

Be yourself and if they hate you for that then they will fire you eventually or they will come to terms with how you are. That doesn't mean ignore their advice though but just take it into consideration and see if its worth incorporating into your life at work.


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## thunderface (Nov 25, 2014)

YANA. The sales team in my last place would quite happily chat amongst themselves about crap stuff like TV and films, but they'd leave customers ringing and ringing. I would answer the phone and they'd shout at me "put them through to me!!" I was like WTF?! People are horrible. All people are horrible.


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## roxybudgy (Jan 26, 2015)

thetah said:


> This morning I've had my line manager come up to me and _politely_ tell me off for not using proper phone etiquette when answering the phone. She also told me that basically everybody in the office has spoke to her about this issue. To make things worse, she has printed out an extremely patronising sheet of paper with a script of different scenarios and how I should respond to them.
> 
> I don't know whether to be angry or upset. I honestly thought I was getting better at it and I did feel more confident, but now I'm back to how I felt before I started this job. Now I really don't want to answer the phone because I worry that every word I say will be analysed and critiqued by co-workers.


I totally understand how you feel. When I started a call centre job, I was told that I was not being empathetic enough with customers (I feel weird saying "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that, I would be upset too if that happened to me" because it feels like pointless small talk wasting time better spent actually fixing the customer's problem). Like the OP, they politely discussed the issue with me and gave me some printouts with information about how to be more empathetic.

You need to understand that they are just trying to help you do the job that needs to be done. It is not intended to be patronising.

Personally, I couldn't help but feel humiliated and upset, but I understood that they didn't mean it that way. So I grit my teeth and tried to take their advice to heart. At the end of the probation period, they told me that they could see a clear improvement in my phone manner. I've now been working for the same company for over 2 years and it's a lot less terrifying than when I first started.


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