Calling someone out of office

[carlsson]

I'm trying to reach someone who was in contact with me four weeks ago but never returned. Rather than sending another e-mail, I thought I should make a phone call.

Call at 08:00, greeted by automatic message: "NN will come at 08:30"
Call at 08:45, message: "NN is on an errand, will be back by 09:15"
Call at 09:17, message: "NN is having a meeting, back at 10:00"
Call at 10:03, message: "NN is on an errand, will be back by 10:25"

Now it is almost due to make another call. I could of course leave a message on the answering machine, but that is about as effective as sending e-mail IMHO. Let's see if I will reach NN before lunch.

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" wrote:

> I'm trying to reach someone who was in contact with me four weeks ago
> but never returned. Rather than sending another e-mail, I thought I
> should make a phone call.

> Call at 08:00, greeted by automatic message: "NN will come at 08:30"
> Call at 08:45, message: "NN is on an errand, will be back by 09:15"
> Call at 09:17, message: "NN is having a meeting, back at 10:00"
> Call at 10:03, message: "NN is on an errand, will be back by 10:25"

> Now it is almost due to make another call. I could of course leave a
> message on the answering machine, but that is about as effective as
> sending e-mail IMHO. Let's see if I will reach NN before lunch.

Nope, I think you maybe trying too late. If the message said 9:15, then you could try calling at 9:14! ;-)

You could also just e-mail them (a hundred times) just to make sure they get your message.

CP/M User.

[carlsson]

On my fifth attempt, I reached that somebody, who regretted she hadn't returned to me in four weeks, and went on a scavenge (?) hunt around her and her colleagues' desks for the paperwork. A few hours later she called back, explaining how busy they had been with sick leave, vacations and a lot of things to do, but everything is in its order and the invoice is on its way.

Yes, I'm waiting four weeks and then call someone intensively to get a bill to pay to them. In most normal cases, one would stay cool about not receiving the bill, but it is for a license that is issued when the bill is paid, and I need the license.

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" wrote:

> On my fifth attempt, I reached that somebody, who regretted she
> hadn't returned to me in four weeks, and went on a scavenge (?) hunt
> around her and her colleagues' desks for the paperwork. A few hours
> later she called back, explaining how busy they had been with sick
> leave, vacations and a lot of things to do, but everything is in its order
> and the invoice is on its way.

> Yes, I'm waiting four weeks and then call someone intensively to get a
> bill to pay to them. In most normal cases, one would stay cool about
> not receiving the bill, but it is for a license that is issued when the bill is
> paid, and I need the license.

Yes, it's a bit different when it's some bill for a service you've already used. This happened to me a couple of weeks back - when I was rushed to hospital. Fortunately I check the details they had for me, which had the wrong address written down - I told them to change it. I though if it wasn't corrected & the bill was sent to the wrong house, then it would be their fault.

CP/M User.

[Terry Yager]

Licence, eh? Figgers it must be some kinda govt agency, where the employee is able to spend that much time away from her desk. Your tax dollars at work?

--T

[carlsson]

More like a private organisation that has obtained some legal rights. But I'm sure what appears to be a lot of time in meetings and away from desk is part of her job description.

So far, I have not received any bill. It was supposed to arrive yesterday. Maybe tomorrow or Monday. Otherwise I'll call again. It is not unheard of that a bill is printed, then put in some kind of internal mailing system and finally sent away one week later, which effectively shortens the number of days before it is due. 10 days to pay is fine if an invoice is sent directly when the order was placed. Mail within the country should be received by one or at most two days. Mail from a neighbouring country should not take more than four working days unless "high load" season. At work we get invoices from Denmark (neighbour country) that is dated one week before the post office has marked it. Totally unacceptable unless it is sent from China, Australia or somewhere else really far away. On the other hand, these days we have e-mail, fax and other means to send invoices by.

[Terry Yager]

Unfortunately, a lot of businesses still haven't moved into the electronic age yet.

--T

[carlsson]

True. Or if they go electronic, they choose the least preferred technical solution. In this case, I was actually offered to get the invoice by fax or email, but I opted for postal mail as I expected to receive it by a few days. I haven't checked my mail today yet, but if nothing showed up I may call on Monday and ask for a fax copy if still available. On the other hand, you never know when they will make the fax call or send the email. It can also take several days.

[Terry Yager]

A simple and cheap solution would be to hang a cellphone on each employee, so that they can be reached even when away from thier desk.

--T

[carlsson]

It is called DECT if I'm not mistaken, and works with stationary phones. Where my big brother works, they were planning to move from "old" phones to DECT. A few people complained more than others, both for ergonomical, technical and health reasons (more radiation). My brother was assigned to finish the project, and he wanted to keep his old phone line. After some argumentation with the boss, he and two more colleagues get to keep their old phones and the rest were forced to switch to wireless DECT. It means the office doesn't cut as much costs on telephony as planned, but most people are happy. Some of those who were against the switch but didn't speak out were the only losers.

[CP/M User]

"Terry Yager" wrote:

> Unfortunately, a lot of businesses still haven't moved into the electronic
> age yet.

Well, personally, I don't care much for Mobile Phones - they tend to remind me of an episode of Star Trek The Next Generation called "The Game" I think it was - where Whesley Crusher returns & Data is turned off & sabotaged in order for the crew to play this simply play this game all the time - before you know it, the whole ships playing this game except Whesley & of course they go to many extermes for him to play it!

A Mobile Phone reminds me of this game, where just about everyone has one & use it most of the time. The phone company saw this & decided to make the service crap where they'd cut your call! ;-)

Personally, I prefer the e-mail communication system, but businesses & people have it as some last resort & people generally think that lots of people don't check their e-mails frequently. I for one beg to differ. In fact I probably check it every couple of hours!

Text Messaging - BAH! E-mail is much better & free!

CP/M User.

[carlsson]

So far, I have not received any bill. It was supposed to arrive yesterday. Maybe tomorrow or Monday.
Lovely, just lovely. It turns out that despite I stated billing address, they have looked up a seven year old record in their customer database, ignored the address given by the customer and sent the bill to the old address. The previous recipient doesn't even live there anymore, but thanks to kind contacts the bill found its intended recipient anyway. :evil:

Also, the bill is calculated based on a different tariff than intended, but I can live with paying $85 more to get it settled once and for all.

[CP/M User]

"carlsson" wrote:

> Lovely, just lovely. It turns out that despite I stated billing address,
> they have looked up a seven year old record in their customer
> database, ignored the address given by the customer and sent the bill
> to the old address. The previous recipient doesn't even live there
> anymore, but thanks to kind contacts the bill found its intended
> recipient anyway. <evil>

Ah yes, the old we'll use this old address routine - it'll be passed onto the correct people. They probably noticed that the record was several years old too - but decided this was were you lived! :-(

CP/M User.

[carlsson]

Maybe it is some kind of safety measure, so noone orders a license in somebody else's name, but considering how much time I spent and try to get in touch with them, it is not too likely I do it - and am willing to spend $400 - in evil spite.

Oh well. Now I know the routine in case I ever need to be in touch again. Both how long it takes, how much I should stress to use the supplied billing address and to have all the required information ready before applying.