The Depot Chronicles

Working at Dental Depot isn’t that bad, but there are several things that I wish I didn’t have to deal with on a daily basis. Even though they’re usually small things that shouldn’t get to me, the shear magnitude in which they happen makes my job very frustrating from time to time. Very frequently, I pick up the phone to answer it and the caller is screaming bloody murder at their children. I don’t wait for it to stop; I just start giving my little Dental Depot answering spiel like nothing is happening. This does me no good, however, because when I’m done the person usually says, “Hello?” and I have to say it all over again. Multitasking is great, but screaming at your children and calling your dentist should be done at separate times. That’s one rule I’ve always lived my life by.
Also, when I’m making appointments over the phone there’s a point in the process that I ask, “So, when would you like to come in?” and it’s really frustrating when the person answers, “Uhh, as soon as possible” as if I’m an idiot for not assuming that. Then I’ll say something like, “Can you be here this afternoon?” and the person says, “No, I can’t do it today; I’m at work.” Again, I’m the stupidest person in the world for asking. “So, how about tomorrow morning?”
“No, tomorrow’s not really going to work for me…”
“Ok.. So, when would you like to come in?”
If you didn’t catch it, that’s the same question I started with. Usually, I say it just like I say it the first time, but sometimes I have a little more now who’s the idiot in the tone. I’d like to point out that I’m not upset because I’ve had this conversation with a patient; it’s the fact that I have this exact conversation with patients all the time.
Another classic is when patients call to make appointments, but have to put you on hold to go get their schedules halfway through the process. Who could have foreseen the need of a schedule? I imagine the patient saying, “Whoa! I was just calling to make a dental appointment, and you’re wanting me to commit to a specific day? ..this calls for my schedule.”
I suppose that’s all I’ll speak of today, but let me leave you with an unofficial transcript of a telephone conversation I had with a patient today:
“Thank you for calling Dental Depot. This is Brandon, how may I help you?”
“Yeah… Where y’all be located at?”
“We’re located on 23rd and Drexel.”
“23rd and WHO??”
“Drexel. It’s right by May Avenue; just a couple streets west of May.”
“Ohh.. Well, then what’s there across from you guys?”
I look out the window. “Uh.. just some houses.”
“Some WHO?”
“Houses.”
“Oh, well, y’all past that Taco Bell then?”
“Ummm…”
“If we be comin’ from Penn?”
“Yes, we’re past Taco Bell.”
The conversation goes on for a while but I’ll just leave you with that.