Page 1 of 1 [ 15 posts ] 

honeytoast
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,015
Location: 1Q84

09 Feb 2024, 10:40 am

Phone calls are the worst for me. I wish they weren't but they are. I overthink the conversation and what I am requesting.

I had to make a phone call to the local hospital about a statement that I already paid for. I assumed that it was just another one sent out since I did pay that bill one day later than the due date. ((I had gotten the dates confused)). So I was persuaded by the bf to call them since it could've been a mistake on their end and try to get me to pay for it again.

I called the number on the bill and the conversation went well. After verifying my information, the woman I spoke with was polite and said since I paid a day late and online, it takes about 3 days for their system to have the bill marked as paid. It only took two minutes.

Now I am going to try and get a hair appointment set up. My hair has gotten way too long. The confidence is coursing through my veins!


_________________
dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.

~~~~

believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?


belijojo
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 4 Dec 2023
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Posts: 872

09 Feb 2024, 12:55 pm

Wanting to see more examples like this gives me some urge to try something new.


_________________
Enjoy discussing politics, sometimes have to beat around the bush.
Often use wrong words, really sorry


CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,285
Location: Stalag 13

09 Feb 2024, 3:36 pm

I'm glad the phone call worked well for you. When I make a call, I get asked to repeat myself 5 times and I give up and hang up.


_________________
Who wants to adopt a Sweet Pea?


ToughDiamond
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Age: 71
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,137

09 Feb 2024, 3:42 pm

Well done.

I never used to be afraid of phone calls until businesses and government departments started to get so awkward. Back in the day, you'd get more or less straight through to a real person who would usually listen and behave reasonably well. But now it's very often telephone menus and long waits before anything potentially useful happens, and even if / when you finally get to talk to a human, it's as if they've been trained to fob you off with nothing. Still, some customer services aren't that bad.

If it's something like a bill payment where they've sent me a demand because the system has been too slow to notice I've paid it, I usually ignore it, as long as I'm sure the money went out to the right place. If they're silly enough to attack me when I can prove I've paid it, bring it on. But the rules of service providers and the law can be strange things, so it's probably wise to be on the safe side and make sure a reply to their out-of-date demand is in the paper trail. It doesn't have to be a phone call, and if there's an email or messaging option then I'd usually take that route. It's often quicker and easier than phoning them, and personally I'm stronger with the written word than I am with the spoken word. With emails, it's also easier to keep a copy of what I told them, and it might look better than just claiming that I said this or that on the phone. It's nearly always safe as long as you can show that you did all you reasonably could to resolve the problem.

When I do decide to phone a service provider, naturally I worry because I've known it to get me nowhere, but I prop myself up by figuring out what I want to say, and whittling it down to the clearest, shortest thing possible. I also try to remind myself that if it goes wrong, I can always try again, and the chances are that a different person will then answer, and they might be less of a butt. At any rate I'll know what tricks the first person used to fob me off, so I won't be taken by surprise. I also keep pen and paper to hand so I can make a record of what happened. That way, if they're awkward, I can explain how I made reasonable attempts to put things right, and how they made it impossible by having a useless customer services system.

If they don't play ball, it also does no harm to mention that you have a cognitive disability, at least if you can prove it on demand. They might ignore it, but I think it scares a lot of them because discrimination law can have quite a lot of clout.



ToughDiamond
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Age: 71
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,137

09 Feb 2024, 3:57 pm

PS I wouldn't be so gung-ho about ignoring bill payment demands if I was worried about my credit history. I have no plans to borrow money, but a lot of people do.



blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 14,436
Location: United Kingdom

09 Feb 2024, 4:48 pm

honeytoast wrote:
Phone calls are the worst for me. I wish they weren't but they are. I overthink the conversation and what I am requesting.

I had to make a phone call to the local hospital about a statement that I already paid for. I assumed that it was just another one sent out since I did pay that bill one day later than the due date. ((I had gotten the dates confused)). So I was persuaded by the bf to call them since it could've been a mistake on their end and try to get me to pay for it again.

I called the number on the bill and the conversation went well. After verifying my information, the woman I spoke with was polite and said since I paid a day late and online, it takes about 3 days for their system to have the bill marked as paid. It only took two minutes.

Now I am going to try and get a hair appointment set up. My hair has gotten way too long. The confidence is coursing through my veins!


Good luck with setting up your hair appointment, honeytoast. :)



honeytoast
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,015
Location: 1Q84

09 Feb 2024, 5:36 pm

ToughDiamond wrote:
PS I wouldn't be so gung-ho about ignoring bill payment demands if I was worried about my credit history. I have no plans to borrow money, but a lot of people do.

Where did I imply that I was being gung-ho about missing payment? I was not, I simply stated that I missed the due date (by one day) because I got confused. Perhaps my cheery tone implied I was, but I am not.


_________________
dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.

~~~~

believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?


honeytoast
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,015
Location: 1Q84

09 Feb 2024, 5:40 pm

belijojo wrote:
Wanting to see more examples like this gives me some urge to try something new.


NGL, the way to do it is to just force yourself. The world will not bend to us, so the best thing we have to do is try to adapt ourselves to it, which isn't fair, but it works. Being kept in the same comfort zone will not help build the skills we need in the long run.

I still struggle with phone calls, like I will answer at work but they keep me on edge/anxious af. It is part of my job, so I have to do it. Making phone calls on my /own/ is a higher struggle. As I said in my intentional post, I am an overthinker when it comes to conversations with strangers and I don't want to say or do the wrong thing. I just need to remember (as I often forget) how good and confident I feel when I accomplish something like this. Keeping this energy going will help me in the future.


_________________
dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.

~~~~

believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?


honeytoast
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,015
Location: 1Q84

09 Feb 2024, 5:42 pm

blitzkrieg wrote:
honeytoast wrote:
Phone calls are the worst for me. I wish they weren't but they are. I overthink the conversation and what I am requesting.

I had to make a phone call to the local hospital about a statement that I already paid for. I assumed that it was just another one sent out since I did pay that bill one day later than the due date. ((I had gotten the dates confused)). So I was persuaded by the bf to call them since it could've been a mistake on their end and try to get me to pay for it again.

I called the number on the bill and the conversation went well. After verifying my information, the woman I spoke with was polite and said since I paid a day late and online, it takes about 3 days for their system to have the bill marked as paid. It only took two minutes.

Now I am going to try and get a hair appointment set up. My hair has gotten way too long. The confidence is coursing through my veins!


Good luck with setting up your hair appointment, honeytoast. :)


The days they had did not line up with my schedule, so I need to check back and see when their next availability is. What is next on my list is getting a new dentist and GP lined up, though it's tricky because my insurance keeps being labeled as "out of market" when HR told me I would have no problems.


_________________
dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.

~~~~

believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?


blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 14,436
Location: United Kingdom

09 Feb 2024, 5:45 pm

honeytoast wrote:
blitzkrieg wrote:
honeytoast wrote:
Phone calls are the worst for me. I wish they weren't but they are. I overthink the conversation and what I am requesting.

I had to make a phone call to the local hospital about a statement that I already paid for. I assumed that it was just another one sent out since I did pay that bill one day later than the due date. ((I had gotten the dates confused)). So I was persuaded by the bf to call them since it could've been a mistake on their end and try to get me to pay for it again.

I called the number on the bill and the conversation went well. After verifying my information, the woman I spoke with was polite and said since I paid a day late and online, it takes about 3 days for their system to have the bill marked as paid. It only took two minutes.

Now I am going to try and get a hair appointment set up. My hair has gotten way too long. The confidence is coursing through my veins!


Good luck with setting up your hair appointment, honeytoast. :)


The days they had did not line up with my schedule, so I need to check back and see when their next availability is. What is next on my list is getting a new dentist and GP lined up, though it's tricky because my insurance keeps being labeled as "out of market" when HR told me I would have no problems.


I'm guessing if you have health insurance, you are from the US or Canada perhaps?

In the UK, most people use the NHS, although private healthcare is becoming necessary for more people as the NHS fails in various instances.



honeytoast
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,015
Location: 1Q84

09 Feb 2024, 5:48 pm

blitzkrieg wrote:
honeytoast wrote:
blitzkrieg wrote:
honeytoast wrote:
Phone calls are the worst for me. I wish they weren't but they are. I overthink the conversation and what I am requesting.

I had to make a phone call to the local hospital about a statement that I already paid for. I assumed that it was just another one sent out since I did pay that bill one day later than the due date. ((I had gotten the dates confused)). So I was persuaded by the bf to call them since it could've been a mistake on their end and try to get me to pay for it again.

I called the number on the bill and the conversation went well. After verifying my information, the woman I spoke with was polite and said since I paid a day late and online, it takes about 3 days for their system to have the bill marked as paid. It only took two minutes.

Now I am going to try and get a hair appointment set up. My hair has gotten way too long. The confidence is coursing through my veins!


Good luck with setting up your hair appointment, honeytoast. :)


The days they had did not line up with my schedule, so I need to check back and see when their next availability is. What is next on my list is getting a new dentist and GP lined up, though it's tricky because my insurance keeps being labeled as "out of market" when HR told me I would have no problems.


I'm guessing if you have health insurance, you are from the US or Canada perhaps?

In the UK, most people use the NHS, although private healthcare is becoming necessary for more people as the NHS fails in various instances.

Yep in the US.

This is the first job where I actually have decent insurance so I am going to milk what I can from it.


_________________
dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.

~~~~

believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?


blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 14,436
Location: United Kingdom

09 Feb 2024, 5:50 pm

honeytoast wrote:
blitzkrieg wrote:
honeytoast wrote:
blitzkrieg wrote:
honeytoast wrote:
Phone calls are the worst for me. I wish they weren't but they are. I overthink the conversation and what I am requesting.

I had to make a phone call to the local hospital about a statement that I already paid for. I assumed that it was just another one sent out since I did pay that bill one day later than the due date. ((I had gotten the dates confused)). So I was persuaded by the bf to call them since it could've been a mistake on their end and try to get me to pay for it again.

I called the number on the bill and the conversation went well. After verifying my information, the woman I spoke with was polite and said since I paid a day late and online, it takes about 3 days for their system to have the bill marked as paid. It only took two minutes.

Now I am going to try and get a hair appointment set up. My hair has gotten way too long. The confidence is coursing through my veins!


Good luck with setting up your hair appointment, honeytoast. :)


The days they had did not line up with my schedule, so I need to check back and see when their next availability is. What is next on my list is getting a new dentist and GP lined up, though it's tricky because my insurance keeps being labeled as "out of market" when HR told me I would have no problems.


I'm guessing if you have health insurance, you are from the US or Canada perhaps?

In the UK, most people use the NHS, although private healthcare is becoming necessary for more people as the NHS fails in various instances.

Yep in the US.

This is the first job where I actually have decent insurance so I am going to milk what I can from it.


You do right in milking the insurance.

The US isn't exactly a free ride, is it? Take what you can, wherever you can.



honeytoast
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 26 Aug 2020
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,015
Location: 1Q84

09 Feb 2024, 5:55 pm

[quote="blitzkrieg"][/quote]

Nope, and even if you are covered, you still are at the whims of the insurance company.


_________________
dear god, dear god, tinkle tinkle hoy.

~~~~

believe in the broken clock and who's side will time be on?


blitzkrieg
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jun 2011
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Posts: 14,436
Location: United Kingdom

09 Feb 2024, 5:56 pm

honeytoast wrote:
blitzkrieg wrote:


Nope, and even if you are covered, you still are at the whims of the insurance company.


Ah yeah.

Ah well, hopefully you'll get sorted with your GP and such.



ToughDiamond
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Age: 71
Gender: Male
Posts: 11,137

09 Feb 2024, 9:56 pm

honeytoast wrote:
ToughDiamond wrote:
PS I wouldn't be so gung-ho about ignoring bill payment demands if I was worried about my credit history. I have no plans to borrow money, but a lot of people do.

Where did I imply that I was being gung-ho about missing payment? I was not, I simply stated that I missed the due date (by one day) because I got confused. Perhaps my cheery tone implied I was, but I am not.

No, I meant me - when I remembered that credit history is of interest to some people, I thought I might been a bit gung-ho in the post I'd already made, so I added that PS just to make sure I didn't get anybody into trouble.