Lame customer service...

roundthebend · September 2023

I'm not talking about bad service here, just lame. Y'know, the kind where the person is trying really hard but just doesn't get it.

I've spoken to a car dealership today and there got kept saying "For yourself" and "What I'll do for you there is..."

It has the opposite result for me to start was intended. Makes me feel dehumanised. Really fickle I suppose. It doesn't completely put me off dealing with them though.

stickyfiddle · September 2023

Yeah... The use of "myself", "yourself" and "utilise" where "my/me/I", "you" and "use" would suffice is one of my biggest bugbears in modern English. It just makes me automatically assume someone is using big words to sound more clever and/or competent than they are, which in turn makes me assume they aren't very clever and/or competent.

Dominic · September 2023

I'm not sure where that crept in ........is it an Americanism ?.....I don't think so ......spawned in some call centre somewhere and just a malapropism that caught on with telephone zombie drones
or is it Roadman street speak ?..........I don't know

DefaultM · September 2023

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

tony99 · September 2023

Guy in overalls has a look, takes a drag of his ciggy, shakes head and says "nah mate, if you can't understand correct usage of reflexive verbs and their associated pronouns then there ain't much I can do for ya. Besides which you're gonna have to wait six months for the parts"

Offset · September 2023

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

My 21 year old daughter STILL uses it unnecessarily and it drives me insane!!!

thecolourbox · September 2023

I'm dreading when we have to replace our car because I have absolutely no filter when it comes to salespeople and will just tell them to shut up and leave me alone if they do annoying stuff like that. I'm normally more meek and polite in person than I can appear to be online, but salespeople in any capacity (such as recruitment agents, dispensing opticians etc) really bring out the worst in me and I become somebody I really don't like. Albeit also somebody who i respect for their honesty and refusal to take their bullshit.

Although in fairness, their shit grammar is probably one of the least annoying things about them

fretmeister · September 2023

Offset said:

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

My 21 year old daughter STILL uses it unnecessarily and it drives me insane!!!

You've lost that one.

The official definition now includes:

1.1informal
Used for emphasis while not being literally true:
I was literally blown away by the response I got

DefaultM · September 2023

Oh no

Musicwolf · September 2023

fretmeister said:

Offset said:

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

My 21 year old daughter STILL uses it unnecessarily and it drives me insane!!!

You've lost that one.

The official definition now includes:

1.1informal
Used for emphasis while not being literally true:
I was literally blown away by the response I got

You have literally ruined my day with that!

merlin · September 2023

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'.

She's only one step away from "lichally".
And my other firm favourite is "prolly" instead of probably.

strumjoughlamps · September 2023

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

My lad was saying it all the time, we counteracted it by saying 'Crikey' after he had said 'Literally', he stopped after a few days.

LionAquaLooper · September 2023

merlin said:

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'.

She's only one step away from "lichally".
And my other firm favourite is "prolly" instead of probably.

It's bad enough when kids and young adults say prolly. I work with a senior manager in his late 50s who says that word in our Teams chats.

The other one I hate is when people say "we" when they mean "you". Why do people do that? Is it because "you" is deemed too direct? That must be why people use "yourself" in the OPs context as well.

Svartmetall · September 2023

I hate it when a waiter in a restaurant is telling you what's on the menu, and they say "I have a...". No. YOU don't! The fuckng KITCHEN has it and it's not even cooked yet!

(n.b. I can't afford to go into those kinds of restaurants myself, I got this from watchng the dinner scene at the end of 'Beyond The Lighted Stage', the Rush documentary)

Dominic · September 2023

I'm SO not going to the shops.......SO not inviting you to come with me ..............
The American 'like'.......he said ,like, we're going to ,like,a supermarket to buy some ,kinda like ,groceries ..............
When ordering in a restaurant ........." Can I get " the salad with that , to which the obvious answer is I'm sure you can sir so long as you can afford it ;you don't need my permission !
Anyway ......I'm 'so done' with 'throwing shade ' on these hideous new wave conjunctions

Offset · September 2023

Dominic said:

I'm SO not going to the shops.......SO not inviting you to come with me ..............
The American 'like'.......he said ,like, we're going to ,like,a supermarket to buy some ,kinda like ,groceries ..............
When ordering in a restaurant ........." Can I get " the salad with that , to which the obvious answer is I'm sure you can sir so long as you can afford it ;you don't need my permission !
Anyway ......I'm 'so done' with 'throwing shade ' on these hideous new wave conjunctions

I started feeling angry by merely reading that!

mikeyrob73 · September 2023

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

Both my kids do this, i have stopped replying until they same sentence without the word literally

they literally use it in every sentence

Greatape · September 2023

'Really unique'.

Tsk.

Cranky · September 2023

roundthebend said:

I'm not talking about bad service here, just lame. Y'know, the kind where the person is trying really hard but just doesn't get it.

I've spoken to a car dealership today and there got kept saying "For yourself" and "What I'll do for you there is..."

It has the opposite result for me to start was intended. Makes me feel dehumanised. Really fickle I suppose. It doesn't completely put me off dealing with them though.

Also, “go ahead and . . .”

Totally lame. It’s just empty sales speak. Life imitating art, in this case the art is the movie Office Space. Faux politeness, faux professionalism. A useful form of repetitive mindlessness.

My favorite personal experience was when I was dining at a relatively upscale local boutique kinda restaurant, the server was a nice but pretty rough-around-the-edges gal from the hills somewhere. She was constantly asking us “how is the flavor of everything,” trying to sound like a hipster foodie type of insider but it was clumsy as hell. The wife and I still ask each other “how is the flavor of everything?” 15 years later.

But if someone asks me to “go ahead and . . .” I walk away or hang up.

Offset · September 2023

^^ The girls and I went to Universal Studios in Florida 7 years ago after I recovered from illness. My daughter was 14 at the time and had always wanted to go. Great time but the standout memory was of my daughter and I waiting to get some 'healthy' food from one of the outlets. An enormously fat couple and their enormously fat child joined the queue, and the kid was obviously serious pissed off. Eventually the father pressed the kid as to what he wanted to eat. The kid screwed up his face, did a foot-stamp and bawled "I WANT BURGER KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!"

Ever since, each time I've asked my daughter what she wants to eat when she's home that's the answer she gives in a bad American accent :-)

swiller · September 2023

language gets right on my hampton these days..

"What can i get for you today" "Is that all you want for today". Im here now you tw@, not for tomorrow or last fuking week you utter cunt.

"Patty" (burgers), its a fucking burger you cunt. Why do i want cow shit with a fuking meal?

A white cup of coffee please. "Latte"? NO, A FUCKING WHITE CUP OF COFFEE YOU FUKING MONUMENTAL CUNT!!!!!!! I get them to write it on the cup and say i wont accept a cup with latte or americano written on it.

ThePrettyDamned · September 2023

Language is a flexible tool. I used to be bothered when spoken incorrectly, but dialect can be extremely local. I know someone who is incredibly intelligent who, perhaps on first listen, may sound like a bit of a village idiot.

Things like "aks" instead of "ask" - well, I've heard aks came first and ask was the bastardisation of the word. If we understand what someone is saying, they are communicating legitimately.

Specialist subjects have specialist language to ensure clarity when sharing information.

Offset · September 2023

swiller said:

language gets right on my hampton these days..

"What can i get for you today" "Is that all you want for today". Im here now you tw@, not for tomorrow or last fuking week you utter cunt.
"Patty" (burgers), its a fucking burger you cunt. Why do i want cow shit with a fuking meal?
A white cup of coffee please. "Latte"? NO, A FUCKING WHITE CUP OF COFFEE YOU FUKING MONUMENTAL CUNT!!!!!!! I get them to write it on the cup and say i wont accept a cup with latte or americano written on it.

Steady son, steady!!!

swiller · September 2023

Offset said:

swiller said:

language gets right on my hampton these days..

"What can i get for you today" "Is that all you want for today". Im here now you tw@, not for tomorrow or last fuking week you utter cunt.
"Patty" (burgers), its a fucking burger you cunt. Why do i want cow shit with a fuking meal?
A white cup of coffee please. "Latte"? NO, A FUCKING WHITE CUP OF COFFEE YOU FUKING MONUMENTAL CUNT!!!!!!! I get them to write it on the cup and say i wont accept a cup with latte or americano written on it.

Steady son, steady!!!

gets right on my wick offset..
/me walks away doing Del Boy Shoulder shrug

Sporky · September 2023

merlin said:
And my other firm favourite is "prolly" instead of probably.

Evryun noes izz probbly.

GoFish · September 2023

So, I reached out to the forum who.....

stickyfiddle · September 2023

swiller said:

language gets right on my hampton these days..

"What can i get for you today" "Is that all you want for today". Im here now you tw@, not for tomorrow or last fuking week you utter cunt.
"Patty" (burgers), its a fucking burger you cunt. Why do i want cow shit with a fuking meal?
A white cup of coffee please. "Latte"? NO, A FUCKING WHITE CUP OF COFFEE YOU FUKING MONUMENTAL CUNT!!!!!!! I get them to write it on the cup and say i wont accept a cup with latte or americano written on it.

The patty is the meat bit. The burger is the whole thing including bread, veg & sauce

You should try asking for either an americano with milk, or filter coffee with milk. “White coffee” isn’t a specific enough term

GoFish · September 2023

fretmeister said:

Offset said:

DefaultM said:

My 6 year old daughter keeps using the word 'literally'. It's been annoying me but it's not her fault, she only learns from hearing others. Then the other day she said that a car was 'literally on the road'.
That was one too far so I asked why she kept using that word and said where else would a car be?
I explained what literally means and said she's adding an extra unnecessary word to sentences. She understood, but now she still keeps saying it and then realises she's said it and gets confused with herself and apologises. So it seems like its been programmed in to her now.

My 21 year old daughter STILL uses it unnecessarily and it drives me insane!!!

You've lost that one.

The official definition now includes:

1.1informal
Used for emphasis while not being literally true:
I was literally blown away by the response I got

'Fraid I no longer recognise the dictionary as any authority. The OED perhaps gets a pass as an advisory organ, but it's all just lame music theory - describing what's been done after the fact. I live my life on the (linguistic) edge. I don't need no edumacted fools tellin' me what I jus darn well know that I did.

I will literally ignore such pronouncements as being the product of utilitarian jobsworths desperately trying to maintain relevance in a multipolar post truth linguistic environment. I will figuratively spit on their cornflakes and laugh at the folly of them trying to document and preserve a language that now moves faster than any archive of old media possibly can. By the time they've gone to press, theyz already three steps behind. Yer folla?

swiller · September 2023

stickyfiddle said:

swiller said:

language gets right on my hampton these days..

"What can i get for you today" "Is that all you want for today". Im here now you tw@, not for tomorrow or last fuking week you utter cunt.
"Patty" (burgers), its a fucking burger you cunt. Why do i want cow shit with a fuking meal?
A white cup of coffee please. "Latte"? NO, A FUCKING WHITE CUP OF COFFEE YOU FUKING MONUMENTAL CUNT!!!!!!! I get them to write it on the cup and say i wont accept a cup with latte or americano written on it.

The patty is the meat bit. The burger is the whole thing including bread, veg & sauce

You should try asking for either an americano with milk, or filter coffee with milk. “White coffee” isn’t a specific enough term

You must be under 35

. Yup i get the actual meanings.

I will contest that burgers are the meat/vege equivalent content of what you get served, not the whole bread toppings etc. Without all the crap that comes with it, a burger at a butchers and a supermarket is just a flat disc of meat/vege that does not get served with bread and a slice of cheese and salad, pickles etc.

On the coffee, is precisely my point that it should be specific enough. Down the whole skinny, mocha/latte/choca?frappucano, cream on top avenue lies extremes such as choosing the teat which the milk was squeezed out from grass eating daisy. Just marketing nonsense to justify £3-5 per cup price tag. Its just coffee and most of us at home serve it to guests as that So why not just have available a cup of coffee and accept that order without asking 100 irrelevant questions.

Cranky · September 2023

^^^ Older folks from the American Midwest call ground beef “hamburger” all the time. My parents always ordered pizza with “hamburger” on it, or they put “hamburger” in a taco. Drove me crazy. I think it derives partly from some nasty processed boxed meal things called Hamburger Helper that were popular back in the day.

As for coffee, have you been to Italy? The differences are real. There are various types of coffee drinks with “white” in them. Ordering “white coffee” is confusing as hell, my best guess would be that you’re ordering cocaine. If you want coffee with cream, that’s what you should order.

swiller · September 2023

Cranky said:

^^^ Older folks from the American Midwest call ground beef “hamburger” all the time. My parents always ordered pizza with “hamburger” on it, or they put “hamburger” in a taco. Drove me crazy. I think it derives partly from some nasty processed boxed meal things called Hamburger Helper that were popular back in the day.

As for coffee, have you been to Italy? The differences are real. Ordering “white coffee” is confusing as hell, my best guess would be that you’re ordering cocaine.

Ironically the best coffee i have ever had is Vietnamese coffee, which tasted way better than anything else ive had and has a hit like a good line of charles.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Lame customer service...

Comments