bellutta@irst.it (Paolo Bellutta) (11/15/90)
In TELECOM Digest V10 #804: Andy Jacobson <IZZYAS1@oac.ucla.edu> writes: > My opinion is : F***em! If Neiman Markup, or Snears has dumb > customers, take their orders! Take their credit card numbers! Tell > them what the prices are. Tell them where the store is located! When > they wind up at the city dump, they have no one to blame but > themselves. You have every right to give 'em grief. The stores have > ___NO___ right to even suggest that you change your number. I hate flames, but this drove me crazy. Don't get me wrong, I found US people very kind, a different class I would say, compared to the rudeness of Italians (especially public services). And for the two (supposedly) wrong numbers problems my friends and I had in the US, I have plenty of good memories of your country. 1) The first time I came in the US I wanted to book the first night of stay. It was in Chicago, I had little money and decide to call a cheap hotel that was reported on a book I bought in Italy. I called four or five times before being fed up to be hung up without answer (a simple 'wrong number" would have reduced the number of calls). Now I suppose that the number PRINTED on the book was wrong. This caused little trouble since I had lots of numbers to call for lodging. 2) Two years ago, friends of mine visited the US for the first time. They visited the south west. They wanted to book a room in Page (border Utah - Arizona) and they called a motel. They called the number that was reported on the directory listing of the motel chain (I don't recall the name). They took the reservation, name, C.C. #. Being a bit late, they called again to be sure the reservation was held after 6pm. They arrived, after a 400 miles ride, at the motel in Page at 9pm. No reservation, no vacancy, nearest place: St.George. They arrived in bed at 4am next day. Do you still believe that if the number is PRINTED wrongly, you have the right to make fool of the people calling you? If so, think what would be your reaction to situation 2) in a country of which you barely understand the language? Paolo Bellutta (bellutta@irst.uucp) [Moderator's Note: I think if the number is incorrectly printed, and people like yourself for example, are victimized as a result it is indeed a shame. But the other victim is the person receiving an endless stream of wrong number calls. If anything, your own anger as a result of the inconvenience should be directed toward the business place which mis-printed it's literature. They are the ones who caused the confusion, are they not? But I do see your point, and Americans can be very rude at times to guests in our country. PAT]