Everyone Seems To Be So Touchy

[gordiescotland1]

I had an annoying situation with my housing association repairs team. I have been sent a letter of unacceptable behaviour and told that they will only deal with me via email. I reported a repair in the morning and I phoned in the afternoon to find out the progress of it. The 2nd person could not find it and was exceptionally slow after 10 minutes of dealing with her I called her a "silly cow" and I put the phone down. Apparently that is highly offensive and inappropriate, I mean there are a heck of a lot worse than that I could have said to her I think this is over the top nobody seems to take any form of abuse now 30 years ago this never would have happened. What do others think?

[Prudie]

I think gordie that in this day an age there is no way you can call someone a silly cow and get away with it. Take it on the chin and learn for next time :-)

[hereIam]

I understand your frustration, but Prudie is right. You just have to keep grinning and bearing it I'm afraid ...

[Captain2]

....'nobody seems to take any form of abuse' (your words sum it up). Too right - I wouldn't.

[jakep]

I think you were rude to someone who was trying to do her job.

[Jackdaw33]

//I think you were rude to someone who was trying to do her job.\\

...and clearly failing.

[andy-hughes]

You say that no-one seems to take any form of abuse, as though that is a bad thing, and a retrograde step for society as a whole.

Because there are worse things you could have said does not mitigate or excuse what do did say, and do. This lady is doing her job, and has a right to expect common civility and respect from the people she deals with.

I am entirely in agreement with the HA's position on this.

It underlines a major philosophy of mine, borne out after decades of customer-facing roles in a major company - never upset someone whose co-operation you rely on.

[Baldric]

//What do others think?//

I think you were well out of order, you just don't do things like that in this day and age, behave.

[andy-hughes]

Jackdaw - // //I think you were rude to someone who was trying to do her job.\\

...and clearly failing. //

You don't know that, neither did gordie at the time, and even if she was, that does not excuse abuse.

[hellywelly4]

Wow! You just mustn't say things like that gordie. No wonder you have received a letter. You should treat everyone as how you would like to be treated.

[andy-hughes]

In my career at BT, I have been sworn at and had phones hung up on me more times than I care to remember, but I always knew that, at the end of the day, the customer needed my co-operation, I did not need theirs, so I was always going to win in the end, it was simply a matter of waiting for an apology so we could carry on with the matter in hand.

[jakep]

Jackdaw, there are many reasons why that is a crass comment.

[Tilly2]

It is 'highly offensive and inappropriate behaviour' and you deserve to be castigated in that way.

Maybe you can be more polite via email?

[Zacs-Master]

You must be a very patient man AH.

[gness]

Geordie.......really!! That is just not acceptable......for all you know she may have been on her first day at work......nervous and trying to do her best....
She could even have been one of the slightly special needs kids I helped get into employment with wonderful companies who go out of their way to accommodate a new kid who needs just a bit more help......

And she got you!....Do you never need a bit of understanding and help yourself?

[Arksided]

Even dealing with the Tax office I can't imagine being that rude, and they proper test your patience.

[Mamyalynne]

I shan't repeat what the majority have said - it's perfectly clear that verbal abuse in out of order.

Can I ask, 30 years ago if this situation had arisen and you had to speak face to face with a man about it, would you have been so unbelievably rude?

I hope when you find a job, you get to understand how hard working alongside the public can be.

[gordiescotland1]

tilly2 I think communicating via email is a much better thing to do for myself I am a lot better at communicating in writing than over the phone

[Zacs-Master]

Gness, you must realise that arguing with Geordie is like trying to make a monkey recite the Lord’s Prayer. Ie, pointless.

[Mamyalynne]

^ is out of order

[gordiescotland1]

Mamy quite right more than likely I wouldnt