Adventures in Customer Service Part...Something

[gnomi]

Through one of mabfan's library contacts, I discovered (when mabfan told me that he'd borrowed it from the library) that one of my all-time favorite movies is available on DVD from Israel. I did a Google search, and I discovered an Israeli company that was selling the DVD and that ships to the US for a reasonable fee. I placed my order, and only on receiving my confirmation did I discover that I had accidentally made a typo in my zipcode (off by one digit). I noticed, though, that on their webpage there was an 888 number for customer service in the US, so I figured I'd call them and see if they could correct my zip code before sending out the DVD.

Well, I called the US number. Ring...ring. The rings did not sound like standard US rings. In fact, they sounded remarkably like the ring type I remembered from Israel. And, lo and behold, a guy answered. "'Alo?"

"Uh...'alo!"

"L'mi at mitkasheret?" (who are you calling?) he asked me.

Aha! I switched into Hebrew, much amusing/bemusing mabfan. I quickly determined that (a) I had not misdialed; (b) their office was closed and could be reached 9 AM - 5 PM Israel time (which is EST +7) to answer my question (he was the overnight answering service and could not help me) and (c) to his knowledge, the call was forwarded but would not be charged as a call to Israel.

I thanked him, wished him a good night, hung up, and sent them e-mail.

Comments

[tapuz.livejournal.com]

um, you ARE having a viewing, are you not???? :-)

I will make fresh hot popcorn in your favorite large and lidded pot and even bring fresh butter for melting, or even supplemental shakey cheese... (or bring some prepopped for rewarming with said dairy condiments... heck, I'd even *gasp* go pareve!)

Any other good, reasonably priced films? :-)

[osewalrus.livejournal.com]

Ah the wonders of VOIP. I routinely speak to an engineer in Paris by calling his local 301 VOIP number. Billed as a local call.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Glad you got that straightened out!

[42itous.livejournal.com]

Hee :) Luckily you speak Hebrew, but I guess it's not a huge coincidence.

Once, not long after my cousin Ariela had spent a summer in Israel, we ran into a couple of Chabad fellows on a street corner near Brown University, giving away free menorahs to freshmen. They approached us and started to ask if we were (a) Jewish and (b) freshmen, and Ariela launched into an animated monologue in Hebrew, by which they were completely taken aback.

[kuroshii.livejournal.com]

i remember once twelve years ago (during my last bout of unemployment) i called a tech company in atlanta to follow-up on a resume i'd sent, to discover that all calls were being forwarded to their france office that day because all the bigwigs were there for meetings. i don't speak french, but the receptionist spoke very good english. still it threw me for that same kind of loop.

[lucretia-borgia.livejournal.com]

Ditto on tapuz's request for a viewing!