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From: yazz@prodnet.la.locus.com (Bob Yasi)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Wrong Number Suggestions Needed
Message-ID: <14433@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 6 Nov 90 05:47:06 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 796, Message 5 of 11


Here's the amusing wrong-number story I mentioned last week.  I really
am a nice guy, mentally insert smileys wherever necessary.  (:-)

A new prefix had opened up in San Diego, and I got the number xyz-y000
(that's XYZ Y-thousand).  Early that Autumn, Neiman-Marcus
(Needless-Markup to those who know them) opened up shop.  They got
xyz-y100 (XYZ Y-one-hundred) and I started getting their calls on my
answering machine.  The Directory Assistance voice computer didn't say
Y-one-hundred, it said Y-one-oh-oh.  The directory wasn't even printed
yet and anyone who shops at Neiman's isn't worried about how much it
costs to call 411.  I guess a lot of people just presumed that a
status symbol store like Neiman's would have a status symbol phone
number like mine.

Annoyed not with Neiman's but rather with the callers, I endeavored to
discourage them by changing the outgoing message on my answering
machine to an utter fabrication:

"Hello this is Bob, if you're calling for me leave a message at the
beep.  But if you're calling for Neiman-Marcus, a Tragic Explosion has
shut them down until Well Past Christmas so there's no reason to call
back until then."

Well, the message did not produce the intended effect.

When I got home from work the next day there were not two or three of
the usual hangup calls but nearly two dozen!  And, listening to them
they almost all sounded like long distance calls (there was a little
"chirp" at the end).  One local-sounding woman actually took the time
to leave the message in a nasal voice of shocked dismay, (similar to
that of the woman on TV who has fallen and can't get up) "Oh, an
explosion at Neiman's.  How awwwful!".

Having clearly failed to discourage callers, I changed the message back.

The next day at work (How did they get my work number?) I received a
call from an AT&T Longlines Division Account Manager who was most
eager to "help solve Our problem".  She told me that Neiman-Marcus's
was worried and the phrase "fear of bomb threats" found its way into
the conversation!  All the hangups were from people at Neiman's legal
department listening to the content of the message.  They didn't like
it but the message contained no threat.  She wanted me to change the
message and I told her I had already changed it the night before,
which made her happy.  She also wanted me to change my number.  I did
NOT want that.  Neiman's claimed they had already printed up too many
company directories and business cards to change.  I said the problem
was only the number that DA gave out -- they didn't have to reprint
anything.  Just give out a less error-prone number to their apparently
error-prone customers.  I spoke with some VP at Neiman's, even.  No
dice.

I finally changed (for free) my number to abc-1200.  Everyone was very
very gracious.  The VP was so apologetic about "all this
inconvenience".  He even encouraged me to come in to the store and
meet him.  I asked about a gift certificate.  He said "No, but did
anyone make any representation to you that you would receive one?"
Then I got nervy.  I said, "Oh, no, not at all.  I just think you
should."  Well, they have a fine restaurant he assured me and I could
have a dinner for two there anytime I wanted.  Even a generous tip for
the waitress was included, I made sure.

The dinner was good.  In the end, I was very glad the same thing
hadn't happened with a Woolworth's!


 -- Bob Yazz --  yazz@locus.com   <--lowercase matters to uunet