“Harvey’s Garage Door Service, Harvey speaking! How many I help you today?”
“Hi, Harvey. I need to have a garage door opener installed, please.”
“Great! We’ll be glad to do it. We can do that work Friday, for just a hundred and ninety dollars.”
“No, I think you misunderstood, Harvey. I don’t need the door and the opener. I just need the opener installed.”
“Right. Installing your door opener is one-ninety. Will Friday work for you?”
“Wow! Nope, that’s too expensive for such a little job, Harvey. I’m going to call someone else.”
“Okay. Thanks for calling. We’ll speak to you soon.”
“Huh?”
<click>
“Thank you for calling the Home Depot.”
“Yes, hi, I’d like to speak to someone about …”
“Your call is very important to us. For English, press 1. Para Espanol, marque numero dos.”
“1.”
“Pour Français, appuyez sur 3.”
“1.”
“Voor Nederlands, drukt u op 4.”
“1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. …”
“Za Bonsanske, pritisnite 5.”
“1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1.”
“Gracias por llamar al Home Depot usted. Has llegado a la mesa de ayuda española.”
<click>
“Thank you for calling the Home …”
“0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.”
“One moment please.”
“Sigh …”
“Hi, this is Brittney! It’s a great day at the Home Depot, where low prices are just the beginning. How may I direct your call?”
“Hello, Brittney! I’m glad to talk to a real person. I need to find out about having a garage door opener installed.”
“What department is that in, sir?”
“Excuse me? I don’t know … the garage door department?”
“Let me try Building Materials.”
“Wait, I don’t think …”
“Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.”
“Hi, this is Brittney! It’s a great day at the Home Depot, where low prices are just the beginning. How may I direct your call?”
“Brittney, you were just trying to connect me to someone to …”
“Did they not pick up? Okay, let me try Lawn and Garden.”
“No, I don’t th—“
“Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.”
“Hi, this is Brittney! It’s a great day at the Home Depot, where low prices are just the beginning. How may I direct your call?”
<click>
“Thank you for calling Sears, home of the Sears Shop Your Way program for loyal customers …”
“0.”
“… and the brand names America trusts, like Craftsman, Kenmore …”
“0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.”
“… and Die Hard. Check out our new website …”
“0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0! 0! 0! 0! 0! 0!”
“… where you can find all of the great products we offer, at everyday low prices. Your call is …”
“Aaarrrgh!”
“… very important to us. Our store is located at 24 …”
“Why do you idiots not have a human answer the freaking PHONE?!?!”
“… and we are open weekdays from 10:00 am to …”
“I don’t CARE where you’re located. I just need to speak to a real person!”
“… and Sundays from 12:00 to 5:00. Now, what department are you calling?”
“Uh, garage door openers?”
“That’s … HARDWARE. Is this correct?”
“Sure. That’s correct.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t understand your response. Please try again.”
“Hardware!”
“What department are you calling?”
“Hardware! Hardware! Hardware!”
“That’s … HARDWARE. Is this correct?”
“Yes!”
“Please hold for … HARDWARE.”
“Oh my goodness.”
“Hardware, this is Jake.”
“Hi Jake. I’m trying to have a garage door opener installed.”
“I don’t think we do that.”
“Don’t you sell garage door openers?”
“Yeah, I think we do. Let me ask my manager. Hold please.”
“…”
“Hello, Sir? Yeah, we sell garage door openers.”
“Right. I’m trying to have one installed. I need to hire you to install an opener in a new house.”
“Oh, okay. I don’t think we do that.”
“Are you sure? You used to install them.”
“Let me ask my manager. Hold please.”
“…”
“Hello, sir? Yeah, we install garage door openers.”
“Great!”
“You just call our 1-800 number, and they can set you up.”
“Why do I call you for you to tell me to call someone else? Can’t you just take my money now?”
“No, I’m in the store. If you want to order from the store, you can’t. You have to come into the store. If you want to order over the phone, you have to call another number.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“Let me ask my manager. Hold please.”
“Wait, ask him what?”
“…”
“Sir? I talked to my manager, and that’s our policy, sir. You’ll have to come into the store or call our 800-number.”
“Fine.”
<click>
“Thank you for calling Sears Home Services. My name is Frank. Do you need help with a product warranty?”
“No, I need to have a garage door opener installed.”
“We have a special deal on product repair agreements today.”
“I just need to have my garage door opener installed.”
“Okay, I can see here that the fee for that installation is one-hundred twenty dollars. Would you like me to set up installation for you?”
“Yes. That’d be great, Frank.”
“And how would you like a way to save money on costly repairs for your garage door opener through our exciting new repair agreement program?
“No thanks. I just need the opener installed.”
“Okay. Let’s start with your name. Your first name sir?”
“James.”
“Okay, and your last name?”
“Carver. C. A. R. V. E. R.”
“Thank you mister Barber. I’ll need your address and your method of payment.”
“Fine.”
“We have a one-time deal on Maintenance Agreements today, if you’d like to know how you can save $300 on maintenance and warranty calls, Mr. Barber.”
“No, thank you. And it’s Carver, with a C.”
“I apologize, Mr. Carber. Lastly I’ll need your ZIP code, Mr. Carber.”
“My ZIP code is 30028.”
“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Carber. I see here that we don’t offer installation services in your area.”
“I thought you had nationwide installation.”
“We do, Mr. Carber. What country are you calling from?”
“I’m calling from ZIP code 30028. In Georgia.”
“We don’t have an installer for your area, Mr. Carber. I’m sorry. I can save you hundreds in repair costs on your new gara–”
<click>
“Harvey’s Garage Door Service, Harvey speaking! How many I help you today?”
“Hello, Harvey.”
“No luck at Sears, huh?”
“Nope.”
“Tried Home Depot too?”
“Yep.”
“Usted no habla español, ¿eh?
“Nope.”
“How’s Brittney?”
“Perky as ever.”
“Okay well, I still have a slot open for Friday, if you’d like it. Can we install your door opener then?”
“Sure.”
“The price will be just two-hundred fifty dollars.”
“Two-fifty?!? An hour ago, you said it was one-ninety.”
“Yes, you’re right. It was. Maybe you want to try Lowe’s?”
“Okay. You’ve got me. I’ll see you Friday.”
“Cash only, please.”
Marginally Creative 