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Pedants' corner

Since when did a customer services adviser become an advocate?

(41 Posts)
merlotgran Sat 18-Aug-18 10:54:54

I phoned Argos customer services yesterday for some advice on how to return a faulty product. The automated message told me I was in a queue (what a surprise) and urged me to wait for the next advocate to become available.

Eh?? I googled 'advocate' as a distraction from the jangling racket in my ear. Every few seconds I was assured an advocate would be with me soon. I was really impressed by learning I would soon be talking to an expert in the field of law - possibly a barrister or solicitor. Argos must be paying well these days so maybe it was time to switch on my 'Margot Leadbetter' telephone voice.

Instead, I got someone I couldn't understand and who didn't have a clue so gave me a reference number to take with me when I return the item.

I might as well have been talking to an avocado. grin

Grankind Mon 20-Aug-18 12:00:45

I think I need an advocaat now - large one please!!

jenpax Mon 20-Aug-18 15:13:41

It’s not the poor low paid staff that invent these job titles folks! but is a way of employers trying to make the employees feel that they are not in low end jobs and to do so without spending any money! Some of the employees like the Baristas in coffee shops do get training and take a pride in their work so it’s not very kind to take the mick

toscalily Mon 20-Aug-18 15:32:28

jenpax this was a lighthearted thread lets not cloud it by getting overly serious!

M0nica Mon 20-Aug-18 16:36:51

I did not get it either.

sodapop Mon 20-Aug-18 19:30:37

I don't think anyone suggested it was the workers jenpax or were taking the pee. Just mocking the sheer pretentiousness of people who thought up these things.

Grankind Mon 20-Aug-18 23:25:45

I thought Merlotgran's comment was very funny - and pertinent. So I do take umbrage when someone else takes potshots at something so inoffensive. I don't want to be part of a society where it is deemed wrong to have an opinion in case someone, somewhere, takes offence. If we can't have a good laugh at the absurdities of life, then we will be living in a totalitarian state where the thought police have full control. I didn't see anyone having a go at the low paid workers - as Sodapop says it's the person who dreams up these daft ideas who is responsible, and I would be willing to bet they are not low paid.

merlotgran Mon 20-Aug-18 23:41:05

I'd just like to add that I was extremely polite to the aardvark even though I couldn't understand a word. I took the item back to Argos this morning and received a full refund from the attourney behind the counter.

Result!

POGS Tue 21-Aug-18 10:34:49

merlot

I blame Cilla Black!

This all started years ago when a contestant on Blind Date said he was a ' Vision Technician '.

She asked him what's that and he said a ' Window Cleaner '.

jenpax Wed 22-Aug-18 20:53:06

Grankind But we do live in a totalitarian state now ? btw I wasn’t taking pot shots at anyone just observing that it’s no joke for the poor folk stuck in these jobs

Grankind Tue 28-Aug-18 14:49:51

One can be sympathetic to people in low paid jobs and still have a sense of humour, which was the point made in the first place. What is off-putting about this kind of social media is that it attracts those who will pick holes in anything, just for argument's sake. I repeat - laugh a little - it will do you good.

jenpax Tue 28-Aug-18 17:23:40

How do you know I don’t laugh. It was just an observation goodness me

Grankind Wed 29-Aug-18 11:33:22

Without getting into that argument, the point made by Merlotgran was not denegrating people in low paid jobs. And it was a very funny observation. I have done low paid jobs myself, serving people in shops. I was happy to do it at the time, but would not have called myself a retail facilitator.
That's all!

grumppa Wed 29-Aug-18 14:35:03

British Gas contacted me once saying they were "your energy expert". I let them know that they were my energy supplier and nothing else, and that if I wanted an energy expert I would hire one of my own.

Kittiwake Sat 03-Aug-19 12:09:35

I work in customer service and sometimes you feel exactly like an advocate - you get threatened with goodness knows what, and have to be diplomatic to the point of sainthood to deal with some of the people out there - and that is often all true before some of them have even placed a flaming order to complain about! I don't think it's being a killjoy to point out that our job among others has actually become harder than it ever was - frankly I think that I and the team I work in deserve our upgrade, because if I was being paid well for the ahem, 'human waste' I often handle on a daily basis, my salary would be a darn sight higher than it is. I'm not forbidding anyone from laughing: just realise that the change you've recognised is more true than you think.

boodymum67 Mon 21-Oct-19 14:38:24

I hate the word `caregiver`...another American-ism!