At some point during the second to last call of the evening I was reminded that the people I talk to are in fact human. And that I am as well. The caller was a woman whose son had just been put in jail (what for I don't know and it's no concern of mine) and needed to figure out how her son could get in contact with her. This is a fairly common question and I've got the info bookmarked.
However, this poor woman really just needed someone talk to I think. Halfway through the call she started crying and for once this person on the other end was someone I just wanted to reach through the phone and hug. She wasn't crying to get something, she wasn't crying because her call forwarding wasn't working, she was crying because her son was in jail and she was scared and alone. And for once I think I handled it ok. I told her that I'd give her a tissue if I were there and to take her time when she apologized for crying and that I'm a voice and an ear right now
Tonight when I ended that call I said something I rarely say to a customer. I told this lady to take care of herself and to be strong. And you know, she thanked me for my kind words. Perhaps appropriately, those are the kinds of calls I remember.
I hope both she and her son make it through this.
