Chicago’s Feldman Group reports that an outside caller somehow recently managed to get through to an actual employee. The incident occurred at 10:47 AM on March 1, the first time this had happened in over 23 years. Here is a leaked transcript of the conversation between the caller and the employee. (The Feldman Group does not generally identify victims of customer calls)
Caller: Is this the Feldman Group?
Employee: Yes it is.
Caller: Finally! I’ve been trying for a week! Can you tell me how to…
(Dial Tone)
“Fortunately, the employee had the presence of mind to hang up,” says company HR Director Matt Rankel. “But what if she hadn’t? I’m asking myself that question over and over.”
After the last time a caller got through, in 1999, Feldman spent $32 million to ensure it would never happen again. The company’s phone number isn’t listed anywhere – and if someone manages to find it, there’s a recording with a series of 234 prompts that nobody has ever managed to get through. Until now.
“We’re conducting a thorough investigation,” says Rankel. “That this happened to one of our employees is inexcusable.” The staffer has been placed on paid administrative leave and is undergoing counseling. She has been experiencing heightened anxiety and sleepless nights, says Rankel, fearing the same thing might happen to her again.
“We let an employee down in a big way,” he says, “and I’m committed to making sure it never happens again.”
