Y'know what really grinds my gears?

[Hawkmumbler]

Nemesis the Whore-lock

Holding onto that one for about 6 years, werncha Hawk?

Not gonna lie mate, not worth it.

[JamesC]

Customs charges

You find a nice deal abroad... then the item turns out to be as expensive or possibly even more than what you could have sourced locally. And you don't know you'll have to pay that extra chunk, until you do. Things I've ordered from the US tend to get the charge (although not always). I don't think I've had to pay charges yet for packages from China, although I think that's largely cos they are vague or outright lie about the contents.

I've had a similar experience from Japan, until coming  in today... and there was a white card waiting. Grrr.

Some less scrupulous sellers will mark items as 'gift' if you ask them, which means you don't get charged.
It's fraud but it's a victimless crime.

[Dark Jimbo]

Nemesis the Whore-lock

Holding onto that one for about 6 years, werncha Hawk?

Not gonna lie mate, not worth it.

[Tjm86]

If you think it's bad now, just wait until after a no deal Brexit...

If predictions about dollar / pound parity are right it looks like the writing is one the wall for comic fans ...

[Apestrife]

A guy at work has a very loud voice, and is proud of it. Likes to show off even... Sounds like a cat who's got stept on...

[Dandontdare]

We've got every annoying voice type possible in our team - a foghorn, a mumbler and a whisperer - hard to decide which is more annoying.

On a related note, working in a call centre we have to ask a series of specific questions and it pisses me off when instead of just answering the question I've asked, they tell you something else they think you want to know:
"what are your symptoms?"  "gynaecologist"
or
"could you confirm your postcode?" "Well, my old postcode was..."
or
"what is your name?" - "I'm calling about my wife"

[sheridan]

On a related note, working in a call centre we have to ask a series of specific questions and it pisses me off when instead of just answering the question I've asked, they tell you something else they think you want to know:
"what are your symptoms?"  "gynaecologist"
or
"could you confirm your postcode?" "Well, my old postcode was..."
or
"what is your name?" - "I'm calling about my wife"

I'm not in a call centre, but we do get calls from (a subset of) members of the public - I feel your pain. 

"What's your personal number?" recites telephone number (which a) I didn't ask for and b) is displayed in front of me anyway).

"For security, please confirm your postcode" "Which address do you have for me?"

[paddykafka]

For my sins and as a way of supporting myself through college, I used to work in a call centre that carried out surveys among the general public. Random call marketing surveys mostly, for banks, public bodies, drinks companies etc.

You really do encounter all kinds of humanity in all it's various guises and moods.

One of the funnier aspects was hearing some of the, frankly rather odd, message voice recordings that people left on their phone. My favourite was the young lady whose voice message went thus:

"Hi! I can't come to the phone right now, because my boyfriend and me are having mad, hot, passionate sex! Please leave a message and I'll call you back. 'Byeee!!!" (followed by 10 seconds of manic laughter).

Honestly, young people these days.

[Hawkmumbler]

Corporate hospitality. Been working in it for years, and it seems weather it's a big international corporation or just a UK based chain, there's always the sense they want to get as much work out of you for as little as possible, but will proceed to cut your hours when they don't need you anymore. It's shameful, I pulled a 16 hour shift on Saturday, finishing at 4AM and will be lucky to get that all next week.

[Dandontdare]

Truth bro

I've worked for this company for 16 years now (11 in the call centre after my more interesting team was axed) and a few years ago they called everyone in the company in shifts for a day of team-buildings and briefings for the "2020 vision". One of  the senior managers in his 'pep talk' proudly proclaimed that we have been doing "more for less" and we will strive to continue this. I looked around me and everyone seemed to be perfectly on board. I asked colleagues "what did you think about the bit where they said they'd try to screw more work out of us without actually paying any more?" and not one person had even noticed, or found that "more for less" comment disturbing.

[Fungus]

Go Dan.

Of the last dozen or so 'new' people I've met most recently, most are giving up on work or actively looking at doing something else due to the kind of business bollocks of which you speak. Personally I've been considering the same for... 2+ years.

So, yeah. I'll be over here. Working smarter not harder. Whatever the fuck that means.

[Dandontdare]

Go Dan.

Of the last dozen or so 'new' people I've met most recently, most are giving up on work or actively looking at doing something else due to the kind of business bollocks of which you speak. Personally I've been considering the same for... 2+ years.

So, yeah. I'll be over here. Working smarter not harder. Whatever the fuck that means.

I only went to that company through a temp agency to do 6 weeks of filing - 16 years ago - but I'd rather have teeth pulled thna go through the modern job application process. My job is tedious unfulfilling, but it's also easy and undemanding with a secure 20K and I don't begrudge the 37.5 h/pw of wank I have to endure to earn it. 

Don't worry, yhogh, I have a sound finacial fututere planned (if I win the lotto)

[Hawkmumbler]

I think my circumstances are worsened by a recent management shuffle, our last manager was a lovely bloke, really welcoming and nurturing. Exactly what you need in the team environment. Our new manager is a bully and a narcissist, regularly passive aggressively threatens staff and has driven 10 people to quit in a month. Unfortunately she's chummy with the company CEO so birds of a feather I guess.

[Tiplodocus]

I never understood why nobody tells a manager, who asks them to "work smarter not harder", to fuck right off. It is, basically, an insult to the staff.

[Funt Solo]

I had a remote manager who insisted on an hour-long phone conversation once a week, whether it was needed or not.  Because it wasn't needed, he wanted me to read a book so that we'd have something to talk about.  I suggested a book on teaching (because that was my job) but he insisted that we read a book on management (because he was a manager) - and he chose "Getting Things Done" (as if I wasn't already).

I decided I would get more things done by not reading the book, so during our weekly review phone meetings I'd open up its wikisummaries page and read verbatim what it said about the chapter I was supposed to have read.

Problem solving: it's what I do.