can i have your email address?

Yesterday I received a call from a guy who claimed to be from HP.

Him: Are you the IT manager?

Me: Who are you looking for?

Him: I am looking for the IT manager.

Me: How did you get my number?

Him: Your CTO gave me your number.

Me: What is his name?

Him: *gibberish*

Me: Sorry that's not my CTO.

Him: Sorry I am from India and I am not good with chinese names.

Me: Spell it to me.

Him: *spelt wrongly*

Me: Whose names did he give you?

Him: Lee which is this number and another person *he got the name and number right*

Me: Ok, why didn't you talk with him?

Him: He said he was busy and told me to call you instead.

*running through my head was - my account management scope also covers getting redirected calls when my user is busy*

Me: What do you want?

Him: I want to know whether you have any problems.

Me: What problems do I have?

Him: Do you have any server or network problems.

Me: No.

Him: Are you looking to buy any servers in the next 6 months?

Me: Yes.

Him: How much is your budget?

Me: I don't know.

Him: How much do you intend to spend in the next 6 months?

Me: I don't know.

Him: How big is your company?

Me: Are you really from HP?

Him: Yes I am from HP.

Me: Our account manager should be able to tell you how big we are because they meet us every month.

Him: Are you able to give me a rough estimate?

Me: No.

Him: 100, 1000?

Me: What is our account manager's name?

Him: Ok nevermind. What is your name?

Me: *gave my name*

Him: And your job title?

Me: I thought you said I am the IT manager?

Him: Are you the IT manager?

Me: Well you said the CTO said I am the IT manager.

Him: Ok. Can I have your email address?

Me: How do I check that you are from HP? I would want to confirm your identity before I release my email to you.

Him: Ok I am Frank.

Me: What's your email address?

Him: You don't need my email address, you just need to give me your email address and I will email you our product brochures.

Me: I will email you my email address. What is your email address?

Him: I don't have my email set up yet.

Me: You said you will be emailing me, but you don't have your email set up yet?

Him: We will send you from another email.

Me: Ok, then what is your email address?

Him: I don't have an email address.

Me: Will you be able to give me your colleagues' or boss' email address?

Him: I don't have anyone with me right now.

Me: How am I supposed to believe you?

Him: Ok I will get someone else to call you.

Me: Ok.

He hasn't called back. Maybe his HP doesnt stand for the HP we know of. Did I say I must also thank the CTO for giving my number to an unknown fella.

On this topic, I received a call from supposedly Fuji Xerox few days back. The receptionist called me and said that a lady from Fuji Xerox said that he was looking for a guy called Kelvin who is in charged of printers but she can't find such a guy in our directory. I took the call. As I am the so-called account manager for the receptionists as well, I get called to collect gifts for my boss when his secretary isn't around, and I also get called when they can't find who is in-charge of whatever they need to look for. Anyway, back to the story:

Her: I am conducting a customer satisfaction survey and would like to check whether I can have your email address to send the survey to you.

Me: I may not be the correct party, what product or service is it regarding?

Her: It's for the xerox printers.

Me: I don't think we have a contract with you for xerox printers. Do you have the contact person's name and telephone number?

Her: The person is called Kelvin and the telephone number is the main line.

Me: Ok I don't know any Kelvin who looks after printers.

Her: Can you call me back after you have found the person?

Me: Ok.

Her: *she gave me her number*

I didn't call back.