Customer Service: A Rant
I should probably save this for a Bitch & Moan post next week. But I think it's worthy of a post all it's own.
My new job is a customer service job. A call center. Pissed off people get to call me and I get to tell them how our company is ran and unfortunately I don't make the rules...that I can't change the rules...and that I can't make just one exception for them even if they promise to never, ever, ever ask again.
We've all experienced shitty customer service from somewhere. But this rant is about the other side of that equation.
If you're calling to a place because you need help, need service, have questions...whatever the reason:
Be prepared.
Whether it be you need your glasses on, you need to read off information to me...whatever. YOU called me. Don't make me wait on you. And don't act frustrated or put out when I ask you for the info. I know sometimes you don't know what info you may need, but if I need it to do my job so that I can help you, then don't be rude to me because I ask for it.
Don't interrupt. It's not nice. I don't like trying to talk over you to get you to try and listen to me, you wouldn't like it either. Take turns talking, listen, then ask questions.
In my particular job we deal with a lot of numbers. Account numbers, routing numbers, phone numbers, social security numbers, check numbers.
Example: 1109396290
If I were reading this number off to you this is how I would do it:
one, one, ZERO, nine, three, nine, six, two, nine, ZERO
Do not say "O" as in the Letter O in place of a zero.
Also...do not read it like this:
eleven oh nine, thirty nine, sixty two, ninety.
The only time it is acceptable to read a number like that is if it's check number 340...then you could say three forty (or three hundred forty).
Some people may not care if you read numbers off that way, but I find it incredibly annoying and sometimes hard to understand.
Speak clearly. And if I don't understand or can't hear you because of a horrible connection, language barrier or whatever reason...bear with me. I am trying to help you. If I ask you "Was that 'B' as in 'boy' or 'D' as in 'dog'?" don't have a damn conniption fit because I asked. At least I asked so that I am sure I have the correct information.
I know some people don't mind being called sweetie, honey, baby, darlin'. I know for some it's just part of their conversation, they call everybody that. I personally hate it and would prefer you didn't do it...but I won't tell you that because I can't. LOL
I would just prefer you call me by my name. And I won't flip out if you accidentally call me Jeannette or Lynnette or some other name that sounds like Annette. I understand that talking over the phone can make things sound funny and incorrect.
Do not tell me that I have a sexy voice (yes this really happened). Being that nice to me will not change the decision, unfortunately.
In my job the decisions made cannot be over-ridden. As frustrating and inconvenient as that may be, I'm sorry. I empathize with you...but I don't sympathize.
And don't ask for my phone number either (this really happened too...same guy that said my voice was sexy). Not only will I not give it to you. But I could lose my job if I did.
Being nice goes a long (LONG!) way. Even if you don't agree with the decision that was made please understand that is not PERSONALLY MY FAULT. I don't make the rules and I can't change them. Arguing with me, yelling at me and swearing at me will not help things.
Thank you for calling and have a nice day.
9 comments:
I'm glad you put this here. I think Zero is a number and O is a letter. That's the way it should be said over the phone.
I'm sorry, I'm laughing a little about the sexy voice guy and how he asked you out. He must think women like blind dates. How wrong he is or his buddies put him up to it. Maybe his wife was sitting right there and he was trying to tick her off, never know.
I did customer service 30 minutes of my time. I decided it was not for me when my last call was an old man asking me what I was wearing and talking nasty to me. I said prank and hung up the call and ended my shift. Some people really are assholes. Besy of luck to you,
I used to work for GTE, now Verizon, as a customer service rep at their Ohio call center. For the 1st 5 years I was a sales rep and the nasty calls were few and far between. I was good at that job but then I was switched to billing and IT WAS PURE UNADULTERATED HELL! Everyday it was people screaming, cussing conning, threatening till I couldn't stand it anymore. The stress was enormous cause I couldn't react to their rants and raves. Guard your heart and soul, Annette! Steel yourself!
I worked in customer service for almost twenty years...amen!!
LOL sometimes I make people wait when I call...but I never get mad when they ask for info!!!!! Do you get to hold a stress ball while you work???
I know EXACTLY how you feel. I also work as a customer service rep in a call center and get very annoyed when people read me their phone numbers or whatever the number may be. Your so right. You called me for help so let me help you or hang up!
I've had to call a few customer service places for a number of things and I always remember that these people are there to help me, so most of the time I'm patient and am a nice person. On all of us customers that need help, thank you Annette! Lol
I'm one of those people who gets really annoyed when someone refers to zero as "O". Excuse me, but last time I checked "O" is a letter.
Thank you for the post. We now know what it is like from the other side of the phone. I always try to be nice and calm, but I do get frustrated. However, I never yell or swear because I know that it is NOT the person on the phones fault.
Hope you get more nice people than nasty people, and NO disgusting people.... EEWWW!!
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