Call Centers

Nique · 09-02-2011, 01:06 PM

How many of you cats work in call centers, or any kind of phone-support? I've been in various places in the last 3 years and TBH I'm getting really pretty tired of these being the only kinds of jobs I can get an offer for.

Part of it is probably the quality of workers in call centers is very hit-or-miss so I am basically like King in a land of untalented people. It might also have to do with my mindset - like, anytime I get an interview for a cool place I prepare like crazy and then get thrown curveball questions that I didn't prepare for so then I start rambling. Call center job? Couldn't give a damn. I might participate a little in the group interview, I'll basically wing any one-on-one interview and then these recruiters act all impressed and I basically have never been turned down for such a position no matter how much I did not care about it. Anyway at this point I'm complaining that I can become gainfully employed at the drop of a hat which must sound pretty horrible.

But about customer service/ phone jobs: They sure can be interesting. I worked for big-ol-cable-company for the last couple of years and there were some pretty insane calls at 12am. I've had paranoid schizophrenic people call me multiple times to accuse me of corporate conspiracies, mothers trying desperately to turn the tv off becuase their 6 year old has somehow locked it onto the playboy channel. I've been abused, threatened, and amused at some of the people I've had to deal with. I would love to hear some good customer service stories from you guys.

pochercoaster · 09-02-2011, 03:27 PM

I've worked in various coffee shops over the last few years. 99% of the time they're very chill places to work and the customers are cool, but sometimes you get crazies, especially on the third shift...

Once a customer who had a reputation for her entitled attitude and cheapness stole from our tip cup. When my co worker asked her why she stole from our tip cup she flipped and started throwing cups at my co-worker, threw chairs around the store, threw our porcelain cups that were for sale on the floor (smashing them into smithereens), and pushed everything off of the condiment counter. I'm also pretty sure she stole our cream thermos (she had a habit of coming in and buying cups of half-and-half... I think she drank it straight. Seriously.)

Umm, various gross old men attempting to flirt with me. I can't even remember all the stories about these guys, but one that sticks out in my mind is a guy who would come in every morning and lean over the counter and attempt to make small talk while staring very obviously at my chest. Then another day he came in and commented that I wasn't wearing my jeans (I wore jeans in the winter, and some slightly baggy black capris in the summer). I explained that it was because it was too warm to wear jeans and he said "Yeah, but your jeans were very nice and tight around your ass." That is verbatim. I wish I had said something nasty to him but I was honestly so dumbfounded that anyone could make such a comment to me that I just sort of stared at him and disbelief and continued on with my work.

Then there was an alcoholic who would come in around 2am every night and try to start fights with me, swearing at me, saying all kinds of nasty things etc. Eventually my boss called the police and he got banned from the store.

Oh, "What's a nice girl like you doing working here all alone at night?" on the drive thru. I said something nasty to that guy. I keep my cool around customers most of the time but sexual harassment really upsets me. Out of context maybe that doesn't sound too bad but it was said very, uh, lecherously/creepily and the guy was a douche.

Some of my stories don't compare to the crazies other people have dealt with before, though. I'm so desensitized to customers that it doesn't phase or bother me when they do crazy shit.

batgirl · 09-03-2011, 03:03 PM

Customer service is weird for me, since my service is saving lives, but still:

- Old man grabbed my boobs and honked them as I was moving him over to a hospital bed from the stretcher.

- Man wanted to bring pornos with him to the ER for entertainment. I discouraged him on the sole fact that the ER doesn't have dvd players.

- Used to pick a man up at his house for chemo everyday. The room he lived in was plastered from wall to wall with naked women, he even had naked postcards hanging from his ceiling.

- Old man proposed to me and then whipped his penis out at me.

- Psych patient threatened to rape me but said he wouldn't because he "respects me as a classy lady."

I could go on.

shiney · 09-03-2011, 10:32 PM

my only real experience was working in a call center in England, and an elderly lady called and spoke with me and said she had just spoken with our default customer service department and she was "absolutely horrified". I then pictured a woman so upset and distraught that she was vomiting, terrified, white-knuckling the nearest counter-top to maintain what shreds of sanity remained.

I guess you have to expect some hyperbole when you're the representative, though.

Overcast · 09-04-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by batgirl

- Psych patient threatened to rape me but said he wouldn't because he "respects me as a classy lady."

I just want to say that it is a little under 24 hours since I read this and I still can't seem to get it out of my head. You may have singlehandedly reawakened my interest in working in psychiatrics again.

batgirl · 09-04-2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overcast

I just want to say that it is a little under 24 hours since I read this and I still can't seem to get it out of my head. You may have singlehandedly reawakened my interest in working in psychiatrics again.

One of the single most frightening experiences in my life. Guy was 275lbs and 6ft5. Completely nice and lucid, having a perfectly normal conversation with me about his life as a mechanic and cars and this just popped out. So subtle and quiet I would have missed it had it not had the word "rape" in it. The scary thing is: he was right. I'm a physically strong person, but by no means intimidating or strong enough to fend off a giant man like that, especially in the back of a cramped and moving ambulance. My partner would have to pull over and come around back to even begin to help me, and by then the man could have knocked me out easily.

This was years ago but it really made me look at how I consider psychiatric patient transports.

Overcast · 09-04-2011, 02:58 PM

Don't really want to pull this off topic but yeah I get where you are coming at. My grandmother isn't quite so imposing but when she enters a psychotic state off her medication even my uncle who is about the same as that guy, perhaps a bit fatter, had difficulty trying to stop her.

Moments like this freak the hell out of me but continue to make me want to try to help and understand what is happening in there. But I'm always conflicted about how much I might honestly be helping if I entered the field.

Nique · 09-04-2011, 03:51 PM

Daaaaaamn batgirl, why you always gotta /thread?

Not that such threats don't occur over the phone, but I mean, they're not in person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overcast

Don't really want to pull this off topic

Don't worry about it. Like, if there is a thread to do this in, this is the one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiney

I then pictured a woman so upset and distraught that she was vomiting, terrified, white-knuckling the nearest counter-top to maintain what shreds of sanity remained.

Shiney knows how to pass the time in a call center.

Ecks · 09-04-2011, 04:10 PM

Wow bats. Just wow. And I thought I had problems dealing with people in public.

Professor Smarmiarty · 09-04-2011, 05:11 PM

My friend who works as a doctor in an eldery home told me how one time she walked into a room and a man said "I've got an erection, what are you going to do it".
Classic.

09-02-2011, 03:27 PM	#2
pochercoaster rollerpocher tycoon Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,808	I've worked in various coffee shops over the last few years. 99% of the time they're very chill places to work and the customers are cool, but sometimes you get crazies, especially on the third shift... Once a customer who had a reputation for her entitled attitude and cheapness stole from our tip cup. When my co worker asked her why she stole from our tip cup she flipped and started throwing cups at my co-worker, threw chairs around the store, threw our porcelain cups that were for sale on the floor (smashing them into smithereens), and pushed everything off of the condiment counter. I'm also pretty sure she stole our cream thermos (she had a habit of coming in and buying cups of half-and-half... I think she drank it straight. Seriously.) Umm, various gross old men attempting to flirt with me. I can't even remember all the stories about these guys, but one that sticks out in my mind is a guy who would come in every morning and lean over the counter and attempt to make small talk while staring very obviously at my chest. Then another day he came in and commented that I wasn't wearing my jeans (I wore jeans in the winter, and some slightly baggy black capris in the summer). I explained that it was because it was too warm to wear jeans and he said "Yeah, but your jeans were very nice and tight around your ass." That is verbatim. I wish I had said something nasty to him but I was honestly so dumbfounded that anyone could make such a comment to me that I just sort of stared at him and disbelief and continued on with my work. Then there was an alcoholic who would come in around 2am every night and try to start fights with me, swearing at me, saying all kinds of nasty things etc. Eventually my boss called the police and he got banned from the store. Oh, "What's a nice girl like you doing working here all alone at night?" on the drive thru. I said something nasty to that guy. I keep my cool around customers most of the time but sexual harassment really upsets me. Out of context maybe that doesn't sound too bad but it was said very, uh, lecherously/creepily and the guy was a douche. Some of my stories don't compare to the crazies other people have dealt with before, though. I'm so desensitized to customers that it doesn't phase or bother me when they do crazy shit. Last edited by pochercoaster; 09-02-2011 at 03:40 PM.

09-03-2011, 10:32 PM	#4
shiney Derrrrrrrrrrrrrp. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The land of fartz and buttz Posts: 8,266	my only real experience was working in a call center in England, and an elderly lady called and spoke with me and said she had just spoken with our default customer service department and she was "absolutely horrified". I then pictured a woman so upset and distraught that she was vomiting, terrified, white-knuckling the nearest counter-top to maintain what shreds of sanity remained. I guess you have to expect some hyperbole when you're the representative, though. __________________ boop

09-04-2011, 02:58 PM	#7
Overcast Cinderella Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Trespassing in the graveyard Posts: 3,076	Don't really want to pull this off topic but yeah I get where you are coming at. My grandmother isn't quite so imposing but when she enters a psychotic state off her medication even my uncle who is about the same as that guy, perhaps a bit fatter, had difficulty trying to stop her. Moments like this freak the hell out of me but continue to make me want to try to help and understand what is happening in there. But I'm always conflicted about how much I might honestly be helping if I entered the field. __________________ Time to bust out the glow sticks!

09-03-2011, 03:03 PM	#3
batgirl Aim for the top! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Infield Posts: 2,583	Customer service is weird for me, since my service is saving lives, but still: - Old man grabbed my boobs and honked them as I was moving him over to a hospital bed from the stretcher. - Man wanted to bring pornos with him to the ER for entertainment. I discouraged him on the sole fact that the ER doesn't have dvd players. - Used to pick a man up at his house for chemo everyday. The room he lived in was plastered from wall to wall with naked women, he even had naked postcards hanging from his ceiling. - Old man proposed to me and then whipped his penis out at me. - Psych patient threatened to rape me but said he wouldn't because he "respects me as a classy lady." I could go on.

09-04-2011, 05:11 PM	#10
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	My friend who works as a doctor in an eldery home told me how one time she walked into a room and a man said "I've got an erection, what are you going to do it". Classic.