Customers

Nique · 03-17-2010, 01:29 AM

Here are some musings about customer service:

Customers! Have you thought about maybe being nicer to the people you are calling? They generally have access to a lot of your personal information. Basically all of it. Most people with steady jobs have scruples, or are highly motivated to keep themselves employed, so it's not something to be that worried about! But let's just say you call in and yell at someone who is somewhat unscrupulous... Such a person might actually stand to gain by exacting revenge on, say, your bank account, or credit score.

I am honor-bound to never reveal or take advantage of another human being like this, and boy oh boy does my company enforce customer privacy! But I am scared to abuse customer service reps because of this, and you should be too. The upside to common-courtesy is that it tends to make the people you deal with feel better about helping you, which may in turn makes them want to help you more!

Also if you are calling in for help and you refuse all the available options, your customer service person can't help you! You can keep yelling at them if you like. Or even call them mean names! But that doesn't change the fact 1) they are limited to the options available to them determined by someone so far above them that you are literally wasting your breath by complaining about those options and 2)there are literally no other possible solutions to technical problems than troubleshooting or to have a visit from a repairman. There is not a magic button/wand/secret code etc.

Also, if you disagree with your bill, maybe you should examine it a little more closely before calling in to dispute it. It's not that you won't get help, but you might be wasting your time and their's if oh, maybe you DID order that movie 13 times, or ,yes, your state does charge sales tax and there is not a company on earth that won't include that in your bill. Sorry!

Let's talk more about how you treat these folks. You may not be aware of this, but even though it's great for a customer service rep to have the attitude that the customer is always right, the minute you adopt that attitude in an effort to have them concede to demands that they are simply incapable of granting you, it turns into a meaningless platitude. You can tell them that you pay their mortgage, but in reality they probably don't have one due to their ridiculous wage, and when they ask for a raise, they most likely won't call you. You are not always right! And even if you are, you are probably barking up the wrong tree. Instead of working yourself into a stroke or heart attack by yelling at people who won't have any idea how to make you happy, try talking to a supervisor to submit an idea/ complaint!

If you have a fundamental issue with the way they conduct business, making another human being hate his life is probably a bad way to get your complaint resolved! Try writing a letter to a government organization. No! Not the FBI. Although if you do decide to threaten such a recourse, it will provide some much needed amusement. Rather, try someone like the FCC, or the FDA, or the Better Business Bureau! These organizations are in place to govern business practices, and may also be able to grant you a little bit of perspective! Like the fact that your TV provider does not control the outcome of your favorite sporting events.

TL;DR - I had a bad day at work today. I was EXTRA nice to people, asked instead of told, went the extra mile for unreasonable people and I was still regarded as, and explicitly told that I was, a piece of ... you know? Just put in any colorful expletive you feel like.

Seil · 03-17-2010, 02:07 AM

I don't think I can match that, but I've got a story:

I used to work at Tim Hortons, and I had an early shift during Finals Week at school, so I was completely gone during my shift. Anyways, it was one of my first times working the till, and a customer came in, asking for a buttered bagel - but she didn't want a whole lot of butter. That's reasonable, right?

Anyway, on the till, there's this "1/2" button that's used in situations like this. Presstin "1/2" and "Butter" made it show up "1/2 Butter," an the counter came back to clarify - "She doesn't want a lot of butter." "Oh, okay." This was all common practice, and my supervisor stood behind me, backing me up. Apparently the bagel wasn't buttered to the customers specifications, she flips out at the counter, and stalks off. Guess what we talked about for the rest of the day?

Geminex · 03-17-2010, 02:32 AM

I shall never work in customer service, ever. I try to be nice to the people across the counter from me, but they really can act like entitled dicks sometimes, can't they?
Anyway, there's a site you might find depressing, might find amusing. Perhaps you know it already: http://notalwaysright.com/
Edit: Though really, I'm guessing that over 60% of the stuff on that site is either made up, or at least embellished hugely.
Also, all those in favor of declaring Kyrlo Most Evil User, say aye.

Krylo · 03-17-2010, 02:34 AM

I used to mix paint for people.

Sometimes when they'd ask for multiple gallons and piss me off, I'd make one gallon just a shade or so off.

So they wouldn't notice until they put it on the wall.

No refunds for paint. At least not without a lot of arguing.

So yeah... that first paragraph of yours? Kind of a good idea.

Nique · 03-17-2010, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Though really, I'm guessing that over 60% of the stuff on that site is either made up, or at least embellished hugely.

Nope.

Seriously, if people acted to me in public like they do on the phone? I'd call the police on them and I wouldn't even think twice about it. And it's not like these roughneck short-tempered guys are calling me. I'm talking about horrible evil things coming out of the mouths of grandparents and housewives.

Geminex · 03-17-2010, 03:00 AM

They do say anonymity makes normal people assholes, but goddammit. That bad? I pity you.

Krylo · 03-17-2010, 03:18 AM

I don't even think it's the anonymity so much as the illusion of power. It's mostly people with low self-esteems, who aren't happy with their lives, I think. It's like school yard bullies all over again.

It's 'acceptable' to be rude to the customer service people. They are 'beneath' you, and you can order them around. You have 'power' over them. People who aren't happy with their lives clutch onto whatever power they can get and abuse it.

That's why customers can still be a prick right to your face.

Multiply that and the illusion of anonymity that being over a phone gives you, and it gets even worse, I'm sure.

Nique · 03-17-2010, 03:54 AM

I don't know what it is, but that sounds about right.

Whats funny about that is these are the lowest people on the company ladder and have no power to do anything, yet the demands to change business practice among other things is heaped on them/us.

The only way I can get through it is 'Customer =! Person'. Because I care how people treat me and what they think of me.

Geminex · 03-17-2010, 04:07 AM

"By using this customer helpline, you are forfeiting your claim to humanity for the duration of your call. This call may be monitored for training purposes."

Mirai Gen · 03-17-2010, 04:24 AM

I start to check a 100$ bill for the security strip to make sure it's not counterfeit.

"Don't worry, it's good. I just made it!"

I want to stab everyone who has ever said this. Ever.

03-17-2010, 02:32 AM	#3
Geminex SOM3WH3R3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4,606	I shall never work in customer service, ever. I try to be nice to the people across the counter from me, but they really can act like entitled dicks sometimes, can't they? Anyway, there's a site you might find depressing, might find amusing. Perhaps you know it already: http://notalwaysright.com/ Edit: Though really, I'm guessing that over 60% of the stuff on that site is either made up, or at least embellished hugely. Also, all those in favor of declaring Kyrlo Most Evil User, say aye. Last edited by Geminex; 03-17-2010 at 02:39 AM.

03-17-2010, 02:34 AM	#4
Krylo The Straightest Shota Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: It's a secret to everybody. Posts: 17,789	I used to mix paint for people. Sometimes when they'd ask for multiple gallons and piss me off, I'd make one gallon just a shade or so off. So they wouldn't notice until they put it on the wall. No refunds for paint. At least not without a lot of arguing. So yeah... that first paragraph of yours? Kind of a good idea. __________________ I am very tired.

03-17-2010, 03:18 AM	#7
Krylo The Straightest Shota Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: It's a secret to everybody. Posts: 17,789	I don't even think it's the anonymity so much as the illusion of power. It's mostly people with low self-esteems, who aren't happy with their lives, I think. It's like school yard bullies all over again. It's 'acceptable' to be rude to the customer service people. They are 'beneath' you, and you can order them around. You have 'power' over them. People who aren't happy with their lives clutch onto whatever power they can get and abuse it. That's why customers can still be a prick right to your face. Multiply that and the illusion of anonymity that being over a phone gives you, and it gets even worse, I'm sure. __________________ I am very tired.

03-17-2010, 04:24 AM	#10
Mirai Gen We are Geth. Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 14,032	I start to check a 100$ bill for the security strip to make sure it's not counterfeit. "Don't worry, it's good. I just made it!" I want to stab everyone who has ever said this. Ever. __________________

03-17-2010, 02:07 AM	#2
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	I don't think I can match that, but I've got a story: I used to work at Tim Hortons, and I had an early shift during Finals Week at school, so I was completely gone during my shift. Anyways, it was one of my first times working the till, and a customer came in, asking for a buttered bagel - but she didn't want a whole lot of butter. That's reasonable, right? Anyway, on the till, there's this "1/2" button that's used in situations like this. Presstin "1/2" and "Butter" made it show up "1/2 Butter," an the counter came back to clarify - "She doesn't want a lot of butter." "Oh, okay." This was all common practice, and my supervisor stood behind me, backing me up. Apparently the bagel wasn't buttered to the customers specifications, she flips out at the counter, and stalks off. Guess what we talked about for the rest of the day?

03-17-2010, 03:00 AM	#6
Geminex SOM3WH3R3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4,606	They do say anonymity makes normal people assholes, but goddammit. That bad? I pity you.

03-17-2010, 04:07 AM	#9
Geminex SOM3WH3R3 Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 4,606	"By using this customer helpline, you are forfeiting your claim to humanity for the duration of your call. This call may be monitored for training purposes."