Don't be a jerk of a customer.....

[Isotope]

When you call a call center for help, they have their job to do for which they get paid for, understand this.... If they have a set procedure to follow to obtain the help you need, cooperate, don't argue. I work for Cingular & take calls for business customer's (some big businesses too that you would know) that are cust.'s of the former AT&T Wireless. I don't know how many times cust.'s demand an immediate resolution, but aren't willing to do some of the most simplist of things, such as providing the last 4 of their ssn for verification, or giving their wireless#. You may think things you are asked are irrelevant, but if your being asked it, their not, just a word to the wise. Also some reps you get on the phone ARE pricks or don't know wtf they are doing, this in no way gives you the right to treat another rep. poorly but still expect excellent cust. service. Sorry rofl, I'm at work right now, QCDN is my only outlet, but please take heed. XD

 

[Shaunessy]

CSR is a bs job. They run you in circles and try to get you to forget what you even called them for in the first place. I hate everything they stand for and if I'm calling them it's because the company they work for screwed up. They deserve no quarter and will get none until the problem at hand is fixed. Then and only then will I accept them as a human being and not the evil mouth of a company that fucked up.

 

[Isotope]

Well t(^.^t) you too jerk. Like I said earlier, there are a lot of jerks in call centers, including the one I work in, but that still doesn't give you the right to treat everyone like dirt, this same philosophy applies to other groups, races, etc.

 

[masterorion]

ive done a CSR job...actually doing tech support for AOL...its amazing that people think that you can snap your fingers and have it be fixed. shit doesnt work like that.
and why would csr run someone in circles for? just so they can get the same exact person a couple calls later? NO. thats exactly what happens. you get that same stupid idiot on the phone that demands what you cant provide instantly.

 

[Isotope]

ive done a CSR job...actually doing tech support for AOL...its amazing that people think that you can snap your fingers and have it be fixed. shit doesnt work like that.
and why would csr run someone in circles for? just so they can get the same exact person a couple calls later? NO. thats exactly what happens. you get that same stupid idiot on the phone that demands what you cant provide instantly.

There's just this big ol' communication gap between customer's & CSRs that should really be cleared up. Oh & yes a CSR is not a GOD, we are at the bottom of the totum pole. Just because what you imaging a company can do doesn't mean the person you speak to has that access or authority that you can snap your fingers & have it done in an instant. Calm down & speak like a human being, because believe it or not... that's what your speaking to....most of the time....

 

[Isotope]

ive done a CSR job...actually doing tech support for AOL...its amazing that people think that you can snap your fingers and have it be fixed. shit doesnt work like that.
and why would csr run someone in circles for? just so they can get the same exact person a couple calls later? NO. thats exactly what happens. you get that same stupid idiot on the phone that demands what you cant provide instantly.

Oh and as for the type of attitude that Shaunessy just displayed from a customer's standpoint.... if your like him, chances are if you come across a CSR who could care less about doing their job (even a good CSR if you don't treat them like a human being), you may later find some undesired changes. A lot of younger people jump from job to job, live with family & their job only supports their free time or habbits, not rent, etc. Those that job hop could care less about doing something against company policy.

 

[masterorion]

my philosophy is to treat the other as i am being treated...get a bad attitude with me and degrading me as a lesser person, then you get the same in return. HOMIE DONT PLAY DAT. i dont give a fuck who a person is..you start getting shitty with me, ill do it right back. its somewhat like in the restraunt business, you dont piss off the cook, he will probably spit in your food if you do piss em off

 

[Isotope]

exactly...

 

[Rinoah]

It would appear phone manners are disappearing with normal manners.

You should look at www.ctrlaltdel-online.com (if you haven't already) they have some hilarious sketches about CSR and the idiots that go to it. Sure it won't make the idiots and rude people go away but it might help make them a little more bearable

 

[Kaik]

I work for Tower.com as a phone Rep. Much like the OP I have a very hard time with customers that just want to be asses. I just get the feeling that the “phone amnesty” makes people a bit assier than they would normally be.

The part that bugs me is that we as the Reps are suppose to help out and cater to these ass holes. A part of my soul sinks every time I feel like I am validating bad human behavior. I feel like I am making the world a little worse of a place by allowing them to get away with it.

I am sorry for what you have to put up with… from what I gather any/most places treat Clerks more like a vending machine than human.

One thing I am thankful for is the fact that Tower.com is a dying company. When I started here the Sups had the time to monitor calls on a daily basis. With constant cut backs the sups no longer have that time… It has allowed me a few instances to not put up being yelled at for someone’s botched entertainment item….. it feels real good.

I put my job in Jeopardy for my actions but to me it’s kinda a judgment call on how bad you are willing to let people belittle you. Life’s too short to be treated like shit.

 

[Darkdante]

No offense to you personally but......

Where do you find the dumbest, most boneheaded, stubborn, impatient, impolite, untrained, illiterate, asshole, born-in-a-barn employees known to man?:banghead3:

At phone companies, thats where. :badwords:

And you know whats the worst part? If you try to hang up and call back you'll most likely get the same stupid fucker answering the call again.

You should expect to be treated like shit if the majority of you are assholes, before you try and change the customers change your peers.
:spiteful:

 

[Isotope]

ya... riiiight... like that's even possible. Wake up sir your dreaming. There are call centers for most wireless providers all over the United States & then even some outside the US that take American calls, each call center has 100s of employees, there are strict guidelines in most call centers about what you can & can't do, when you can & can't be on the floor, what you can & can't do while on the floor, etc. With all the limitations, plus the unrealistic possibility of getting through to every one of those call centers & every person in each of em is well...ya.. unrealistic & impossible from a CSR standpoint. If you think passing word on to your manager or Ops Manager is any different hmm.. not really, they either listen & then forget it happened or "uh huh" you to death.

 

[Kaik]

No offense to you personally but......

Where do you find the dumbest, most boneheaded, stubborn, impatient, impolite, untrained, illiterate, asshole, born-in-a-barn employees known to man?:banghead3:

At phone companies, thats where. :badwords:

And you know whats the worst part? If you try to hang up and call back you'll most likely get the same stupid fucker answering the call again.

You should expect to be treated like shit if the majority of you are assholes, before you try and change the customers change your peers.
:spiteful:

That’s the most narrow minded, belittling, arrogant, immature mindset I have heard thus far. You don’t judge people that way. If you pre-set these limitations on people your going to just make this world a worse place from where it is already at. These are people you are dealing with… you really have no right to treat anyone that way.

Frankly it’s people like you that make customer service unbearable and I really wish I could kick some sense into you.

Does your messageboard amnesty get to your head? Do you think you can you can basically say anything and leave unscathed? You’re an idiot in the worse sense if you think the words you type don’t affect people.

Though with the racist remarks you made on http://www.qcdn.org/showthread.php?t=22241&page=6 I get the feeling your just a child who is starving for attention….. or your just an asshole.

Heha, Agreed. I hate Japs and Chinks, if I got something to say I say it thier fucking face.

 

[Tymon]

ive done a CSR job...actually doing tech support for AOL...its amazing that people think that you can snap your fingers and have it be fixed. shit doesnt work like that.
and why would csr run someone in circles for? just so they can get the same exact person a couple calls later? NO. thats exactly what happens. you get that same stupid idiot on the phone that demands what you cant provide instantly.

get me free aol sns plz

and oh yeah unsuspend the sn god so i can use it thx

 

[Bajaratt]

While I can understand that you have to deal with some assholes in your job, at the same time I hate calling you guys. Every time I call in, I get people who treat me like I only have two brain cells and have me do the most obvious things to "try to solve my problem."

This mostly happens with my DSL service when my internet goes out. When I notice I've lost internet access, I check cables, reboot my modem, renew my ip address, sometimes even restard my computer. I only call customer service when there is nothing that I can find on my end to cause the problem. When I do call them, they never listen to me when I tell them everything I already tried and have me do it again like I'm an idiot who can't count how many lights are on on my modem. So when I'm being talked to like I'm an idiot, I start get condescending because they're not being helpful. Eventually, my internet magically comes back up, without doing anything; meaning that my call was completely pointless anyways.

Oh, this is also not including the obvious fact that I'm talking to someone in India or another non-USA country. I don't know of any native english speaker who speaks slowly and says "my name is.... bob... how can I help you?" That usually leads to both of us having to repeat what we're saying because we can barely understand each other.

I'm glad that you're good CSR people, but from my experience you're in the minority. That doesn't excuse people being rude to you needlessly, but there are people who have bad impressions of you based on other experience with people in your field.

 

[Isotope]

While I can understand that you have to deal with some assholes in your job, at the same time I hate calling you guys. Every time I call in, I get people who treat me like I only have two brain cells and have me do the most obvious things to "try to solve my problem."

This mostly happens with my DSL service when my internet goes out. When I notice I've lost internet access, I check cables, reboot my modem, renew my ip address, sometimes even restard my computer. I only call customer service when there is nothing that I can find on my end to cause the problem. When I do call them, they never listen to me when I tell them everything I already tried and have me do it again like I'm an idiot who can't count how many lights are on on my modem.

Call centers usually require the CSR, since the conversations is being recorded & may be listened to by the client (a big wig of the company calls are being taken for comes in) that pays the call center (Cingular, Sprint, Bright House, etc.), to follow standard procedure. Easy fix for this, do what I do (sometimes) when I call in for help w/something.... When asked to do a troubleshooting step you've already done, give the result to the CSR w/o redoing it (this can bite you in the butt though, sometimes changes on the CSR's side in the system might make the difference, but still require you to redo the steps & you might make matters worse).

Then again... ignore what I said, humor the CSR, it's your best bet.

 

[Shaunessy]

Another fun thing to do is to record the call yourself. Now you have to be sure to tell the CSR that you are infact recording the call or it is no fun. I don't know what it is but when you tell them that you are recording the call you get some weird reactions.

 

[Isotope]

Well as far as I've been informed, if a cust. states they are recording a call, we must immediately state we are refusing to be recorded, just stating that alone makes the recording dismissable in court for whatever reasons. I don't read into this kinda crap, nor do I like politics so I don't know why, but expect it. Also doing things like that, your calls are notated on your acct. when the call is over. You decrease your worth to a company by being uncooperative, overly demanding or sneaky, etc.

Also another note for customer's who get bought out by another company....
If you were with the former company for years & years & think your worth all that and a bag of chips your wrong. When the new company has you, your still worth a lot, just no where what you think due to many years of cust. loyalty, remember... you were loyal to the former company, not the new one that bought them out. Remember now also, you dished out your money to the former company (generating loyalty credit w/them), not so much w/the new one if you've just recently switched.

Also if you have something grandfathered... it means as long as you stay w/the service/plan you have now, you keep it. If you change plans you start over in most cases. You can threaten to switch service providers all you want, chances are 85%+ or something of the time even the other carrier can't compete with something you've had grandfathered & built up multiple promotions ontop of.

When it comes to cellphones in specific now, here's a word of advise... Get the free phone! (or at least a cheap one), also buy a unlocked phone from a 3rd party like eBaY, however make sure it was made unlocked, not unlocked after manufactured by some individual or mom & pop store. Unlocked phone can be used even if you switch service providers as long as they use the same technology, whether it be CDMA or GSM. The free phone is a backup in case your uber 3rd party unlocked phone dies while you wait for it to be replaced assuming it was under warranty. You may pay more for the 3rd party unlocked phone, but hey it's transferable, you get a wider variety of phone choices, etc. I work w/GSM, my phone is the Samsung SGH-e730 (a very bad-ass phone), I took it to China even & it's wonderful.

 

[Shaunessy]

How is it sneaky to state that you are recording the call? They tell me they are recording the call and I tell them that I am recording the call. Oh and why would they have to be so worried about deniability in court if they are really there to help people with problems? Hmmm......So I am uncoorerative and overly demanding too. I still feel that CSR is a pin-head job and I would love to see A.I. run call centers.

 

[Isotope]

ROFLMAO IF YOU ONLY KNEW... how many customers 1st words are to complain about the automated system before the rep picks up in a call center. I'm all for modernization & computers, heck "house of the future" is a wonderful concept, but the majority surprisingly would rather speak to a CSR & slow down the modernization of society.