|
I've spent the past 7 years working in a call centre for Australia's social security provider, Centrelink. And our CSOs are mostly pretty good customer service providers, doing what we can for our customers in the face of some pretty brutal abuse...yet our customers are unable to take their business elsewhere, as we're the only ones who will pay them.
I've spent a few years as a team leader, but have done a lot of time on the phone, and have largely spoken to pleasant people. However, there have been the abusive ones who rip into you because you won't pay them the money they're not entitled to. I tolerate a couple of "fucks"...hell, I use the word myself. But when it's directed at me in a personal nature, I have no hesitation in terminating the call after warning the customer. But I'm moving to a face to face customer service role within the organisation shortly, and am not looking forward to being without my "release call" button when I get a live one in the office. Guess it will be something I'll learn to deal with.
I recently called Dell to enquire about a laptop for my 10 year old. Just trying to get through to a CSO was nigh on impossible. As I'm in Australia, my call went to Indonesia. The gal who answered insisted on my full name, as I hadn't called Dell before. I would only give her my first name. So she asks me again if I've called Dell before. I told her in a fairly emphatic tone that I hadn't, and wouldn't be calling Dell again unless she transferred me to someone who could help me. She transferred me immediately.
The bottom line is....call centre staff are just doing their job, like anyone else. They don't make the rules and don't devise the complicated button pushing IVR system. Nor do they manage staffing levels that determine wait times, or fix the computer system when it goes down. Just be pleasant and forthright with them, and don't be afraid to take no for an answer sometimes.
__________________
"Afterwards, the universe will explode for your pleasure."
|