When You Call a Customer Service Center

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

Since I, and a few others, work in call centers I thought I would share with all of you how to get what you want. Please feel free to include your tips and tricks. I have been in the industry for a total of 6 years now. Started in a credit card company, moved to mobile phones, then I am now in trucking services (not dispatch). Here are a few pointers that will help you get what you are calling for.

1) Yes, we know something is wrong and you are probably upset about it. DON’T take that out on the associate that is helping you, they are your advocate and are there to HELP you resolve the reason you called in. I know, we are the Company to you, but yelling and calling us names = bad call for you.

2) The associates are trained in what they can or cannot do. Some may be new at the job and if they sound like they haven’t a clue what they are doing, hang up and call back, or ask to speak with someone else (another associate, supervisor, manager). It is your right to be treated fairly and with all available resources.

3) If you want something, you have to ask for it, we can’t read your mind and we don’t have to tell you EVERYTHING that is available. Your job is to research the problem, issue, CONTRACT, web site, and then ask us if you have any questions. BTW, it is our responsibility to try and up-sell a service or feature to you so simmer down and let us do our job.

4) “A smile on your face is a smile on your voice.” Yes, it sounds stupid, but it is true. We are told this all the time in customer service. If a customer would use the same rule they may find the associate is much more pleasant to speak with and will actually be more interested in helping you.

5) Get to the point. We only want to know what the real problem is. Don’t go on about how it has affected you and your precious life and how terrible my company is. Think about it. If we say we can’t do something, that’s it. Every call is possibly monitored. Our talk times, hold times, transfers, and other criteria are constantly scrutinized. I thank you for trusting the intimate details of your life with me…but you aren’t helping wither one of us.

6) I am not a robot. You are speaking to a real human being. I have a life, a family, friends, peers…. and emotions. I may be having a bad day too, but I should be professional enough you don’t know that. You set the tone of the call when you open your mouth. Make it a good one. You will be much happier with the results.

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[Benilson09 10+ year member]

Be polite, I worked in call centers as well before I moved to my new job, just remember it is the job of the rep to help you. How much help you will get has a lot to do with how you treat them. If you don't get what you need, and you are not being unreasonable you can escalate things to a supervisor. It is not that the reps don't want to help you, their hands are tied on a lot of matters and they do not have the authority to do certain things. A lot of these people talk to 100+ customers a day, and of those callers all of them could have possibly given them hell, a little courtesy goes a long way. Reneeb, which Credit card company did you work for?? I did the same for about 3 years, and was the dreaded floor supervisor.

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

Be polite, I worked in call centers as well before I moved to my new job, just remember it is the job of the rep to help you. How much help you will get has a lot to do with how you treat them. If you don't get what you need, and you are not being unreasonable you can escalate things to a supervisor. It is not that the reps don't want to help you, their hands are tied on a lot of matters and they do not have the authority to do certain things. A lot of these people talk to 100+ customers a day, and of those callers all of them could have possibly given them hell, a little courtesy goes a long way. Reneeb, which Credit card company did you work for?? I did the same for about 3 years, and was the dreaded floor supervisor.

I worked for Sears just before they took on Mastercard (and through the transition.) Pretty Much went to hell from there. I started as a regular level 1 assc but when I left I multi-tasked as an escalation, retention, customer service and senior rep. What a Nightmare! Learned a LOT about credit and how to use Regulation B and Z to my advantage tho.

 

[Benilson09 10+ year member]

I worked for Sears just before they took on Mastercard (and through the transition.) Pretty Much went to hell from there. I started as a regular level 1 assc but when I left I multi-tasked as an escalation, retention, customer service and senior rep. What a Nightmare! Learned a LOT about credit and how to use Regulation B and Z to my advantage tho.

That's pretty much what I did as well, I worked for a bank's visa division, where we handled the credit and debit card transactions. I learned a lot about the biz myself, got some good contacts and moved on in the world. I hated every last minute of it, but it was a job and I could put in up to 60 hrs a week though.

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

I just get mad when I call and I get a foreigner my southern intellect can't understand..

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

exactly my point...you have the RIGHT to speak to someone you can understand and visa versa-- even with DELL-- just keep asking for someone else..eventually those indians will find someone that can speak! LOL!

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

ya, I'm from india..... my translation program works very well... dont you think? (smartass!)

 

[Rmsanger 10+ year member]

Indian Girls FTMFW!!!

Lub em.. my future wife is Indian.

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

my suggestion.

1. Be prepared, know your account number, and know what your wanting to complain about.

2. Dont think you know more about elecrical service than me.

3. Do not complain if your several months past due.

4. Dont call for an extention 1 day before your cut off date. looks bad for you.

 

[BoomBoomBoy 10+ year member]

Since I, and a few others, work in call centers I thought I would share with all of you how to get what you want. Please feel free to include your tips and tricks. I have been in the industry for a total of 6 years now. Started in a credit card company, moved to mobile phones, then I am now in trucking services (not dispatch). Here are a few pointers that will help you get what you are calling for.
1) Yes, we know something is wrong and you are probably upset about it. DON’T take that out on the associate that is helping you, they are your advocate and are there to HELP you resolve the reason you called in. I know, we are the Company to you, but yelling and calling us names = bad call for you.

2) The associates are trained in what they can or cannot do. Some may be new at the job and if they sound like they haven’t a clue what they are doing, hang up and call back, or ask to speak with someone else (another associate, supervisor, manager). It is your right to be treated fairly and with all available resources.

3) If you want something, you have to ask for it, we can’t read your mind and we don’t have to tell you EVERYTHING that is available. Your job is to research the problem, issue, CONTRACT, web site, and then ask us if you have any questions. BTW, it is our responsibility to try and up-sell a service or feature to you so simmer down and let us do our job.

4) “A smile on your face is a smile on your voice.” Yes, it sounds stupid, but it is true. We are told this all the time in customer service. If a customer would use the same rule they may find the associate is much more pleasant to speak with and will actually be more interested in helping you.

5) Get to the point. We only want to know what the real problem is. Don’t go on about how it has affected you and your precious life and how terrible my company is. Think about it. If we say we can’t do something, that’s it. Every call is possibly monitored. Our talk times, hold times, transfers, and other criteria are constantly scrutinized. I thank you for trusting the intimate details of your life with me…but you aren’t helping wither one of us.

6) I am not a robot. You are speaking to a real human being. I have a life, a family, friends, peers…. and emotions. I may be having a bad day too, but I should be professional enough you don’t know that. You set the tone of the call when you open your mouth. Make it a good one. You will be much happier with the results.

Most people are pissed before they get to you b/c they've been put through 7 menus prior to getting and been on hold for 30 minutes.

So while I see your 'come from', don't forget what they've had to deal with to get to you in the first place.

Just a question, do they provide you with any sensitivity training?

 

[atoz350 10+ year member]

I'd like to add one.

Don't ask the same questions repeatedly. You will still get the same answer no matter how you ask it. It only causes aggrevation for the associate.

And to the above...Yeah you have been through 7 menus and been on hold for 30 minutes, but the associate has been through lots more menus and has to be there for 8 hours I think you should be more sensitive.

 

[CRXBMPN 5,000+ posts]

hehe I did Customer Service for Dell, did the L1 rep, supervisor, retention, returns, whatever...

man what a funked up job that was

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

when i get a foreigner i usually just say interesting, ****, poppycock to piss them off

 

[reneeb7363 10+ year member]

sensitivity training...what is, you say... sensitivity?

 

[CRXBMPN 5,000+ posts]

de-escalation training?