Supervisors have magic powers

[spazmunke]

Hey all, haven't posted in a while but I've been lurking

Anyway, I work in a call center doing tech support for a cable company. Also, some information on my company, unlike a lot of tech support call centers we don't have "tiers" of tech support, anyone you get on the phone is the one who can and will help you for the duration of the call. If we have questions we call an internal support line, then go back to the customer.

Anyway, our supervisorsite here are not trained in tech support issues, they are really just personelle managers to make sure we are doing our jobs. So it's funny when a customer asks for a supervisor (usually because they don't like the answer they are getting) we tell the customer that a supervisor has no more power than we do (which is true, we are greatly empowered to assist customers), a dinner we tell the customer my supervisor will tell you the same thing or my supervisor can do Xbox which is something I can do for you. So why do they not believe us?

So really, what is it that customers think our supervisors can do for them that we cant? Especially when I specifically asked them "and what do you want my supervisor to do, <insert issue> welll, that is something I can do for you.

Gahanna people are getting to me lately.

[Slave to the Phone]

Our office culture is something the same as yours. While our sups came up through the ranks and have been trained in our jobs, they are supposed to do administrative work now.

Something I love about this office is that there I can go to one of my sups, fill them in and ask they to go help with a customer and they get right up and walk out with me. No arguments, no "coaching session" later. If one of our clients wants a sup, they get a sup, them's the rules.

And then the sup will tell the client the exact thing I told them and get smiles and thanks.

Whatever, they are gone and there are no negative actions going on my eval.

[bainsidhe]

It's also challenging when you no sooner answer the call that you're told "I need a supervisor". In nearly every instance, the person answering the phone can help right then and there, without delaying the call or involving a 3rd party.

[Pixelated]

I think the title of this thread says it all: Many customers believe supervisors have magical powers and can fix the things the lazy (*ahem*) and lowly staffers can't.

Or, if the supervisor can't fix it, it's because it can't be fixed. (Why don't they believe that when you tell them that? No idea. I guess that, again, they feel that the supervisors are so much better informed about things ...)

[taxguykarl]

Not to mention the power to override company policy or even applicable laws and regulations.

[EricKei]

It's also challenging when you no sooner answer the call that you're told "I need a supervisor"

I think I can explain this one -- One of the popular "Get better service now!" lifehacks that's been going around for years states that doing this is the best way to escalate a call past the lower-tier agents. The assumption -- sometimes explicit, sometimes not -- is that the low-tier guys are in another country and/or reading from a script and/or have barely functional English, while everyone higher up is both US-ian and assumed to be more competent. Asking for an escalation AFTER an agent has proven themselves lacking is fine; doing it up front is just kinda being a jerk.

[wolfie]

Just wait and see - some call center is going to add to its employee evaluation metrics "able to handle the problem without a customer request to escalate to a supervisor". Get a caller whose first words are "I want to speak to a supervisor"? You lose points on your performance evaluation.

[spazmunke]

It is funny when the customer starts the call with "give me a supervisor", especially when they refuse to give us any information. I even asked "and what do you want to speak to a supervisor for so I can get you to the right person" We have different departments, with different supervisors.

[notalwaysright]

I think I can explain this one -- One of the popular "Get better service now!" lifehacks that's been going around for years states that doing this is the best way to escalate a call past the lower-tier agents.

Yup. In our case at the fabric store, regular employees actually could do a lot, but we weren't supposed to. The manager could do more, yes, but really how much are these people expecting from a cheapo fabric chain?

Back at the roofing company, some people didn't want to give me any information whatsoever. I'm talking basic info like address, type of roofing, etc. It was a huge waste of time because I was just trying to HELP THEM by giving their details to the roofer who would be best, such as a guy who was the best at metal roofs, or flat roofs. But noooo, they wanted to "talk with a roofer." Yes. You will talk to one. Who may or may not be the best person for the job, since you won't even tell me if you want comp or metal or what.