Am I awake or is this a nightmare?? (extremely long, some language)

[LizaMarie]

Seshat, that really is excellent advice. Next time an SC comes my way I'm taking it!

Shaded Wings, I'm not sure if it helps, but I like to plot elaborate revenge schemes that could never work in reality. Or maybe just try imagining what a miserable life she must lead to be so full of hate and venom! *hugs*

[Brightglaive]

I'm sorry to hear you had a a real a$$hat for a customer, SW. Cyber hugs... You might ask your supervisor about verbal abuse from customers and the company policy with regard to that.

I can see taking some abuse when you are trying to calm a customer down along the lines of "I hate your company. I hate all of you for doing this to me blah,blah, blah." When it becomes personally insulting though e.g. " I hate you, You suck, you're a moron, baboons are smarter than you, Can you get me someone else to help me cause you obviously are incompetent. " that's when it's verbal abuse. At that point I take Seshat's advice and treat them like unruly children.

I will inform them that, "I am fully empowered and willing to help you. HOWEVER what you are doing is verbal abuse. If you continue to insult me (or use profanity)or this verbal abuse continues I will be forced to terminate this call. You have been warned." It lets them know that, "hey!! You're on thin ice. Keep doing what you're doing and I'll introduce you to someone who cares....Mr. Dialtone."

Early on in the call I might have handled it this way with a smile in my voice and on my face..." Ma'am, as much as I like verbal sparring, I need to know your relationship with the primary contact on this account before I can give you any information regarding this account. So for verification reasons are you a cousin, aunt, grandmother or what?" As long as it seems like playful banter you won't get in trouble.

At the point where she became verbally abusive ("I SAID, since you have memory problems...") is where I would have warned her. Then I would've continued, " I don't know why you were contacted or why the phone number might be disconnected. Let me pull up the acount history in my database. May I put you on hold for one minute?" This allows you to 1) control the call, 2) to cool off, 3) gives you time to bring up the account history in the database and read the history, and 4) Keeps the customer from "building up a full head of steam" on their rudeness, discourtesy and abuse . If the customer continues to be rude then they start understanding that they may end up on penalty hold. This is known as a L.A.R.T. Loser (or Large) Attitude Readjustment Tool. And it can be as effective or more effective than a Clue-by-four but is just a little bit more gentle at times.

After reading the history I would have come back and told her, " Thanks for holding ma'am. It appears your acount is overdue in the amount of $331.01 and that a disconnection notice was sent in that amount."
Dw: Does it show that I made a payment?
Me: I do show a payment of $250.00 on x date. That leaves $81.01 owing. Would you care to pay that today?

This is the third trick. Ask them closed ended questions where the answer is yes or no.

If they continue to argue that "well brian said...", you just respond, "I have no record of that in my database. WHat I do see is that you talked to a supervisor on the 11th and he stated, ' X statement' What has been set up is the following: X payment plan. Your phone is to be disconnected on x date. Would you care to make the rest of that payment today to avoid being disconnected?"

If at any time she became abusive toward me I would tell her " I warned you once. This is your second warning. There won't be a third."

[BookstoreEscapee]

Now to just get rid of my headache from crying too much

I find a Sudafed, 2 Advil (or Tylenol) and a caffeinated soda (Cherry Coke makes me happy but Diet will do) usually does the trick! Also avoid laying down for a bit cuz that usually just makes the stuffy-head part worse, at least until the Sudafed kicks in. Feel better!

[Tigress]

When you have a customer like that, it's really hard not to take the personal insults, well, personally. But the only reason they get nasty and make with the insults is because they've pulled this stunt in the past and it worked for them. That harpy probably never intended to pay the remaining balance and was insulting you in the hopes that you would get so flustered that you would give her what she wanted just to get her off the phone or slip up and give her something to make a formal complaint about, get you in trouble and still get what she wants.

You handled it really well, from what I read. You got her with a supervisor, who was able to deal her shitty attitude back to her. The only thing I would have done different is call her on her personal insults. "Ma'am, I'm trying to help you, but I can't do that unless you let me."

[Rapscallion]

Welcome, don't be nervous. We're nice and don't bite unless asked.

Some of us nibble if asked nicely!

Rapscallion

[tangrid]

Awww, we have to wait to be asked before we can bite, now? When'd that happen?

[Andara Bledin]

P.S-my very first post & I'm nervous!

Don't be nervous.

.... we'll be gentle...

^-.-^

[ShadedWings]

Thank you for all the suggestions... I definitely will keep them in mind, if this happens again. It's just hard to remember what I CAN do, except try and help, when my brain's going foggy from all the insults and trying to think around them.

I figured she was just trying to get her way or something, but as I've said several times to others... I can only do what the company will let me do, and I will do whatever I can within those limitations to help... it's not going to make me make up some random crap just to shut you up. *snort*

On a small update to all this, I did end up going home after about two and a half hours today, because I guess I'm still upset over it. Maybe a combination of that and all the stress in my life right now. I just couldn't deal with work today... but now I have to make up the time I missed the rest of the week and work 10 hour shifts for the next three days. *sigh*

I'll update now and then as her account progresses... I saved her account number to check back on it, and see what happens to her. Again, thank you all for the suggestions and support, it does help. *hugs*

[earl colby pottinger]

Three warnings?

If at any time she became abusive toward me I would tell her " I warned you once. This is your second warning. There won't be a third."

The company I used to work for gave ONE WARNING only!

If they did it again you just said, "Sorry, we are not required to listen to such language.", and just hang up. At that point if they called back the moment a curse word was heard you just hang-up. The really bad ones would call three or four times but never got pass their opening "You fu-", hung up again.

Many people would calm down by the third call back however, and to their surprise would still find us very helpful.

[earl colby pottinger]

President

Beyotch refused to accept my assurances, called me incompetent, demanded to speak to the "president of the company" over this.

The past company I worked for only had 25 employees, and if we were not told to expect the call or personally knew that you knew the president of the company, we would not pass on your call to him.

If you can;t get the president of such a small company, why would she expect to get one of a company that probably has thousands of employees?

I know, I know, because she is sucky, but still?

[mattm04]

Wow, what a, um, female dog. I have never had anyone that rude. If I were a manager i would set it up so that when ever she calls the person would get an alert on the screen about past behavior. That way they know what they are in for.

[hotelnpa]

I extend a hug to you for having to deal with that woman.

I've worked at various customer service jobs in western Pennsylvania and most Pennsylvanians (where the witch was from) are not like that. But we do have our share of jerks though.

[otakuneko]

The company I used to work for gave ONE WARNING only!

If they did it again you just said, "Sorry, we are not required to listen to such language.", and just hang up. At that point if they called back the moment a curse word was heard you just hang-up. The really bad ones would call three or four times but never got pass their opening "You fu-", hung up again.

Many people would calm down by the third call back however, and to their surprise would still find us very helpful.

Nice. The abusive caller policy where I work is two warnings, then call-termination, with a statement of why it is being terminated. It only applies if they are making it personal, of course. Raging against Checkmark Telco is perfectly permissible, although I might push my headset off my ear and wait for silence. I'm not paid enough to actually listen.

I've killed two, maybe three calls in ~2 years.

[ShadedWings]

I extend a hug to you for having to deal with that woman.

I've worked at various customer service jobs in western Pennsylvania and most Pennsylvanians (where the witch was from) are not like that. But we do have our share of jerks though.

Actually, the lady was from somewhere in New Jersey. I find two types of people come from there. The Very Intelligent, who understand everything I tell them and make an informed decision, or the Incensed and Irate, who just blow up at me for anything.

I'm not aiming this at anyone who is from Jersey, just that I find the people I talk to about their electric from this state tend to be that way. No harm meant, before I get any rants.