I Coulda Gotten Fired for This. . .

[dougiezerts]

. . . but it felt sooooooooooo good!
First, glad to see the board back.
I got a call from a woman who asked for two listings. The first was for a county court. I asked her which court exactly. We're required to ask this question, because there really isn't such a thing as a main court. There's district court, or circuit court, and they have different functions.
Anyway, she made a nasty comment that I've forgotten (and it's just as well). . . and I hung up on her!
Of course, she probably immediately called another poor operator. I wonder how she reacted when he/she asked her the same question!

[WonTon]

I always hang up on rude people. Usually they get the hint.

[dougiezerts]

Unfortunately, our managers see this situation differently.

[El Barto]

Unfortunately, our managers see this situation differently.

Mine doesnt. A few days ago he got a call and when the person insulted one of our employees they somehow got disconnected. We really should get that phone fixed.

[Broomjockey]

I had one awesome manager, a lady started to argue with him over the phone. I'm sitting near by, and see him just hang up, no good-bye or anything. I thought that was wierd. 5 seconds later, phone rings, he answers. "Yes, I did hang up on you. You don't swear at me. No..." Hangs up again. Phone rings 20 seconds later, he answers "Ok, I accept, what can I do for you?"
So cool.

[ShockQueen]

Yeah....unfortunately, at our place, our manager made it clear in no uncertain terms that if he caught anyone hanging up on a customer, they would be shown the door. So apparently, we're supposed to just take all their abuse up the tailpipe and deal with it.

I wonder if just putting them on "rot" (indefinite hold) might have the same effect? Too bad it wrecks your calls-per-hour though.....

[Pinkie]

Where I work, if a customer starts to get abusive, especially if they start swearing, we are allowed to call them on it (ie. "please don't speak to me like that" or "please stop swearing at me") If they continue with the abuse, we are allowed to say "if you continue to speak to me (swear at me) like that I will release this call". Most of the time they apologize and say something along the lines of "I'm not angry (yelling at) you, I'm mad at your company" and they start to be civil again. If they continue with the rant/swearing we are allowed to disconnect the call. I've never had to disconnect the call.....usually they do it for me, but first yell a few choice words at me ...my favorite was "you effin' whore! <click>". Damn, I love my job!

[Seanette]

Both in tech support and my current job, same policy. You do have to point out the language (politely), then issue the "I will have to disconnect the call if you continue to use that kind of language" warning, but you CAN hang up on a profane or insulting caller.

I remember one tech support caller who, while following instructions, cursed at her computer, then promptly apologized to me for the language. My response was along the lines of "I completely sympathize with you, and as long as the language isn't aimed directly AT me, it doesn't bother me" (which is basically true). The caller was in fact basically quite nice, and did have valid reasons to be that frustrated with the machine.

[theredbaron47]

I've only hung up on several people (while answering the phones at the hardware store I work at), but they were the extreme cases who deserved it. I know my managers would back me up on it if they made a fuss about it, though, because they are very cool most of the time.

It just makes me wonder. To get me mad enough to hang up on your sorry butt, how can you go through life without getting that same sorry butt beaten five shades of black and blue? Don't people have manners anymore?

[Lace Neil Singer]

Where I work, if a customer starts to get abusive, especially if they start swearing, we are allowed to call them on it (ie. "please don't speak to me like that" or "please stop swearing at me") If they continue with the abuse, we are allowed to say "if you continue to speak to me (swear at me) like that I will release this call". Most of the time they apologize and say something along the lines of "I'm not angry (yelling at) you, I'm mad at your company" and they start to be civil again. If they continue with the rant/swearing we are allowed to disconnect the call. I've never had to disconnect the call.....usually they do it for me, but first yell a few choice words at me ...my favorite was "you effin' whore! <click>". Damn, I love my job!

At the pizza place, we were allowed to do that. First, we had to say "If you don't stop swearing at me, I'm hanging up!" then if they continued... *click* I hung up on quite a few customers cuz of that; funny how people assume that cuz you're on the other end of the phone you don't have feelings.

[lordlundar]

Actually, check with your labour laws. I know up her in Canada, employees are not required to put up with that garbage. If a manager tried to fire me, they could (and would) face legal action.

Of course, my managers would probably swear at the customer right back before hanging up.

[Mr. Rager!]

This reminds me of a time when a customer called and my manager was standing right by me.

I no sooner finish my speil when he started yelling about his garage door opener and how he is so dissatisfied with it and what are we going to do it bout. On and on and on... Everytime I tried talking, he'd start screaming again. My manager looked at me and said, "just hang up." So I did.

The guy called back again and started screaming again and my manager said, "hang up." So I did.

The guy called back a 3rd time, he was talking in a normal tone but of course he wanted to speak to a manager. My manager was right there and he said, "Sir, are you ready to talk like a civilized adult? Because before, I could hear you screaming and I wasn't even the one with the phone."

[TonyDonuts]

funny how people assume that cuz you're on the other end of the phone you don't have feelings.

It's not that they think we have no feelings..

..it's that they DON'T CARE about those feelings.

At all.

On those occasions when I've tossed a customer for being rude or abusive towards one of my staff, the expression on their faces while it's happening, without exception, is always one of plain astonishment.

Astonishment that I would take exception to their calling one of my sixteen-year-olds a "dumb f@$*ing c&@t" because she would not let him grope her ass. And that I, and several members of my staff, were going to bodily remove him from the premises for that.

Among other incidents.

They simply cannot conceive of YOUR feelings being anywhere NEAR as important as THEIR feelings.

[Seanette]

The guy called back a 3rd time, he was talking in a normal tone but of course he wanted to speak to a manager. My manager was right there and he said, "Sir, are you ready to talk like a civilized adult? Because before, I could hear you screaming and I wasn't even the one with the phone."

I *like* your manager.

[Mighty Girl]

I used to either put them on terminal hold, or hang up on them. If they complained, I'd just claim the call got "disconnected".