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SC Coping Mechanisms. What's yours?

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  • SC Coping Mechanisms. What's yours?

    We've all had that one (or seemingly 100) customer that that goes above and beyond the regular SC antics. And as the wonderful service representatives we generally aren't allowed to do what we really wish we could to whichever idiot graced us with their presence this particular day.

    What are your coping mechanisms for not going off on a customer before you can either get through it or hand it off to someone else?

    I personally imagine them as cartoon characters. Complete with over exaggerated features and sometimes mentally redressed in more appropriate clothes for the situation at hand. Although I sometimes have to fight a smile at what my vindictive mind cooks up.

    What's yours?
    Don’t worry about what I’m up to. Worry about why you are worried about what I’m up to.

  • #2
    I actually zone out and go into robot mode. But, if its someone who just came to the food stamp office to yell at someone* because they were disqualified/sanctioned/denied for something, I will agree with them at just the right moment to set them off into profanity laden screams. This will get security called and my problem will go away.

    I honestly do understand that nobody comes to see me when times are good, they come when times are not so good and they are stressed out over bills and how to feed their kids.

    I am there to help. I want to help. My customers are applying for government aid and have to jump through hoops. I don't make the rules for this, but I do have to follow them, so my advice is "Don't abuse the person who is trying to help. This really doesn't make them want to help you, it makes them want to just pend your case to make you go away."

    *this happens on a regular basis. I can't and won't change the rules for someone who isn't allowed to have food stamps forever. Certain drug related felonies after 8/28/96 are life time disqualifications. Some of them tend to get rather strident with their objections to the unfairness of the decision. I will agree with them that its a shame that I will approve food and cash for murderers and child rapists but someone who smoked a little pot 20 years ago can't eat forever. This usually tends to be the fastest way to get security involved.

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    • #3
      I'm lucky that I have an office. That means if I get a particularly belligerent customer, I can tell them I need to get approval from my supervisor. Then I walk out of my office and into my supervisor's, which helps in several ways. It gets me out of the immediate situation. It gives the customer a few moments to (hopefully) cool down. And if needed, I can bring my supervisor back with me to talk with the customer.

      But even before that, I try to confirm that I understand that the customer is upset. Agreeing with them, even on little things, often deflates the customer's rage (at least in my experience).
      "I look at the stars. It's a clear night and the Milky Way seems so near. That's where I'll be going soon. "We are all star stuff." I suddenly remember Delenn's line from Joe's script. Not a bad prospect. I am not afraid. In the meantime, let me close my eyes and sense the beauty around me. And take that breath under the dark sky full of stars. Breathe in. Breathe out. That's all."
      -Mira Furlan

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      • #4
        I'm 6'1 (6'4 in my boots), 350 pounds.

        That makes me bigger than about 95% of my customers. Size matters.

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        • #5
          Quoth An Haddock View Post
          I'm 6'1 (6'4 in my boots), 350 pounds.

          That makes me bigger than about 95% of my customers. Size matters.
          Can confirm. 6'2", 275+ pounds. Broad-shouldered, deep voiced.

          I got so much less flack from sucktomers than my colleagues in the retail trenches did.
          PWNADE(TM) - Serve up a glass today! | PWNZER - An act of pwnage so awesome, it's like the victim got hit by a tank.

          There are only Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse because I choose to walk!

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          • #6
            Quoth Ghel View Post

            But even before that, I try to confirm that I understand that the customer is upset. Agreeing with them, even on little things, often deflates the customer's rage (at least in my experience).
            Very much so. I've also, thankfully, got the option of being able to hand off really problem customers to the shift lead, the assistant manager, or the manager.

            We get very very few truly sucky customers at my store. Some are unhappy for various reasons ... some justified, some not ... but I have never personally seen the level of SC that I see in some of these posts.

            Yet.
            Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
            ~ Mr Hero

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            • #7
              Quoth Pixelated View Post
              We get very very few truly sucky customers at my store. Some ... but I have never personally seen the level of SC that I see in some of these posts.

              Yet.

              Re the bolded...you are going to be very sorry that you said that.

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              • #8
                When I worked at King of Burgers many years ago, I used to have to "hold it in" until my break. Then sometimes I'd go sit in my car and crank some music (usually Metallica's "King Nothing") and scream.
                Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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                • #9
                  The louder the customer gets, the quieter I get.

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                  • #10
                    Quoth Slave to the Phone View Post
                    Re the bolded...you are going to be very sorry that you said that.
                    OMG you are right ... I have probably REALLLLLY jinxed myself now!!
                    Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                    ~ Mr Hero

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                    • #11
                      I'd misread it as SC Copying Mechanisms. We don't want to do that, do we?
                      Customers should always be served . . . to the nearest great white.

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                      • #12
                        Quoth Kristev View Post
                        I'd misread it as SC Copying Mechanisms. We don't want to do that, do we?
                        No no we don't. There's enough of them out there as is.
                        Don’t worry about what I’m up to. Worry about why you are worried about what I’m up to.

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                        • #13
                          Quoth Kristev View Post
                          I'd misread it as SC Copying Mechanisms. We don't want to do that, do we?
                          Mickey M. *thought* his apprenticeship was bad...
                          I am not an a**hole. I am a hemorrhoid. I irritate a**holes!
                          Procrastination: Forward planning to insure there is something to do tomorrow.
                          Derails threads faster than a pocket nuke.

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                          • #14
                            I swear a lot.

                            After the customer hangs up.

                            My language has deteriorated badly over 38 years
                            When you start at zero, everything's progress.

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                            • #15
                              About the worse thing I've ever said at work is "CRAAAP!" when my sup pointed out a very stupid mistake.

                              And there was that time I got reported for saying "poopy-head", but I don't think that really counts.

                              My poor sweetie sometimes looked shocked at my language at home and he's a biker and a Marine.

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