Have you ever felt this way towards difficult customers

[gunsage]

Honestly, about the most that's happened when ordering pizzas is simple stuff that we never expected credits for, but often got them...

- No side sauces.
- No pop.
- Wrong toppings.
- Wrong flavor for wings.

And really, these are simple errors. Often we'd call up and calmly explain the order was wrong. Almost every time we're offered some sort of credit. Now I don't/haven't worked in the fast food, restaurant, pizza delivery, etc. service, so I'm not aware of the policies, but to me it seems like something small in the first place, why get all worked up over it? I mean really...that's just silly.

[Lace Neil Singer]

That's cuz you're not an SC. XD Honestly, once this woman stood at the front of the queue screaming cuz we'd run out of garlic bread. A delivery had been delivered to the wrong shop, so we'd run out. Not world shattering to most people, but to this woman it was. She demanded garlic bread, as if we could have waved a magic wand and pulled it out of thin air. -.-

[Alpha Strike]

... So if I'm being yelled at, I am no longer thinking "I feel bad for this guy. What can I do to help?" Instead, the cave person in me is screaming, "You are under attack! Either run away or fight back!"

Let that be a word of advice to potential SCs: You may have a valid point and a good case, and someone might bend the rules to help you. But if you start yelling or making threats, its probably game over for you. Even if someone wants to help, even if they're trying desperately to channel their inner Buddha and understand you, you may be making them physically incapable of doing so. Once you start becoming aggressive, you're triggering survival instincts that have served homo sapiens well for thousands of years.

I am capable of feeling sympathetic and understanding towards angry customers after the fact. We've all felt like yelling and screaming at idiotic company policies, even if we haven't actually done so. But in the heat of the moment, logic is not in play.

Great post - You make some excellent points, and you're dead-on about how most customer service reps will act when "under attack." I can certainly attest to the fact that no matter how hard I try to be patient and understanding, there are just certain situations where enough abuse can transform me from great CSR to irritated and unhelpful phone dude.

It's too bad that there's not some way to remind all customers, SCs or otherwise, that they'll get so much more from us if they just keep their temper (and mouths') in check.

What you need to remember is it isn't personal. They are angry/ upset at the company and the situation. Mostly I could keep the callers from making their frustrations into a personal attack. I am very good at calming irate callers. Let them vent. After they get a chance to vent, usually I can get them to calm down. Just keep reminding yourself that it isn't personal and don't rise to the bait if they try to make it personal...

We know it's not personal. However, we're all human and it's difficult to continue to act in a calm and professional manner when someone is yelling or swearing at us for something that's not our fault. The vast majority of the time I'm able to do just that - but everyone once in a great while someone catches me in just the wrong set of circumstances and then I suddenly find myself being not so nice and conducting myself in a slightly less then professional manner.

Now, when a customer has a legitimate problem but is willing to work with me for a solution, I will do everything I can to help them--and after a year at the service desk, I know more tricks than most of the managers.

Interestingly enough, I think it's BECAUSE of some of these super-patient guests that I learned some of the tricks. "Well...theoretically, if I do this, I can try this...oh, hey, it worked! Cool, now I can do what you need me to, and I'll know for next time."

This is probably how most of us are: we know lots of little tricks and tips and are happy to use them for people who treat us well. SCs, on the other hand, get what they paid for and not a bit more - it's company policy all the way.

[guywithashovel]

My question to you: When people find out that you used to work for Wal-Mart, do thay ask you dumb questions like: Do you like it? or is it as bad as people say it is? Are any of the rumors true? I actually had someone ask me these questions as I was working.

It used to happen when I worked there, and shortly thereafter, but it doesn't happen that much anymore. But that's probably because I don't talk about it all that much anymore.

In the town I lived in at the time I was working for Wal-Mart, the Wal-Mart store was pretty much THE store in town. There were a few other stores present, but most of the people did their shopping at Wal-Mart. I would therefore come across people who wanted to make a big deal out of the fact that I worked at Wal-Mart. For instance, when people introduced me to other people, they always wanted to say "And he works at Wal-Mart!" I have to admit, that got a little annoying after a while, but I tried to brush it off.

Now, as for the other replies to my thread, I thank everyone for the thought that they have put into their responses. As I said, I thought of this because I tried to envision myself in my girlfriend's position when she was at this insurance job. I would not appreciate being yelled at, but at the same time, I could understand why the customer was yelling (not that I would actually justify it), and part of me would want to feel guilty about the whole situation. Now, granted, it wouldn't actually be MY fault that the insurance was not allowing the customer to get medicine or whatever, but still, I would feel that guilt. I have kept this in mind ever since I worked in a service job, and that's why I always make it a point to not to take out any frustration I might have with a company on a worker.