Help me to help you (By stopping being clueless)

[Polenicus]

Well, I'm finally out of the security biz, and I've gotten myself a great new job working in a call center (Not sarcastic at all, this sort of work really suits me. I'm told I have a really strong 'radio personality' voice)

I've done tech support before, and I know the pitfalls. I'm prepared for the angry, sucky, entitled people, the landmine calls set up by previous agents/techs who promise things we don't, can't, and never will be able to deliver (Thus generating wholly justified sucky people) and the fun of having vital tools go down just as we get socked with a call spike. This is normal and expected. But, there is one thing that still boggles me.

You are calling about your internet being out. Okay, that's fine. No, wait, it's your mother's internet, but she's elderly and has a tough time with these calls. That's perfectly fine! I can still help! Ah, but you're not currently there.

You're at home.

Your home.

In a different province.

That's like calling the mechanic and asking him to fix your car over the phone, then telling him 'Sorry Mario, the Pinto is in another castle!... err, Garage! But if I tell you the noise it made... well, I don't even know that. But if I tell you it's broken, can you tell me how to fix it?'

If it was an isolated call, I could understand, but... ARRRGH! I got FIVE calls yesterday which were people who said 'Oh sorry, I'm not at home right now. Should I call back when I'm actually there?' or who for whatever other reason couldn't do basic troubleshooting.

My call center dings you for callbacks by the same client within a 30 day period. Thank you for the free additions to my repeat rate guys. *Grumble*

[thehuckster]

Quoth Polenicus

My call center dings you for callbacks by the same client within a 30 day period. Thank you for the free additions to my repeat rate guys. *Grumble*

Another example of corporate not having a clue what customer support is like, and thinking representatives on the phone have any control over customers' calling habits.

I know of customers who will call tech support for any little thing that goes wrong on their computer, and regardless of whether it's even supportable or you are responsible for it... yet somehow it's all your fault they don't have a clue and don't know who to call or when to call.

[Polenicus]

Quoth thehuckster

Another example of corporate not having a clue what customer support is like, and thinking representatives on the phone have any control over customers' calling habits.

I know of customers who will call tech support for any little thing that goes wrong on their computer, and regardless of whether it's even supportable or you are responsible for it... yet somehow it's all your fault they don't have a clue and don't know who to call or when to call.

Actually, I understand their reasoning for it: The whole idea of educating the customer and giving them self-help options to try and FORESTALL that sort of behavior.

Because each call in costs money, and each call in the customer gets more and more upset, justified or not, and is more likely to churn (Move to the other guys). And if it's just ignorance that causes it, well, taking a few extra minutes to at least give the customer the IDEA that they might be able to solve it on their own is worthwhile.

Besides, we traded Call Time stats for this, and ANYTHING that replaces call time limits is automatically good.

But there is a difference between IGNORANCE, and CLUELESSNESS.

Unless they actually believe, in all honesty, that I can wave my hand from afar and heal their modems of their leprosy. In which case, I wanna know, where is the holiday in my honor and flattering stained glass portraits?

[Legal Eagle]

so by Corporate logic if i ring the tech support line for my internet 4 weeks apart for completely seperate issues somehow it's the original tech's fault?

[earl colby pottinger]

Relative in Miami, Florida calling me in Ontario, Canada asking for help/guidance in taking apart a laptop over the phone because they are too cheap to take it to a local repair shop.

Worse, since it was a CD jammed inside the drive because they did not seat it properly before forcing the drive close, they most likely needed a new one anyway.

Me: Take it in!
Them: Just tell me where I should unscrew!

Repeat for 5-7 minutes.