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Today I got a call from a customer who wanted to buy a toll road pass ... for the 17th August.
Our policy is that, once the travel is made, customers have 3 days in which to pay for a pass. Every so often, if someone has gone over by 1-2 days, we can put something through as a late pass. Any later and they wait for an invoice to appear in the mail.
So this customer was clearly over the time limit, by 8 days. I broke the news to her, let her know the position I needed to take re the company rules, and what would happen concerning late payment for the travel in question.
She got very quiet, and then asked what exactly she would be charged. If she had paid the original pass in time, only $12.30 for a 24 hour pass. The invoice she will receive will charge an invoice fee for about that much, plus any toll charges for the travel she completed.
I gave the information and as expected (as lots of customers do) she got very affronted when 1) she found out about the invoice fee and 2) I couldn't give her a definitive answer concerning exactly how much she would have to pay (if I don't know where she's traveled and she can't tell me herself, then I'm a bit powerless ...)
She got whiny at this stage:
SC: I don't understand why you can't take my payment.
Me: I do apologise, but the rules concerning passes and the time period is very clear.
SC: But I have my CREDIT CARD. I am WILLING to make a PAYMENT. Wouldn't you rather take a payment, rather than deal with all the unnecessary paperwork?
That's right lady. Tell me I should care about the paperwork I will never see or process.
Me: The paperwork is not really my concern - at this stage (went through the entire spiel AGAIN about what would happen from today) and this is why we cannot accept payment.
SC: (getting really snotty) So you said.
At this stage I ask if there is anything else I can help her with.
SC: ACTUALLY, there is. You can give me some information so that I can open an account so that I NEVER get fined AGAIN!
Me: That's fine - how often will you be travelling on the toll roads?
SC: HOPEFULLY NEVER AGAIN!
I almost laughed into the phone, but managed to hold it in.
Me: You're never traveling on our toll roads again? If that's the case ... um, really, it sounds as if you don't need an account.
Considering that comment could have come across as disrespectful, from this customer I was expecting rains of fire and screams of incompetency. Instead she made me go through several different types of accounts with her, and at the very end, when I asked her if she wanted to open an account:
SC: No, I just wanted you to give me the information - I'LL decide when I open the account and I certainly won't be opening one over the PHONE. THANK you SO much for your HELP! *BANG*
Meh. And again meh.
Our policy is that, once the travel is made, customers have 3 days in which to pay for a pass. Every so often, if someone has gone over by 1-2 days, we can put something through as a late pass. Any later and they wait for an invoice to appear in the mail.
So this customer was clearly over the time limit, by 8 days. I broke the news to her, let her know the position I needed to take re the company rules, and what would happen concerning late payment for the travel in question.
She got very quiet, and then asked what exactly she would be charged. If she had paid the original pass in time, only $12.30 for a 24 hour pass. The invoice she will receive will charge an invoice fee for about that much, plus any toll charges for the travel she completed.
I gave the information and as expected (as lots of customers do) she got very affronted when 1) she found out about the invoice fee and 2) I couldn't give her a definitive answer concerning exactly how much she would have to pay (if I don't know where she's traveled and she can't tell me herself, then I'm a bit powerless ...)
She got whiny at this stage:
SC: I don't understand why you can't take my payment.
Me: I do apologise, but the rules concerning passes and the time period is very clear.
SC: But I have my CREDIT CARD. I am WILLING to make a PAYMENT. Wouldn't you rather take a payment, rather than deal with all the unnecessary paperwork?
That's right lady. Tell me I should care about the paperwork I will never see or process.
Me: The paperwork is not really my concern - at this stage (went through the entire spiel AGAIN about what would happen from today) and this is why we cannot accept payment.
SC: (getting really snotty) So you said.
At this stage I ask if there is anything else I can help her with.
SC: ACTUALLY, there is. You can give me some information so that I can open an account so that I NEVER get fined AGAIN!
Me: That's fine - how often will you be travelling on the toll roads?
SC: HOPEFULLY NEVER AGAIN!
I almost laughed into the phone, but managed to hold it in.
Me: You're never traveling on our toll roads again? If that's the case ... um, really, it sounds as if you don't need an account.
Considering that comment could have come across as disrespectful, from this customer I was expecting rains of fire and screams of incompetency. Instead she made me go through several different types of accounts with her, and at the very end, when I asked her if she wanted to open an account:
SC: No, I just wanted you to give me the information - I'LL decide when I open the account and I certainly won't be opening one over the PHONE. THANK you SO much for your HELP! *BANG*
Meh. And again meh.
I've just done what I tell my customers not to do ... assume. Maybe I should apologise?
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