call times

[Whiskey]

This is one reason I choose not to shop at a certain game store. Admittedly, I've only heard rumors, but my understanding is that if employees don't get enough presells, card sales, or magazine subscriptions, they get fired. Discipline them for not asking customers if they want the above services, but don't discipline them for what the customers decide.

"OBVIOUSLY, if they were doing their jobs the customers would be begging them (BEGGING THEM!!!) to take their money for that totally awesome magazine subscription with all the information they could ever want (that is available for free on the internet)! Lack of sales for something like that is obviously the sign of a lazy employee who has not devoted their soul to the company.

Love,
The CEO who hasn't worked in a store since 1950."

[Darkforge]

Oh, and just because you hear "this call may be recorded" doesn't mean that all calls are recorded or that there is any way to pull the recordings. At the first place the only recorded calls were those recorded for quality scoring. I'm pretty sure the second place was the same way. They weren't filed by customer name or anything, but just kept for so long in case the employee wanted to challenge the score or the manager wanted to listen to it before coaching the employee.

From experience with the call recording software we use (some other may be different) they can search through calls made by time/date, agent who took the call or customer's phone number. More advanced options allow calls to be attached to accounts.

We save any call that forms part of a verbal contract, as well as any complaints on a special server, but the rest of the calls aren't really listened to other than spot checks or if there is an accusation of one of the salesteam doing or saying something they shouldn't.

While not every call is checked, they can find any call that has been made.

[MrSmiley]

"OBVIOUSLY, if they were doing their jobs the customers would be begging them (BEGGING THEM!!!) to take their money for that totally awesome magazine subscription with all the information they could ever want (that is available for free on the internet)! Lack of sales for something like that is obviously the sign of a lazy employee who has not devoted their soul to the company.

Love,
The CEO who hasn't worked in a store since 1950."

The flipside to that are games that seem to have been made with the sole intention of selling more strategy guides and "tips & tricks" magazine subscriptions. At least I hope that's the reason. Otherwise there are some very dangerous people out there designing puzzles and level goals.

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread, already in progress...

So regarding call times, I was pissed off at my bank recently that made me phone in to activate a credit card and in doing so was REQUIRED to talk to an employee whose sole purpose seemed to be to try to upsell 2 or 3 features that I had already rejected 1) on the application 2) talking to the banker in the office of the bank 3) on my confirmation email. Not only that but he wouldn't let me interrupt his script reading.

Also noticed that the only people who call me "Mister" (outside of this forum) are salesmen/telemarketers...

[Geek King]

Also noticed that the only people who call me "Mister" (outside of this forum) are salesmen/telemarketers...

...and cowboys.

"Mister, you sure do talk funny. You ain't from around here, are you?"

[Gravekeeper]

We have a couple of clients that like us to aim for a certain limit, but its isn't super strict and is fairly generous time wise. So no, we don't really have any sort of rules there. If you're consistently taking a long time on calls, it will show up on your stats and you'll be asked about it. But we account for the fact SC's exist. So any unusual spike and HR will go to the call recordings first to see if you had an SC. Rather than blaming you outright. -.-

[Peppergirl]

I work in a pretty lenient call center. Management only pisses me off occasionally, and when I read horseshit like this it makes me even more grateful that they don't give us a hard time about hold times.

Welcome to CS!

[chickengirl]

From experience with the call recording software we use (some other may be different) they can search through calls made by time/date, agent who took the call or customer's phone number. More advanced options allow calls to be attached to accounts.

We save any call that forms part of a verbal contract, as well as any complaints on a special server, but the rest of the calls aren't really listened to other than spot checks or if there is an accusation of one of the salesteam doing or saying something they shouldn't.

While not every call is checked, they can find any call that has been made.

My center, for one, is different. The recording is done sporadically, an hour or so block at a time. If said call happened while you were being recorded, then sure, they can pull it. If not, tough cookies.

[Sleepwalker]

When I worked for Dunk's, they had a time limit. No more than 45 seconds per customer. When the training manager came around, I asked him what we were supposed to do about the folks that told us to wait.
Informed they did not exist.
Then asked what happened when they ordered two dozen donuts, with each donut recipient pondering their choice and consulting via cellphone.
Also did not happen, according to the trainer.

I was clearly mistaken in observing this phenomenon several times an hour, more on weekends.

Such optimistic people.

[EricKei]

This is one reason I choose not to shop at a certain game store... Discipline them for not asking customers if they want the above services, but don't discipline them for what the customers decide.

...
Love,
The CEO who hasn't worked in a store since 1950."

You have no idea how right you are, guys >_<

When I worked at a GameStore (busiest and most profitable one in our state -- it's really well-run and most of the customers liked us), I had the privelege of being able listen in on regional calls form time to time. I have, more than once, heard calls where Corporate would tally up the stats, and then break out with something like this:

"Okaaay... (Eric's Store), you guys are #1 in the district, and #1 or 2 the state, in 7 out our 9 measurements...But these other two concern me -- You're 4th place in one and 8th in the other (out of, say, 9 District stores)... *picture the speaker taking his glasses off at this point in order to be 'serious'*

"Looking at these two figures here makes me wonder: are you guys even TRYING? (translation: You Lazy F****ers). It looks to me like you aren't even that motivated. I mean, SM [with 5 years running this store and 20+ years managing retail overall], I have to ask: do you even WANT this job? You've really gotta do better than this if you want to get ahead in this company"

Sadly, this was considered fairly typical, and par for the course. I usually found something else to do before they started in on the stores which were lower-ranked >_>

Informed they did not exist.
Then asked what happened when they ordered two dozen donuts, with each donut recipient pondering their choice and consulting via cellphone.
Also did not happen, according to the trainer.

I hate being behind people like this, in car or in person. If I don't know what I want, I defer and step back from the counter BEFORE I get in line.

I really have to wonder what store this trainer worked at, where no CS's like this ever showed up....Then I realize, DUH, he's NEVER worked at a real store...Just the company store to which he's sold his soul, where everybody is an actor working off of a script...

[Treasure]

Texas is an at will state, and I don't know that I would want it any other way...

but I also agree w/ Mr Customer's advise... just b/c its "AT WILL" doesn't mean they can violate the laws and tell you "don't like it leave" .... so absolutely check w/ the state labor board.

[TelephoneAngel]

I think actually that the place is going to implode soon, and I'm not joking.

The atmosphere is very very bad, the workers are very jumpy, the least little thing that happens, instead of previously when we would have taken time to help each other, now, oh no can't take time to help someone (would mean putting your customer on hold while you do it, and that means more time on the call).

I think that's why my coworker freaked out as in the other thread, and actually decided he was going to confront an SC in person.Usually, something like that happens, you just say "ok I am terminating the phone call because you are making personal remarks to me", and you put the phone down.

[TelephoneAngel]

What I forgot to say is that of course there is no longer much customer service, even if I know the answer to a question the customer asks me, if its off script then I'm going to say "you need to call *other department* and they will tell you"
whereas previously I would have explained everything to the customer myself. We have even been told by management to do things like this to improve the call times.

I have no idea at all why the damned call times are sooooooooo important? I mean it doesn't prove we are doing anything really well, does it?

[trailerparkmedic]

I have no idea at all why the damned call times are sooooooooo important?

Shorter call times=you taking more calls=less people they need to pay to answer the same number of calls

If they REALLY want to start pushing efficiency, they might start also grading you on the percentage of your callers who call back within a set timeframe. The idea is that you should have taken care of EVERYTHING the first time to prevent an additional call back that required additional manhours.

I hope they let up on the call times soon.

[OfficeSlug]

Idaho's one of those states, too. It's a disgusting flaw.

Florida too.
One job I got let go after 2.5 weeks because "it wasn't a fit" - wtf? What kind of reason is that when someone's numbers are improving and there aren't any complaints?!

[TelephoneAngel]

Please dear friends let me scream on your shoulder.............

Today, I got carded.It's only a matter of time before I get put on report.And what did I do so terribly wrong?

I .............I...........

asked one of the mandatory script questions in the wrong order

I should have asked for the name then account number then confirm date of birth and address.

Instead I asked for name and account number then confirm address and date of birth.

The shame. I think I must be truly sorry, but somehow I can't seem to bring myself to care very much, even though my henious crime resulted in a meeting with my manager and me promising not to do it again. At the meeting, manager was moaning about how many of us had had to be carded for the same offense.