(Literally) impossibly demanding customer

[8xInfinity]

I was working in a call center for a major cell phone company. I had previously assisted with dealers directly in their stores, troubleshooting orders and such. I loved it, it was actually fun being able to work with other people who also had a job to do. Politeness gets politeness and it made for productive days...

Then our department was moved and I was put into general customer billing. And I got customers from hell. One woman was so bad, I still tell people about her. She wanted to know why her bill was "so high". Pulling her account, I saw that she actually failed to pay a bill in March (this was July), but paid every bill since at her normal monthly rate. The result was a constant 30 days past due, with a rolling balance.

Me: Well, it appears we did not receive your payment in March, so your bill is for two months of service.
SC: I'm not talking about March, I'm talking about THIS month's bill.
Me: Yes, I understand. This month's bill is for two month's service because a past due balance has been rolling over since March.
SC: I don't have March's bill. I don't want to talk about March.
Me: Okay, well, this month's bill is for two month's of service.
SC: Why am I paying for two months of service at once?
Me: We never received payment in March and it was never caught up, the balance is rolling over each month.
SC: WHY can't you UNDERSTAND?! I only have THIS month's bill, I don't want to talk about PAST bills! Tell me why my balance is so high and DON'T TALK ABOUT PAST BILLS!
Me: * flabbergasted* Well, um... I'm sorry, but there is no other way I can say this- your bill is for two months of service due to a missed payment. The past due balance is...
SC: *screaming* NO! ARE YOU STUPID?! YOU ARE SO STUPID- I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT PAST BILLS I WANT TO KNOW WHY MY BILL IS TWICE WHAT IT SHOULD BE! YOU'RE A STUPID LOSER TO BE WORKING IN A CALL CENTER!!
Me: *thinking: if only losers work the phones, why call us in the first place?* Ma'am, I'm not stupid, I'm doing this to put myself through school. I just don't have any other answers for you, your bill is double because you missed a payment. It has been rolling over since March...
SC: YOU are in COLLEGE?! How come you are so STUPID?! Get me a supervisor NOW! I want someone else to tell me why my bill is so much.

I transfered the psycho to a supervisor. He told her the same thing I did. She screamed at him and hung up. I don't know if she ever managed to pay that stupid March bill, she may still be rolling that balance over.

[bainsidhe]

YOU'RE A STUPID LOSER TO BE WORKING IN A CALL CENTER!!

And yet I hold the power to help you or hurt you, are you sure you want to talk to me like that?

Note: I would never break rules/laws and deliberately mess up her account. But it's still something I'd love to say.

[mikoyan29]

Wow....She was calling YOU stupid?

[ExRetailDrone]

I... She... Um... I think my brain just blue-screened.

Seriously, she didn't want to hear the answer that was the only answer to her question? And you're stupid? That's not just backwards logic, that's figure-eight logic. And the middle doesn't meet.

[lobo94]

And yet I hold the power to help you or hurt you, are you sure you want to talk to me like that?

Note: I would never break rules/laws and deliberately mess up her account. But it's still something I'd love to say.

This is the part where we give it to the Almighty, and hope karma comes back to the SC. Or, if you've won the lottery, have the cash in hand, and it's your last day, rip the customer a new one, hang up, and make a grand exit a la Mr. Slater.

[Whiskey]

You know why babies love playing peek a boo? For babies, anything they can't see doesn't exist. So when you hide yourself, you literally stop existing. Then you pop out of nowhere, like magic, and theres joy.

This is that ladies mentality. March is over, therefore it and all the expenses it accrued don't exist anymore.

[lobo94]

SC: *screaming* NO! ARE YOU STUPID?! YOU ARE SO STUPID- I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT PAST BILLS I WANT TO KNOW WHY MY BILL IS TWICE WHAT IT SHOULD BE! YOU'RE A STUPID LOSER TO BE WORKING IN A CALL CENTER!!
Me: *thinking: if only losers work the phones, why call us in the first place?* Ma'am, I'm not stupid, I'm doing this to put myself through school. I just don't have any other answers for you, your bill is double because you missed a payment. It has been rolling over since March...
SC: YOU are in COLLEGE?! How come you are so STUPID?! Get me a supervisor NOW! I want someone else to tell me why my bill is so much.

Someone was pretty stupid. I seriously doubt it was you, 8XInfinity.

Too bad you couldn't have said something like, "If you'd paid your bill on time in March in the first place, then you wouldn't have this problem now! You're the one who is bloody stupid!"

You know, that's one thing that burns me...people assuming that one is stupid based on what job they do. There is no shame in an honest job. You do what you have to do.

[lobo94]

Whiskey-can you spare a nip or two of the Vitameatavegamin? I think we could all use some.

[chainedbarista]

hmm, can she be sent to collections? i'm sure they'd love to have a chat with her.

[XCashier]

You know, that's one thing that burns me...people assuming that one is stupid based on what job they do. There is no shame in an honest job. You do what you have to do.

Exactly. You provide a service, you pay taxes, you support the community. That's not stupid, that's being a good citizen. And when you consider that we've just gone through the worst recession since the Great Depression, and there are people with Masters Degrees and Doctorates working at McDonalds to keep a roof over their heads, you really can't judge a person by the type of job he or she holds anymore.

[chainedbarista]

you're a good person, doing what you know is right; she's the scum/bottomfeeder that expects something for nothing. if only we could treat them as they deserve to be treated, as per the golden rule.

[MoonCat]

Gah...that was seriously stupid. Why is she even allowed to keep using the service with a past due balance?

[searssoulslave]

Apparently, she wanted you to admit that you were double charging her because you hate her and you all are bad people. No other answer would be acceptable.

[Munkie]

Whiskey-can you spare a nip or two of the Vitameatavegamin? I think we could all use some.

I'll take some of that Vitavetavegamin too >_<

[Andara Bledin]

Gah...that was seriously stupid. Why is she even allowed to keep using the service with a past due balance?

She was paying every month (but for March), so every payment was likely applied to the then past due amount and the current amount went unpaid until it became past due the next month. And the cycle continued.

^-.-^