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BACKSTORY - where I work [health insurance company], the people who assess and pay our hospital claims do not take direct calls. From ANYONE. Not customers, and not even from us staff here. If you have an enquiry, first point of contact is to email or instand message them, failing that, you can get up and walk over to them face to face if you are staff.
This has always been the case. And it has always been a good, effective system. It keeps them running smoothly and on time, and they remain up to date.
So. This call just took place.
NOTE - the woman calling is the patient accounts manager of a hospital, and she seems to be in her 40s/50s
Me - Hi, how can I help you *opening spiel*
SC - Claims
*silence*
Me - O...kay?
Were you wanting to discuss a claim on your policy?
SC - Claims department
Me - Okay ma'am, did you have your member number there with you so I can bring the claim up to see who to refer your call through to?
SC - *SIGH* I'm calling from a HOSPITAL
*silence*
Me - Okay then....well may I please your name, the hospital name and the provider number?
[NOTE - all hospitals know to provide this when they call, it is standard protocol...when she gave her name and ID, it showed she had worked there for years...she right form the word go, she was being difficult ]
SC - Fine ... [gives me the details]
Me - Okay ma'am, so I can see here that this is a hospital claim for a mutual client. I'll get an email off to the assessor to review that, I can see the claim was only part paid, I assume that was the reason for your call?
SC - Yes
Me - Okay, no worries ma'am. May I please get a return email address that I can pass to the assessor for you?
SC - No, I will speak to them now
Me - Oh, okay, I'm sorry ma'am but our hospital claims people don't actually take calls, they correspond via email only, that's just how they've always operated for all enquiries. But I can certainly pass your details through and have this looked into for you within the hour
This is when it gets....'special'.
This fully grown women then puts on a childish whingey sarcastic voice....
SC - Ohhhhhh... so I suppose I have no choice but to give you my email address seeing as I'm just a lowly hospitalllllll employee who isn't worrrrrthy to speak to the high ang mighty claaaaaims people! I'm just at the bottom of the totem pole because I'mmmmm just a hospital employeeeee!
Me
- Uh...ma'am...I just advised you that this is how they have always operated? Nothing that I said even implied in the slightest that their method of communication had anything to do with your job or position there? They don't even take calls from us here and we are staff. I can see from your registration ID that you've dealth with our funds years, this method of communication with our claims department has always been the same??
SC - Ohhhhh nonononono no that's okay, I understand, I see how it is, I'm just not goooooood enough, am I? I'm just a hospital worker earning minimum wage so hard daaarrrrrre I ask to speak to one of the Kings down in the claims area!
Me -
SC - So what should I do, huh? What do you suggest? Do I need to quit my job here to go and become the owner of the hospital, and then call back and enquire about this claim then, huh? Is that what you're telling me to do? Will the fantastic claims people feel that I am worthy to speak to them then, huh? When I own the hospital? Huh? Will I be good enough for them then?
Me - Ma'am, did you want me to pass through your email address?
SC - Ohhhhh no, no no no no I shouldn't be talking to you! No! You're a big important health insurance worker, but I just work for the hosssspital! Noooooooooooooo! No, I can't be talking to you, I'm not good enough! I'm beneath you, that's what you're saying , isn't it? Isn't it! I guess I should apologise for even having called you in the first place, should I? Oh my, oh my! How dare I! How dare I make you stop what you're doing to pick up the gold phone receiver to speak to me, the simpleton hospital workerrrrrrrr!
Me - Okay ma'am, I'm not quite sure what's happened here but I do apologise that you've become so ...upset. I'm going to leave a note on this policy that you called, but without getting an email address from you I won't be able to proceed. You have a great day now ma'am, thanks for calling
*CLICK*
Yeah. It was just...weird. I could maybe understand it is was someone calling for the first time [but even though I woudlnt expect them to carry on like she did]
but the fact is, its been the same for years, why did she suddenly decide to act like a 2 year old TODAY about it?
Seriously. You should have heard her voice and her tone
This has always been the case. And it has always been a good, effective system. It keeps them running smoothly and on time, and they remain up to date.
So. This call just took place.
NOTE - the woman calling is the patient accounts manager of a hospital, and she seems to be in her 40s/50s
Me - Hi, how can I help you *opening spiel*
SC - Claims
*silence*
Me - O...kay?
Were you wanting to discuss a claim on your policy?SC - Claims department
Me - Okay ma'am, did you have your member number there with you so I can bring the claim up to see who to refer your call through to?
SC - *SIGH* I'm calling from a HOSPITAL
*silence*
Me - Okay then....well may I please your name, the hospital name and the provider number?
[NOTE - all hospitals know to provide this when they call, it is standard protocol...when she gave her name and ID, it showed she had worked there for years...she right form the word go, she was being difficult ]
SC - Fine ... [gives me the details]
Me - Okay ma'am, so I can see here that this is a hospital claim for a mutual client. I'll get an email off to the assessor to review that, I can see the claim was only part paid, I assume that was the reason for your call?
SC - Yes
Me - Okay, no worries ma'am. May I please get a return email address that I can pass to the assessor for you?
SC - No, I will speak to them now
Me - Oh, okay, I'm sorry ma'am but our hospital claims people don't actually take calls, they correspond via email only, that's just how they've always operated for all enquiries. But I can certainly pass your details through and have this looked into for you within the hour
This is when it gets....'special'.
This fully grown women then puts on a childish whingey sarcastic voice....
SC - Ohhhhhh... so I suppose I have no choice but to give you my email address seeing as I'm just a lowly hospitalllllll employee who isn't worrrrrthy to speak to the high ang mighty claaaaaims people! I'm just at the bottom of the totem pole because I'mmmmm just a hospital employeeeee!
Me
- Uh...ma'am...I just advised you that this is how they have always operated? Nothing that I said even implied in the slightest that their method of communication had anything to do with your job or position there? They don't even take calls from us here and we are staff. I can see from your registration ID that you've dealth with our funds years, this method of communication with our claims department has always been the same??SC - Ohhhhh nonononono no that's okay, I understand, I see how it is, I'm just not goooooood enough, am I? I'm just a hospital worker earning minimum wage so hard daaarrrrrre I ask to speak to one of the Kings down in the claims area!
Me -
SC - So what should I do, huh? What do you suggest? Do I need to quit my job here to go and become the owner of the hospital, and then call back and enquire about this claim then, huh? Is that what you're telling me to do? Will the fantastic claims people feel that I am worthy to speak to them then, huh? When I own the hospital? Huh? Will I be good enough for them then?
Me - Ma'am, did you want me to pass through your email address?
SC - Ohhhhh no, no no no no I shouldn't be talking to you! No! You're a big important health insurance worker, but I just work for the hosssspital! Noooooooooooooo! No, I can't be talking to you, I'm not good enough! I'm beneath you, that's what you're saying , isn't it? Isn't it! I guess I should apologise for even having called you in the first place, should I? Oh my, oh my! How dare I! How dare I make you stop what you're doing to pick up the gold phone receiver to speak to me, the simpleton hospital workerrrrrrrr!
Me - Okay ma'am, I'm not quite sure what's happened here but I do apologise that you've become so ...upset. I'm going to leave a note on this policy that you called, but without getting an email address from you I won't be able to proceed. You have a great day now ma'am, thanks for calling
*CLICK*
Yeah. It was just...weird. I could maybe understand it is was someone calling for the first time [but even though I woudlnt expect them to carry on like she did]
but the fact is, its been the same for years, why did she suddenly decide to act like a 2 year old TODAY about it?
Seriously. You should have heard her voice and her tone
He is my Black Dragon (and yes, a good one) strong, protective, the guardian. I am his Silver Dragon, always by his side, shining for him, cherishing him.
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