Manipulative a-hole, unintentional bigotry and impatience...

[sld72382]

Now that we're basically Sony TV dispatchers now, here are some stories from the last 2 weeks.

1. Guy tries to be manipulative to get help...

Now for anyone with a brain, helping someone route wires through walls is NOT supported over the phone, for obvious reasons.

This guy thought otherwise, he wanted me to help him (for free, I might add) route a conduit in his walls to wire his speakers.

Me: Sorry sir, but this problem is not supported over the phone.

SC: You are clearly not hearing me this isn't a problem, it's a lack of knowledge. Now tell me what I am supposed to do next...

Me: Sorry sir, but as I said this is a service we only do onsite.

SC: Like I said, all I need is a little walk-through.

Me: Again sir....

SC: If you're going to refuse to help then get me over to someone who can!

Me: I can transfer you over to home theater sales, but they're going to say the same thing as me.

SC: Well maybe they'll have a better attitude than you!

Me: Okay, please hold for transfer...

I stayed on the line to hear the conversation, he tried to pull the same crap.

2. Unintentional bigotry.

Sometimes, client's say something that is not intentional but still sounds.... bigoty.

Me: Thank you for calling [company], how may I help you?

SC: My TV is getting too dim. As a matter of fact, it's getting so dim that when there's black people on the screen, I can't see them!

I had to put him on hold because I couldn't help but laugh.

3. We don't stock those parts... you'll just have to wait.

Lady's TV needs a replacement LCD panel. Now these panels need a full 10 days to be delivered to the tech who will come out to fix it.

SC: That's too long, I need this TV fixed right away.

Me: Sorry ma'am but these parts are special ordered not stocked (why would our techs carry a panel in their vans?!), therefore I cannot make the dates any sooner.

SC: I can't believe this, this is horrible customer service! Not to mention that Sony's are crap, this TV is less than a year old!

Me: I'm sorry you feel this way (not really especially about the Sony bit), but there is nothing I could do to make this panel arrive any sooner, do you have any other TVs you can watch?

SC: Yeah but they're too small! I can't believe this, I think I going to call the BBB!

Me: Ma'am I am sorry but there nothing further I do but confirm the appointment.

SC: You do that! In the meantime I'm going to tell everything that [company] makes you wait two weeks to get your TV fixed!

I understand her frustration but these panels need to be special ordered, nothing I could do about that.

[Elevator]

These issues are always understandable, because waiting for stuff is definitely frustrating, however when it's out of your hands...it's out of your hands. A lot of customers have several modes they like to kick into:
1. Frustration from not getting immediate resolution, which leads to...
2. Anger that they can't get what the want right away and there's no way around it, which bleeds into...
3. Threats against the company, and possibly the phone tech, in a desperate act to push that phone technician into some sort of panic mode to go that extra mile for the customer.

However the thing a lot of the dumber customers don't realize is that being cooperative and understanding gets things done a lot faster than if you're going to be a mouthy ingrate DB.

[PepperElf]

I think I going to call the BBB!

i dont think the bbb handles stuff like that. i mean yeah if the company refuses to help but... even the bbb is smart enough to understand that "the customer is whiny because the part takes 10 days to ship" isn't just that... whininess.

[Phone Jockey]

SC: Yeah but they're too small! I can't believe this, I think I going to call the BBB!

I once had a woman tell me that she was so angry with our company that she was going to call the BBC on us. I'm not sure how the British could help her, but hey, do what you wanna do...

[Sebine]

I once had a woman tell me that she was so angry with our company that she was going to call the BBC on us. I'm not sure how the British could help her, but hey, do what you wanna do...

Maybe the British have "better" CS?

[crashhelmet]

I wonder if she'll learn not to throw her Wiimote at the TV again?

CH

[PepperElf]

Call the BBC, hahah?

well they have better comedy at least

But I suspect she won't understand what they're saying when they tell her off...
1) The "accent" might throw her
2) It'll probably go over her head anyway.