Need to have a rant!!!!!

dori2o

I've put this in this forum as it is relative to people calling the tax office/Tax credits office.

I've had a really bad day today, I work for HMRC and am an advisor in one of their contact centres.

Today was the final straw, I'm sick and tired of being treated by people with less respect than a piece of !!!! on the bottom of their shoe. I am after all a human being and deserve like everyone else to be treated with a bit of respect.

So, here's just a few of the things that have got on my wick today.

People phone the contact centre, either for taxes help or tax credits help, and speak to me whilst eating at the same time. I'm sorry, but this is so rude, and if I thought I could get away with it, I would cut people off for doing it. Would you speak to someone face to face with a mouth full of food, well why do it when your on the phone.

People having a 3 way conversation with me and a person in the background. If your not interested in what I have to say, then hang up. If the person in the background is so interested in what I have to say, put them on the phone and I'll speak to them. But don't start a conversation with them whilst I'm trying to deal with your problem. It especially annoys me when people in the background are shouting the odds. If you have something to say, say it to me, don't hide behind the person on the phone.

Why do people phone up at times when their kids are screaming and shouting in the same room, or call from a room where the TV is on with the volume full, or stood next to noisy machinery. It's hard enough trying to understand some people, but its worse when there is background noise, especially screaming kids, if I was their parents they'd get a good slap.

Why do people expect us to be mind readers, why dont people take more responsibility for their affairs, Example, tax credits decleration, one woman didn't understand how to calculate income, so after 15 minutes trying to explain what we needed, she asks, can't you work it out for me.....NO......I.....CAN'T.. stop being so lazy and do it yourself, it's not that hard. When we send notes and guidance of how to complete forms, why not read them and save the telephone call.

And bug point number 1, what good does it do to come on the phone shouting orders and demanding this that and the other, all it does is get me wound up and make me less likely to try and help you. You are not going to frighten me into doing what you want. I'm polite to you when I first speak to you to ask for your personal details in order to identify you, so why can you not be polite to me.

HMRC may make some mistakes, but who doesn't it' not like we do it on purpose, especially with stupid targets and understaffing it's bound to happen. But, if you call us we will do everything we can to help you. Plus, don't go diving in blaming the revenue, quite a lot of the time it is the fault of the individual when something goes wrong, i.e. putting the wrong figures on tax returns.

Sorry I had to post this, and I may seem as though I'm just whinging. But at the end of the day, you wouldn't like it if I phoned you at work and did any of the above.

LittleVoice

Hope you feel better now and tomorrow is a better day....

doraexplorer

a rant is good hope you feel better....

sazziecee

Do you have kids?

Mine are nice and quiet UNTIL I go to make a phonecall.

If I am half way through talking to someone I am not going to hang up and call back later cos chances are I won't get the same member of staff and have to explain it all again.

As for the other stuff, it's not on for you to be spoken to like dirt, I have worked in Retail for years and get it, and yes I have had to serve people while they are eating and talking at the same time and it's gross! It's also quite common for them to be having a mobile phone chat while you serve them.

But at the end of the day, if it bothers you that much, don't do the job, there are plenty of nice callers too I am sure?

Cook_County

Are you allowed to tell us these things? Doesn't the Official Secrets Act stop you?

myrnahaz

To be fair, people who are unable to realise how ignorant it is to speak while eating are hardly going to be able to calculate their tax and salary - regardless of how many information books you send them.

And not all HMRC call handlers are nice -, in January, one of them told me that despite my tax underpayment being solely the fault of the revenue, that if I didn't pay them £1400 immediately that they'd send bailiffs round - and started asking me how much my house was worth etc.

The OP sounds nice enough (not many would have been like dori2o and held their tongue whilst being harrangued by the 'ordinaries') but not all callers are tax-dodging, lunch munching morons - even the angry ones.

stoneystretton

Sounds like an awful day. I won't be phoning you though as I am too scared of helpline as I am so right brained I have no idea what advisors are telling me :-(
I wish HMRC would set up an email helpline

kitty1801

There is online help but you need to register for the service and it currently only provides help with self assessment tax returns and general income tax advice. Don't know if this would be any help to you.

kitty1801

Cook_County wrote: »

Are you allowed to tell us these things? Doesn't the Official Secrets Act stop you?

I was under the impression that the official secrets act was to do with individuals affairs/ departmental policies and procedure rather than just day to day rude people.

As the OP hasn't told us anything specific then I think they are OK :-)

Oblivion

I do feel for the OP, having spent over 40 years in public office at a senior level often having to deal with members of the public who had convinced themselves that they were in the right and wouldn't accept what my staff had told them. I often felt my anger levels rising when confronted by abuse and bad manners, but I always employed an approach that kept me calm and that diffused the situation if possible. It was the only way to stay sane.

Firstly, I would never interrupt ... just let them talk and talk (it was after all their phone call and they were paying for the privilege), all the while taking notes, until they had got it all off their chest and had pretty much run out of steam. Then I would respond to the points in a very calm measured voice, being as polite and helpful as possible.

If a customer became abusive and would not respond to my request to discuss the matter in a reasonable manner, I would politely advise them that I was terminating the conversation and I put the phone down. It was remarkable how contrite they usually were when they inevitably had to phone back.

Dave.

Cook_County

kitty1801 wrote: »

I was under the impression that the official secrets act was to do with individuals affairs/ departmental policies and procedure rather than just day to day rude people.

As the OP hasn't told us anything specific then I think they are OK :-)

I think the OP should look at recommendations 15, 16 & 17 of the Poynter Review: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/poynter_review/poynter_review_index.cfm

R15 HMRC should engage its staff by communicating the direction of travel detailed in this report. This communication needs to recognise how far removed from today’s reality this will seem and be alive to staff perception that HMRC’s priorities constantly change and that this may therefore be initially viewed with a degree of scepticism.

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R16 HMRC should commence the alignment of HR, Communications, Learning and change activities to ensure that information security policies and processes are embedded into day-to-day working life and behaviours.

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R17 HMRC should ensure that staff, at all levels, understand their responsibilities and accountabilities for information security and apply information security policies and principles in their day-to-day roles.