Question for shoppers!

squeaky

hollydays wrote: »

What about making up a little story, talking about the situation in the third person,which may take the sting out of it,something like, " Your T.V. is under warranty,but for example,we had a customer the other day who hadn't read the instructions at all,and obviously,I know you wouldn't do that,they had to pay what we call a " unecessary call out charge" because they hadnt set it up properly.Of course I am always willing to help you here"

How about...

but for example we had a customer the other day who had read the instruction book but missed (had forgotten?) the bit about turning_it_on/resetting/doing_something and so..


Just tweak the wording a tad to suit your best guess and how purple the customer is in the face

gordikin

This thread reminded me of this:-

Actual dialog of a former Customer Support employee:

Support: Technical support how may I help you?"

Customer: "Yes, well, I'm having trouble with Microsoft Word."

Support: "What sort of trouble?"

Customer: "Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.",

Support: "Went away?"

Customer:"They disappeared."

Support: "Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?"

Customer: "Nothing."

Support: "Nothing?"

Customer: "It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type."

Support: "Are you still in Word, or did you get out?"

Customer: "How do I tell?"

Support: "Can you see the C:\ prompt on the screen?"

Customer: "What's a sea-prompt?"

Support: "Never mind. Can you move the cursor around on the screen?"

Customer: "There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type."

Support: "Does your monitor have a power indicator?"

Customer: "What's a monitor?"

Support: "It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?"

Customer: "I don't know."

Support: "Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that?"

Customer: ......"Yes, I think so."

Support: "Great! Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall."

Customer: ......"Yes, it is."

Support: "When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?"

Customer: "No."

Support: "Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable."

Customer: ......"Okay, here it is."

Support: "Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer."

Customer: "I can't reach."

Support: "Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is?"

Customer: "No."

Support: "Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?"

Customer:"Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle-it's because it's dark."

Support: "Dark?

Customer: "Yes-the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window."

Support: "Well, turn on the office light then."

Customer:"I can't."

Support: "No? Why not?"

Customer: "Because there's a power cut."

Support: "A power... A power cut? Aha! Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in?"

Customer: "Well, yes, I keep them in the cupboard."

Support: "Good! Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to where you bought it from."

Customer: "Really? Is it that bad?"

Support: "Yes, I'm afraid it is."

Customer: "Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?"

Support: "Tell them you're too stupid to own a computer."

Flyboy152

vyle wrote: »

Get them to read the instruction manual....

Seriously though, sometimes it's just impossible. If you have some old dear on the phone, you can ask them questions and they just get more confused.

For instance, panasonic TV and recorder remote controls look very similar. So if someone has a Panny tv and recorder and the tv "isn't working," the chances are that it's because theyve got the remotes muddled and put one of the devices onto the wrong input.

The phone conversation then goes like this:

me: Are you near your tv?

them: yes.

me: Do you have your remove controls to hand?

them: Yes.

me: good. on the TV remote, press the AV button.

them: It's not doing anything.

me: is it the TV remote?

them: yes.

me: So it has "AV and TV" buttons at the top and no "direct navigator button" on it?

them: yes.

me: okay. so press the AV button.

them: there isn't one.

me: Are you sure it's your tv remote?

them: yes.

me: and you have a panasonic tv, correct?

them: it's vera's.

me: you mean it's a panasonic viera?

them: yes.

me: Okay, so if that's the tv remote there must be an AV button.

them: Do I press the play button?

me: No...there isn't a play button on your tv remote.

them: Oh, i've got the wrong remote control. Do you want me to turn the tv on?

me: Yes please, then press the AV button.

them: Oh, the TV's just gone off.

me: You must have switched it off....

them: with the red button?

This continues for about an hour until they start going, "I'm 83 years old!!! Send someone out to me!!!"

Technically, customers should contact our tech support department with such queries rather than coming to the shop floor (I'm paid peanuts to sell, not the superior tech support money) but I'm happy to help when people are reasonable. Alas, as soon as you mention procedures to a customer that's a surefire way to get them raging.

There is a play button on all Panasonic television remote controls for the "Viera Link" system. In fact, I was led to believe (uncorroborated) that all Panasonic television and VCR/PVR remotes are the same.

Flyboy152

Unintentional wrote: »

Heh I hate it when old people do this. Buy something, use it then try to bring it back because it's too complicated. Then kick off when you refuse a refund because it's been used and that they shouldn't of bought it in the first place if they thought they couldn't use it.

I bet you're a charm to buy something from.

vyle

Flyboy152 wrote: »

There is a play button on all Panasonic television remote controls for the "Viera Link" system. In fact, I was led to believe (uncorroborated) that all Panasonic television and VCR/PVR remotes are the same.

They're not all the same. The tv and pvr/dvd/vcr remotes are very similar, and the recorder remotes can operate the tv to an extent, there are things that they cannot do. To keep things simple, if someone is trying to do something to their tv, It's easier for them and for me (over the phone) to instruct them with the remote control for the tv, rather than need them to change remotes half way through.

Also, while pan TV remotes have had the play/rw/ff/stop buttons for about 2 or 3 years now, lower end models from a little further back didn't. I know that the one she was operating didn't because I had her instruction manual in front of me at the time, but this call was a few years ago, too, when the remotes were a fair bit bulkier than they are now, but just before they slimmed them down.

Flyboy152

vyle wrote: »

They're not all the same. The tv and pvr/dvd/vcr remotes are very similar, and the recorder remotes can operate the tv to an extent, there are things that they cannot do. To keep things simple, if someone is trying to do something to their tv, It's easier for them and for me (over the phone) to instruct them with the remote control for the tv, rather than need them to change remotes half way through.

Also, while pan TV remotes have had the play/rw/ff/stop buttons for about 2 or 3 years now, lower end models from a little further back didn't. I know that the one she was operating didn't because I had her instruction manual in front of me at the time, but this call was a few years ago, too, when the remotes were a fair bit bulkier than they are now, but just before they slimmed them down.

Very dfferent to:

No...there isn't a play button on your tv remote

wealdroam

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Very dfferent to:

No...there isn't a play button on your tv remote

Clearly you missed the bit where we were told...

vyle wrote: »

I know that the one she was operating didn't [have a play button on the tv remote] because I had her instruction manual in front of me at the time...

Flyboy152

wealdroam wrote: »

Clearly you missed the bit where we were told...

Err.....yes I did.

vyle

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Very dfferent to:

Just to clarify, when we get a call, the call centre usually gives us a quick brief on the customer, such as, "Mrs blah blah is calling about a problem with her tv...."

And they give us the customer's post code, so before it's transferred through I can call up the details of the purchase from the system and hop onto the relevant manufacturer's site to download the instruction manual.

I didn't magically teleport her personal instruction manual from her house into the shop.

Unintentional

Flyboy152 wrote: »

I bet you're a charm to buy something from.

Just doing my job. If you want to return something it has to be unused and in it's original packaging.