Do you get worse service if firms think you're a pain in the a^&%?

legalfreak22

The only time I ever lost my temper with a call center operative was with BT two years ago. The guy who was supposed to be a manager was shockingly rude to me. This was after our telephone lines went down and I asked about comppensation. He actually started shouting down the line to me. I realise that this is a subjective report but I had never encountered such aggression before. He wasn't from an Indian call centre (they are unfailingly polite if a bit shambolic sometimes) but Middle Eastern.

CSandL

I have very recent experience of this.

Long story short; we were left with no hot water or heating last week when it went very cold after trying go to sort out the issues caused by an engineer who should have fixed the problem and actually made it worse since October. I phoned every day for about 10 days, was as polite as possible, repeated my issue every day and got nowhere. After the third day of being freezing, I posted about their incompetence on Facebook and Twitter and was phoned within an hour by someone who told me they would look into my issue but couldn't help me then. I am afraid I lost my temper and shouted. The next day someone came round and fixed the boiler. As keiran posted, it does matter if you have repeated and repeated and repeated yourself and it was only when I really lost my temper that anything got done. I'm not proud of that, but it is upsetting when you have tried very hard to be reasonable and ignored and in this case, only by getting unreasonable did I get anywhere.

Dakota_2

I've seen both sides of customer service. I used to work in a computer support role for a large PLC. One particular department used to treat me like sh** from day one. The other departments realised I was overloaded with work and would help out if I asked them to do something to help speed things up, and even offered a cup of tea whilst I fixed the problem. Guess which departments got their problems fixed first? I must have done something right because I received a customer service award voted for by my colleagues.

Unless it's something routine, in general I don't do call centres because of the way they work. Generally I collect all the evidence and email my complaint to the relevant manager.

Latest incidence was a water company subcontractor who couldn't be bothered to reinstate the pavement properly such that it was dangerous. Sent email with photos, result fixed in 24 hours.

MABLE

I have always found being nice is the best way to get things done. I have received many goodwill payments but if I had just ranted and raved at the poor guy working in a say a contact centre then nothing would have been achieved.

I know it is difficult to keep your cool some times and in particular if you are working in a contact centre and someone is shouting at you.

Before I retired I worked 9 years for Royal Mail in their complaints dept and had many an unhappy customer but I learnt never to interrupt and when they had calmed down try and offer a solution.

Tall_Ian

That's interesting because one of the worst examples of customer service I received was from Royal Mail about 5 years ago. We had moved house and paid for redirection of our post for 12 months in two surnames, but the Post Office had forgotten to fill in what we had paid on the redirection form. Royal Mail then presumed we had only paid one fee and wrote (on the day we moved) to say they would reduce the time accordingly. I phoned and a helpful person said, just send us your receipt for the double fee and we will sort it out (amazingly I found it on moving day and found a photocopier).

Fortunately I sent a copy of the receipt so still had the original, becuase it was apparently lost in the post, that's when the real problems started.

A few weeks later they contacted me to say as I still hadn't paid the extra (which I didn't owe) they had reduced the redirection term. I phoned again and was told the same (post the receipt and we will sort it out), I replied that I had done that on the day I spoke previously. They said it hadn't arrived, and it wasn't Royal Mail's responsibility until it arrived (I pointed out it was their postbox I put it in - but apparently it was my responsibility until it arrived - and not Royal Mail's fault that it hadn't been delivered).

I explained that I didn't trust them and wanted it sorted out there and then. My scanner wasn't working so I couldn't email a scan or send a fax, but they weren't willing for a local Royal Mail employee to verify the receipt, they were apparently unable to contact the Post Office where I made payment (it's nothing to do with us - but they did suggest I visited the Post Office I had made the payment in - We've moved house, that's why we've paid for redirection........), they weren't willing to find a solution and even told me I didn't have a contract with them for the redirection!

I asked to speak to a manager and a woman came on with the same script and clearly didn't have the competence to be a manager (she repetaed the line that there was no contract so nothing I could do) It was my problem not theirs, what I did in the Post Office was nothing to do with them, the Post Office were not their agents, were not acting on Royal Mail's behalf and were nothing to do with the Royal Mail - and in fact so separate they were forbidden to speak with Post Offices, so any complaints I had were with the Post Office which had passed them duff information on the fee paid (the rest of the form was filled in and stamped correctly).

I asked her if I could speak to a manager who could deal with it there and then, and at 2.45pm on a Tuesday I was told that they had all gone home.

I said if they couldn't resolve it I would write to the head of Royal Mail and was told "that's fine, he uses the same computer system as us, so he can't do anything either", and my MP (RM was then a Public Corporation) - "that's fine he can't do anything either".

So I wrote to the head of Royal Mail and my MP and guess what - it was sorted and I received an apology.

I think the problem is that because some people will not help whether you are polite or not - some customers expect all call centres to be battle grounds, like the Royal Mail was.

Just a couple of months ago I had an EE call centre person go beyond what she had to. Our phones were well out of contract (broken and not holding charge), but we were planning to stick with EE as we get a good signal. We managed to get to a store, picked what we wanted and were part way through the process when we were told there was a block on our account and we needed to call customer services. It transpired that we had linked accounts and they had to unlink them - fair enough. I was then told that I couldn't upgrade until after the next billing date (4 weeks away).

My observation that that wasn't good enough, we were out of contract, and it was their system that was causing the problem was all accepted. The statement that we were going to get new phones that day and there was a Vodafone shop opposite we could go to, get new phones and port our number got the response we wanted.

Full credit to the operator, the people who should have dealt with it weren't willing to speak with a customer, but she found out what she needed to do, did it, and spoke to us on the shop's landline to check it was working correctly as it was the first time she had done it. I'm sure that had we been bolshy we would not have been helped as much - and the store commented they had never known that problem dealt with the same day before. Full marks to that call centre operator, low marks to EE's systems - we shouldn't have had to threaten to leave the network to get the service we deserved. It was still 3 hours of my life wasted in an EE store!

MABLE

Tall_Ian wrote: »

T
I think the problem is that because some people will not help whether you are polite or not - some customers expect all call centres to be battle grounds, like the Royal Mail was.unquote


That is very true. I had an issue with my bank recently and rang them only to be answered by a jobsworth person. Her attitude was the computer says no etc.

I rang again and the other person I spoke to was brilliant and even gave me a goodwill payment of £40.00.

I think in some contact centres they are more focused on call times and getting rid of the customer as quickly as possible. However I am not suggesting this was my experience with RM.

boneofo

Yes. I don't work in a CS role but.....
The financial ombudsman has a special department for problem complainants so that one person manages the poor service given to pains in the a^&%? - see www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/directors-report-2011-12.pdf#page=77
FOS staff get special training for it.

The ombudsman services (energy ombudsman, telecoms ombudsman) will throw your case out as frivolous and vexatious if you complain about poor service mid way through your case so beware.

The problem is, these practices provide cover for poor performance of statutorily appointed bodies squandering £millions. Judges and politicians don’'t care as these organisations take the flack and shield them from dealing with prols.

fuglyjowls

I work for a company who sell a very expensive high end product and we get so tired of people who phone up with an attitude of "I've spent a lot of money on this product and therefore I have the right to shout at you". A lot of them don't even give you the chance to find out what the problem is before being aggressive and 95% of the time it is their error or misunderstanding which is the problem. I've also lost count of the times I've been told "I don't have time to read the user manual" or just "I don't DO manuals".


The customers who are instantly rude and aggressive get the minimum of help from us and notes are put on their records so that everyone in the company is aware of their rude behaviour. Customers who are polite but firm get a much better response. Of course if they have called more than once or we are at fault we always give them the best service but in our company this is very are as we have excellent customer service if we are given the chance.


It has definitely made me think twice before having a go at the poor person who has to answer the phone!

LittleMouse_2

Hi all,


(Short answer: YES!)


A little side track, but still pertinent:


As ever at this time of year, those of us working in retail are very much at the sharp end. Now, generally speaking throughout the year, we'll always try & go above & beyond & help anyone that needs us; but the festive period is particularly trying for all those (customers & staff) involved.


If you are rude, abusive or invade our space rather than saying 'excuse me' or waiting for 30 seconds you will ALWAYS get the bare minimum of service.


Here are some 'handy tips' to help us all get through silly season:


1: The staff member on the service floor doesn't necessarily always work in the dept in which you happen to find them: we're good, but we're not all knowing or psychic: cut us some slack, be patient & we'll either find out how we can help you, or find someone who can.


2: The back room/warehouse is NOT magic: if a product is out of stock, it's out of stock - even if it is your favourite. I'm real sorry we haven't got that specific product, but I can't make it appear from nowhere. I will, however, suggest other options/alternatives/find out when it's coming back in if you're polite about it. (BTW: no, on Christmas Eve we will NOT have any advent calendars or selection boxes left: where have you *been* for the last 3 months?!)


3: The words "Excuse me" "please" & "thank you" are absolutely your best friends: use them as much as possible.


4: Basically: if you want better service: be a better customer - treat staff like human beings, understand that we can't pull products out of thin air & please, PLEASE, remember; although the price of a tin of beans might have gone up 4p, politeness & manners are always free & will ALWAYS be well-received & ultimately rewarding.


Peace & love y'all. :-)

MaffyD

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi MaffyD,

If you have any outstanding concerns you'd like further help with, email me with your details via the link in our profile (MD: URL removed coz I'm a newbie, apparently).

All you need to do is copy and paste the link into your web browser and it'll take you to the Contact us form on our website. To make sure it reaches me, quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line.

Once sent, you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. Post back with this and I’ll check I've received it.

Kind regards,

Lee

Social Media Comms

Vodafone UK

Hi Lee,

Only seen your message now - a very busy December! My reference is WRT135 - MSE [#9104691].

Hopefully you own't need to do much, but we'll see.

Thanks for getting involved.