Amazon

daytona0

Oh the joys of failing data protection!!!

I've had many arguments with annoyed customers over the phone when they rung up on someone else's behalf (no note on the system giving permission).

Yes.... the card may be in your name or yes the delivery address may say your name, but I sure as hell ain't going to divulge any information if it isn't your name on the actual account!


My comeback is usually along the lines of "how do I know you're not the ex trying to find out where your ex partner is living, for example?" and then "Should I take the next caller's word for it if they say that your account is theirs? Do you want Bill from London knowing your personal information? No? Then respect the process"

A milder version of that anyway


EDIT: The customers I do despise are the ones who have a much more general query which doesn't NEED access to the account, and whom don't act on the BIG HINTS regarding what to do next! They'd rather spend 20 minutes arguing the toss instead of opening their ears! Not to accuse you of being that type, but they do exist... It really grinds my gears because I have the file open and I'm basically asking leading questions to help the customer figure it out without breaching dpa! You often hear the "this is terrible customer service" line, although I'm sure that they accidentally added the word "service" into that sentence....

teddysmum

Latazza wrote: »

What has that got to do with things?

Many foreign call centres seem to work to a set flowchart of responses, which take you in circles if your problem does not fit the pattern. The staff have no of way accessing other departments or don't know how to.


I asked if he was UK, as, if not, there was no point in continuing the conversation.


I have absolutely no problem with dealing with people who are not native English speakers; the problem is with the setup (ie the use of flowchart responses, not allowing common sense)

teddysmum

daytona0 wrote: »

Oh the joys of failing data protection!!!


EDIT: The customers I do despise are the ones who have a much more general query which doesn't NEED access to the account, and whom don't act on the BIG HINTS regarding what to do next! They'd rather spend 20 minutes arguing the toss instead of opening their ears! Not to accuse you of being that type, but they do exist... It really grinds my gears because I have the file open and I'm basically asking leading questions to help the customer figure it out without breaching dpa! You often hear the "this is terrible customer service" line, although I'm sure that they accidentally added the word "service" into that sentence....

My goodness, you despise your customers and I speak of (to?) them in those terms ? Perhaps you should find other work before you die of apoplexy.


Incidentally, my initial enquiry didn't need access to the account and I did not require any private information from it. The original CS person, as the second lovely lady did, could have looked at the account, without needing to inform me of any contents, as they only needed to check the product description and order number, in order to give advice.


You don't have to prove you were the physical purchaser if you ring such as Tesco Direct or Argos ,if your item is faulty.


On the other hand, if it was a case of an account covering a contract (such as energy or media) or a financial product, I would fully understand lack of access, as only the account holder has the right to make changes to or have information from these.

daytona0

teddysmum wrote: »

My goodness, you despise your customers and I speak of (to?) them in those terms ? Perhaps you should find other work before you die of apoplexy.

I'll let you in on a really big secret..... I'm a human being :eek:

It isn't a crime to dislike someone who would rather argue the toss for 20 minutes when you are subtly trying to help them with dpa regulations in mind (much like the "lovely lady")!

Sadly, I'd do precisely what the "lovely lady" did in this instance... Would you also wish her to "die of apoplexy"?

Incidentally, my initial enquiry didn't need access to the account and I did not require any private information from it. The original CS person, as the second lovely lady did, could have looked at the account, without needing to inform me of any contents, as they only needed to check the product description and order number, in order to give advice.

If you give an order number in and you aren't the account holder then they CAN'T theoretically open it up! This means that they cannot link it to an item name, product description or even a seller name (if not fulfilled by Amazon). You could have been dealt with without breaching dpa, but it would be quite hard (and it frustrates the customer no end!).

I'm not going to dispute that the first agent was a bit rubbish, but it isn't rocket science to figure out yourself that you can log on and update the name! Instead you argued with the guy and rung back, until some "lovely lady" actually spelled it out to you!

You don't have to prove you were the physical purchaser if you ring such as Tesco Direct or Argos ,if your item is faulty.

You probably would.... assuming it was an online purchase, of course (because they store your data online).

If you mean 'in-store purchases' then this is irrelevant because they hold minimal/no data about you (they don't collect it at the point of sale), so ringing to inform them that you bought a faulty kettle in store is not a dpa issue.

On the other hand, if it was a case of an account covering a contract (such as energy or media) or a financial product, I would fully understand lack of access, as only the account holder has the right to make changes to or have information from these.

I can't see how Amazon is any different from your examples...

What if you were the ex wife trying to track down your ex husband, who conveniently has an Amazon account, to get revenge/start child support proceedings? That's a major dpa breach with legal repercussions.

daytona0

As a side note but I did say:

"Not to accuse you of being that type"

so, as Bart Simpson would say, don't have a cow man!

GreatBeyond

The first person could have been more helpful - guiding you through changing the name but at the same time if they enter that account knowing they are not speaking to the account holder it could mean they get the sack. All that person knew was that you were phoning up looking to discuss an order on a different persons account.

Had it been me on the phone, the way you have described the call, I wouldn't have went out my way to help you either.

cajef

teddysmum wrote: »

I will correct you :
Log in. Go to settings then look in the account settings column and use the first link listed below.

Actually I am right there is no way or instructions by logging into your account how to add another person, you only found out how to do it by verbal instructions from one of Amazon's reps.

Azari

cajef wrote: »

Actually I am right

Rubbish!

You said "if anyone knows how then I will be happy to be corrected."

not: "if anyone knows where to find the instructions"

teddysmum has told you how and thus you are corrected.

there is no way or instructions by logging into your account how to add another person, you only found out how to do it by verbal instructions from one of Amazon's reps.

Irrelevant.

She still told you how to do it.

cajef

Azari wrote: »

Rubbish!

You said "if anyone knows how then I will be happy to be corrected."

Rubbish!

You conveniently left the first and relevant part of that post out

I had a thorough search through the account settings and could not find a way of doing it, if anyone knows how then I will be happy to be corrected.

I was referring to a way of doing it in the online account settings.

Azari

cajef wrote: »

Rubbish!

You conveniently left the first part of that post out

I was referring to a way of doing it in the online account settings.

I left out the first part because it was irrelevant.

You said: "if anyone knows how then I will be happy to be corrected"

There is a way of doing it in the on line account settings.

Go to "Your account" page

Go to "Settings"

Go to "Change Name, E-mail Address, or Password"

it could hardly be more obvious.

Just accept that you were wrong and have now been corrected.