Some audit fail stories from my co-workers.

[sld72382]

Now one thing about working in a call center, I noticed the auditors are kind of like the Florida Highway Patrol: They'll nab you for anything, you don't want to give them any ammo, and they don't give breaks.

Here are some stupid reasons over time why me and my co-workers have failed audits:

1. Co-worker gets a client who has been through 7 techs who basically tried to be magicians, not techs. CW recognizes the issue and tells the client the cold hard truth right away, that he needs to format, rather than wasting his time. Auditors dinged him because of that "for not showing enough concern."

2. CW gets a client who calls in very upset at the other two techs not able to solve her problem. CW says "Dog gonnit, I'm sorry about that" to try and calm her down. It worked, and he did solve her issue and she was very happy. Did the auditors care about that? No, they failed him (remember, on one of our audits if you don't get 100% you fail) because "saying Dog gonnit was unprofessional."

3. CW gets a client who wants to know why he didn't get the part that was to be used for repairing his computer. CW sees the reason is because the previous tech saved the PO (purchase order), but never submitted it. CW tells client of this and lets him know it was not done nefariously, client says that's OK shit happens and is informed of the time when the part will arrive. The auditor failed him for telling the client exactly what happened and said on the form "agent should have told client that part has been backordered all this time instead of making the previous tech look bad." Yep, CW was failed for not wanting to lie to the customer.

4. This is a real winner. CW has a client on the phone with a crying baby. The call was handled correctly, and the client was happy with her work. But yep, she still failed. Why? According to the auditor, "she didn't build a rapport because she didn't ask why the baby was crying."

5. I got dinged one time because "Agent did not troubleshoot or ask probing questions." The issue wasn't troubleshoot-able: the client was mad that the onsite agent was a no call no show and I quickly transferred him to the right place. How in the world do you troubleshoot that?

[mikoyan29]

Sounds like you have auditors that don't understand why they are auditing.

I assume you are talking a quality audit. In which case, you're mission isn't to keep searching until you find problems but to try to improve the system.

[Stormraven]

Or, worse, understand all too well.

[tropicsgoddess]

I once got dinged on an audit for saying "winsock issues" because I was using industry/company related jargon on a call. Seriously, how the blue fuck is there any way to dumb down translate "winsock issues" into Layman's terms? It was a big monitoring session (aka calibration) with all the members of management, training and corporate honchos, one of the trainers that was listening to the call told me he tried to fight it but was unsuccessful, he agreed with me on how dumb it was for them to ding me on something so trivial. Thankfully I passed it with a 94% score.

[Iris Kojiro]

I once worked in a call center where they had little lists of acceptable abbreviations to use. They posted these lists at every cubicle. Now I would use these abbreviations, and lo and behold, I got dinged for using one of the abbreviations ON THE LIST.

I quickly pointed this out and was shot down right away. I just rolled my eyes a few minutes later (as I still passed) and continued to work.

[smileyeagle1021]

Yep, CW was failed for not wanting to lie to the customer.

I had that happen once... when I was at the call center I got knocked down because I told the caller I was in Salt Lake City... apparently the correct answer was supposed to be that I was in San Diego... seriously... the caller was just happy to get a native english speaker on the same continent... but because I didn't say the right city for where the call center was located I got marked down.

[ottid]

Not call centre, Mystery Shopper though. I was mystery shopped two months in a row for our lovely Lotto counter. I got marked down because I didn't say "Good Luck" or similar phrase, but I can guarantee that I say it to EVERY customer, itwas ingrained in my first job. I got marked down for only showing where the coupons are to pick your own numbers. I actually remembered this customer because barely anyone asks, and I had a large line to deal with behind them. I got marked down for not upselling. I think they bought a $6 ticket and the next bracket up where I was adding something more than just lines is $11. The next one is $13, involves 3 types of draws, and often has a special promotion running. If they had asked for the $11 ticket during a promo I might upsell to the $13, not the $6, I think it is too much to upsell.

Bonus though, I got a good mark for wearing the "correct" name badge. The "correct" name badge is in direct relation to Lotto, nothing to do with the store I work in, and I haven't worn it since I left the store that trained me for it. I was wearing the sttore name badge

[sld72382]

I had that happen once... when I was at the call center I got knocked down because I told the caller I was in Salt Lake City... apparently the correct answer was supposed to be that I was in San Diego... seriously... the caller was just happy to get a native english speaker on the same continent... but because I didn't say the right city for where the call center was located I got marked down.

Seriously? Last I checked our QA dept doesn't care that you tell them the region where you're located at, as long as you don't give them the exact city.

[mharbourgirl]

4. This is a real winner. CW has a client on the phone with a crying baby. The call was handled correctly, and the client was happy with her work. But yep, she still failed. Why? According to the auditor, "she didn't build a rapport because she didn't ask why the baby was crying."

You know what? I'd rather chew broken glass than asked a stressed-out new mother why her baby is crying. It'd be safer to play in traffic.

[crazylegs]

You know what? I'd rather chew broken glass than asked a stressed-out new mother why her baby is crying. It'd be safer to play in traffic.

In the dark, during a blackout and wearing a blinfold.

[DerangedHermit]

In the dark, during a blackout and wearing a blinfold.

On the Cross Bronx Expressway during rush hour.

[NorthernZel]

You know what? I'd rather chew broken glass than asked a stressed-out new mother why her baby is crying. It'd be safer to play in traffic.

Reminds me of a "sighting" from a member of another forum I'm a member of. The costumer in question was breastfeeding her baby while on the line, and explained this to the CSR when she had to tell why she just couldn't get up an grap a pen to write down a number to another department.
CSR hung up with the comment that he/she felt it was offensive to know that the customer was breastfeeding while calling...

Yeah, I admit that it was sucky on both parts. The customer SHOULD have called at a more convenient time, but on the other hand the CSR should have replied with a more appriopriate comment like "You know what, can you call me back when you have finished feeding the baby and then I'll provide the number for you".

Of course the customer raised hell but got turned down by Corporate as they stated that their customer support was entitled to turn down calls if they deemed them "offensive".

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Sounds like you have auditors that don't understand why they are auditing.

I assume you are talking a quality audit. In which case, you're mission isn't to keep searching until you find problems but to try to improve the system.

Oh, I think they know quite well why they're auditing, and it's for a reason you stated--to find problems.

As I recall, bonuses and vacation time are tied to these audits. If you fail, you lose them. Quite unfair, IMO.

[tsar]

As I recall, bonuses and vacation time are tied to these audits. If you fail, you lose them. Quite unfair, IMO.

Yeah, and most probably the auditing peon gets his/her vacation time and bonuses based on failing "enough." So who's to blame?

[sld72382]

Oh, I think they know quite well why they're auditing, and it's for a reason you stated--to find problems.

As I recall, bonuses and vacation time are tied to these audits. If you fail, you lose them. Quite unfair, IMO.

While I do agree on the bonuses being tied to the audits (gotta have some incentive to do well), I don't agree with the vacation time being tied in. Upper management considers it "part of your bonus," so it's never going to change.

Yeah, and most probably the auditing peon gets his/her vacation time and bonuses based on failing "enough." So who's to blame?

Persistent rumblings (and this is coming from team leaders themselves) are that the auditors are told to fail a certain percentage of people as it makes it look like they are doing their job. Wouldn't surprise me if they get kickbacks for failing enough people.

Oh, here's a good one from a couple of weeks ago. EVERYONE failed on the floor (both sides of the week) with a 95% on audit 2 (there are 2 audits, the 1st one requires only an 85 or better). Remember that audit 2 requires 100%. I asked my new direct sup about it, and he said it was a glitch and it should be corrected. Well it never was. I wonder why.