Call centre people...

[KiaKat]

If someone calls in, asking to be connected to a SPECIFIC department so they can pay off a bill, CONNECT THEM.

Don't ask all sorts of questions about the account. If the person is asking for a specific department, it's because they KNOW their account will not come up on your system!

Other Half is trying to pay off a cell phone. He called the company and asked for the Finance Department. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. that he has called the main number, they have gone through the spiel of "number. name. I'm sorry, that name is not connected to that number."

"I KNOW THAT. I TOLD YOU the number is disconnected. I just want to pay it off, and I NEED THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO DO SO. Please connect me."

"But I need to be able to tell them what account you're calling about."

"They know already. Just connect me."

"Is there any other name the account could be under?"

"NO. PLEASE connect me."

"Are you sure? Because there's nothing coming up under your name..."

"Because the account has already been transferred to the Finance Department. PLEASE just connect me."

"Ok, well, it looks like we're going to have to send you over to the Finance Department. One moment and I'll have you transferred to a supervisor."

"*headdesk* *headdesk* *headdesk* *bite-a-cat* *headdesk*"

This has happened, not once, not twice, but FOUR TIMES. FOUR. There is no reason, on this plane or any other, that it is THAT impossible to connect someone to a department they are SPECIFICALLY asking for!

After the second time, he asked for a direct number to the department, only to be told that there wasn't one.

After the third time, the person in the Finance Department gave him a direct number.

This time, he tried the direct number, only to be told that the number didn't exist.

We think he has the correct number now. Maybe. Possibly.

I'm going to put this one on the suckiness of the training, of the company policies, and of the inability of the people involved to just LISTEN and respond appropriately.

Hopefully, when he calls tomorrow to make the final payment, he'll be able to call directly. And, if not, maybe he'll actually be transferred immediately by the person he speaks to.

Hah. Sure. And maybe I'll look out my 2nd-floor window tomorrow morning and see a pig hovering there.

[EricKei]

I'm going to put this one on the suckiness of the training, of the company policies, and of the inability of the people involved to just LISTEN and respond appropriately.

If I had to hazard a guess, I would tend toward the first two more than the last one It would not surprise me in the slightest if this company has a standing policy -- as many other call centers do -- that CSR's MUST attempt to resolve things/get as much info as possible themselves before "escalating things. I've seen threads of that nature around here.

Here's hoping the number Finance gave him this time isn't fictional like the last one was

[KiaKat]

That's the thing...this isn't an escalation. It's a straight transfer to a different department, albeit one that doesn't have an option in the automated menu. They just send him to a supervisor because it sounds like he's going to start yelling (though he rarely does, I've been training him out of that).

I really hope he has the correct number this time. If I have to hear that conversation again, I'm going to grab the phone and politely, but firmly (and scarily) let them have it, and then escalate it myself in order to make a complaint. They've jerked him around a lot on this account, which is one of the reasons he's closing it.

Sucks, also, because they're pretty much the only mobile company that has service at my mom's house.

[rageaholic]

It reminds me off that Dell Customer Service call where the caller threw a fit because he had to give all the information. All he wanted to know was how to turn computer off (it turned out he didn't push the button long enough). While not siding with the callers verbal abuse toward the rep, I could understand the frusturation. Especially he already gave the information to other departments. I mean, if something can take 5 seconds to explain, there should be no reason to have to jump through all those hoops.

Calls centers are just a sea of frustration. For both the service reps (for dealing with all the SCs) and the customers who get put on hold, and transfered, and asked questions again and again.

[Imogene]

"Ok, well, it looks like we're going to have to send you over to the Finance Department.

Really? You'll HAVE to send me to the department I asked to speak to first thing? After finding NOTHING in the system, like I told you you wouldn't?

[KiaKat]

Yeah. See, THAT is why I think maybe none of them were listening, just running on autopilot. To HEAR him say they won't find the info, and that he just needs a cold transfer, then to say LATER that they're going to cold-transfer him....argh. And then to go through the info-verification *again* with Finance... The whole thing is just a case of someone bollixsing up royally and driving away customers.

I definitely blame policy for a lot of the problems we've had with <company>. To the point where he's thinking about going back to a pre-pay phone, just so he doesn't have to deal with the contract nonsense. Unfortunately, because I'm on a family plan with my mom and sister, he'd have to stay with <company> for prepay, in order to get the free minutes between us. We have the home line as well, so we're mostly concerned about if he's off at a meeting and has to get a hold of me, or if he's driving and I'm not in the car - Deity forbid something happens, in that case.

They're trying like hell to get him to re-sign, but he just wants out. I just wish another company had a decent network in NH.

[drunkenwildmage]

I understand the frustrations, but most call center Employees have a script they need to follow.. if they don't, they get disciplined from the bosses that may, including up to termination. Since most call centers only look at hard stats and not if the Employee is actuality helping the caller, it's *VERY* easy to be a good employee and get fired from a call center.

example:

Supervisor: "Bob, you are working with a average call monitor score of 42/50.. you need to have 45"

Bob: "But I was able to resolve my callers problems"

Sup: "doesn't matter, you didn't meet your metrics.. Your fired!"


At the same time, Employees that are not so good, but can meet all the scores and put on a pedestal. When I worked at a call center, I've seen employee's do anything to keep their scores up.

As far as the escalation thing some call centers (including the one I worked at) saw an escalation as a very bad thing, and it was tracked as a stat. In our case, a escalation was defined as any reason you had to transfer a call.. didn't matter why or who you transferred the call to. If you took the call *you* had to resolve it.. If your escalation score is to low....well.. don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

[rageaholic]

And that is exactly why just looking at stats is a bad idea. It's probably easier for management to make determinations that way, but it's still stupid. Just because they don't follow a script? Even when the situation wouldn't call for it? And being marked up for transfering to someone who might actually have the authority to help the customer? That's just stupid.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

And that is exactly why just looking at stats is a bad idea. It's probably easier for management to make determinations that way, but it's still stupid.

That's exactly why they do it--because if you attach a number to everything, you don't have to do any critical thinking about who's doing well and who isn't.

So having a lower number means you're sleeping at your desk instead of taking time to actually help people out. Or you're not following the rules. You're fired. G'bye.

And people wonder why I often think mental retardation is necessary to hold a management job. And once again I'm thankful I didn't get that call center job I applied for years ago.

[Chanlin]

Just because they don't follow a script? Even when the situation wouldn't call for it? And being marked up for transfering to someone who might actually have the authority to help the customer? That's just stupid.

I could go on at length ranting about scripts and the like. I'm just glad my job monitors what extension you transferred your call to as well as how many transfers your making. I had one month where my transfer rate was really high, but more than half of those were to an alternate language queue (Spanish etc) so I didn't get in trouble for it.

In any case, commenting on the OP which has already been said, its probably required of the employees to ask those questions regardless of the situation. Which is one reason I loathe scripts.

[tropicsgoddess]

I understand the frustrations, but most call center Employees have a script they need to follow.. if they don't, they get disciplined from the bosses that may, including up to termination. Since most call centers only look at hard stats and not if the Employee is actuality helping the caller, it's *VERY* easy to be a good employee and get fired from a call center.

example:

Supervisor: "Bob, you are working with a average call monitor score of 42/50.. you need to have 45"

Bob: "But I was able to resolve my callers problems"

Sup: "doesn't matter, you didn't meet your metrics.. Your fired!"


At the same time, Employees that are not so good, but can meet all the scores and put on a pedestal. When I worked at a call center, I've seen employee's do anything to keep their scores up.

As far as the escalation thing some call centers (including the one I worked at) saw an escalation as a very bad thing, and it was tracked as a stat. In our case, a escalation was defined as any reason you had to transfer a call.. didn't matter why or who you transferred the call to. If you took the call *you* had to resolve it.. If your escalation score is to low....well.. don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

Ain't it the truth. It's all nothing but a numbers game in the call center world. Plus they do harp on you about the script and if you don't say it or at least the way they want it, QA dings you for it and/or management writes you up or fire you. What really sucks is how they want you to turn 'n burn calls like mad and at the same time be all nice and do everything to the letter that they want you to do. It's a freakin' double-edged sword.

[EricKei]

And that is exactly why just looking at stats is a bad idea.

Exactly. 100% of all statistics and generalizations lie

[dalesys]

Exactly. 100% of all statistics and generalizations lie

... including this one ...

[Imogene]

The whole thing is just a case of someone bollixsing

*head tilt*
Bollocks-ing?

[KiaKat]

Same thing. I'm not sure whether the spelling is a regional thing, but my aunt always spells it with "IX" instead of "OCKS." She spent most of her 20's and part of her 30's in various parts of the UK.