What part of "deceased" are you having trouble getting?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

So, my cousin died a couple weeks ago in a bad car accident.

Today, his internet provider called looking for him. Another of my cousins answered, and said "he's deceased."

They said, "Well, we wanted to know if he'd like to upgrade his service."

My cousin said, "He's DEAD. I don't think he needs internet service where he is."

And the most amazing part: Lather, rinse, repeat.

I kid you not. My cousin had to say the word "dead" or "deceased" about six times all total.

She should file a formal complaint, really. Un freaking believable.

One of my friends said she should have told them she could arrange for them to meet him in person.

[jjc927]

Wow, I know they are just doing their job and aren't really supposed to stop until the person hangs up, but that was just insensitive and rediculous.

[Mr Hero]

Wow, I know they are just doing their job and aren't really supposed to stop until the person hangs up, but that was just insensitive and rediculous.

I blame it on coprorate.

[Amina516]

Wow, I know they are just doing their job and aren't really supposed to stop until the person hangs up, but that was just insensitive and rediculous.

Seriously?

What else is there to say after its made known that the person they want is deceased?

I dont get it.

I guess they could be thinking that people make up dumb excuses to duck a phone call, but sheesh.

I have to agree with RK that a formal complaint is in order. Way to upset a family thats trying to heal and cope.

RK, Im sorry for you and your familys loss. ((hugs))

[chainedbarista]

wow; i'm flabberghasted at the audacity and insensitivity.

sorry about your loss, rk.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I blame it on coprorate.

And that one you totally did on purpose.

[LadyAndreca]

One of these is the only time I've ever seen my mother go SC on someone. When my grandfather died, my father had been in the process of buying his house, and we were living in it. Well, one particular place my grandfather had an account could NOT take "please call his estate lawyer to settle the account" and harassed Dad for weeks about it. Just when we finally thought we'd gotten through to them (they didn't call us for a week), they started calling us 2-3 times a day instead.

Mom got fed up, told me "give me the phone if it's them" one evening, and practically tore it out of my hands. She then spent five minutes blubbering into the phone about how her father-in-law had just died and "you people keep calling" and "we keep telling you who to call" and "why do you keep reminding us" and "we miss him so bad, it hurts so much".

I felt SO bad for the person on the other end of the line...they probably felt horrible! But the company never called back, either.

[Damien]

I would go further and embarrass the idiot company in the media - there is no excuse for this.

Sorry for your loss, RK.

We have had some similar nonsense with my dear grandmother's accounts, she passed away a month ago.

[roothorick]

After the second time, I would've started paraphrasing Monty Python's parrot sketch.

[Whiskey]

Seriously?

What else is there to say after its made known that the person they want is deceased?

I dont get it.

Script format I would assume. "Deceased" would be considered a decline. You have to get 3 declines before you accept that they dont want it, etc etc. I can see a supervisor writing up a CSR for hanging up after one "decline" even if it was "he's dead."

[Peppergirl]

Script format I would assume. "Deceased" would be considered a decline. You have to get 3 declines before you accept that they dont want it, etc etc. I can see a supervisor writing up a CSR for hanging up after one "decline" even if it was "he's dead."

I find myself rather appalled to say that I'd be willing to bet this is the case.

It sounds like something some of these awful call centers would do to their reps, thereby making them appear to be heartless morons. Ugh.

[tropicsgoddess]

I find myself rather appalled to say that I'd be willing to bet this is the case.

It sounds like something some of these awful call centers would do to their reps, thereby making them appear to be heartless morons. Ugh.

I could see that being the case too, PepperGirl. Sorry for your loss, RK.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Thanks, all. It's been hard, but the family is pulling together to take care of each other, so that's been good.

As for the call center idiot, Whiskey is probably right. That's why I say a formal complaint is in order, chewing out the rep is not the answer. The company needs to be held accountable for having such a policy that would force a rep to act in such an unacceptable way.

[Ironclad Alibi]

If they don't get the message that he is dead right away, tell them they have to talk to him directly. Give the phone number for the cemetary, and tell to ask for Mr. Jones in room # (give the burial plot number.)

I often thought of doing this after my mother-in-law died (5 years ago at age 100), but we never got any calls for her. We still get junk mail for her.

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Aw!
First of all, sorry for your family's loss.

Then... yes, I understand the "three declines", but - at least here and where I worked before - being told that the person we are calling is "deceased" prompted a scripted "oh, I am sorry for your loss, apologies for having bothered you".