Has anyone paid my bill?

[Pinkie]

Ok. I work in a call center. For a utility company. Gas and electric. The following is a call I got today:

SC: Not the brightest bulb on the shelf
Me: You got it.

Me: Thank you for calling "your utility company" this is "Pinkie" how may I help you?

SC: My account number is "mumble mumble mumble" <very quick also>

Me: I'm sorry, I didn't get that, could you repeat that a little slower please?

SC: <sigh> blaa blaa blaa blaa....<sigh> did you get it that time?

Me: Yes, thank you, and may I have your name please?

SC: <sigh> (as if she had to think about it) "Sucky customer"

Me: Thank you, and how may I help you today Mrs. Customer?

SC: I'm checking to see if anyone had paid my bill.

Me: I can check your account to see if any payments have posted, one moment please <checks account> I'm sorry, I don't see any payments posting since "sometime last month"

SC: <SIGH> Are you sure?

Me: (I'm not freakin' blind) Yes, I'm sure.

SC: <sigh> But I thought "they" were going to pay it for me. <whine!>

Me: Who is suppose to pay for you?

SC: The Department of Human Services (ie. welfare in Michigan)

Me: Well, we haven't heard from them yet, so I would advise you to call your case worker and ask them if they intend to pay. Your account is on hold until Friday so you have time to call them.

SC: Can't you call them now?

Me: I'm sorry, but I, #1, don't have thier number, #2, I have other callers waiting, and #3, I'm not authorized to accept thier authorization for payment, that's why they have to call "Consumer affairs" (another department within the company that handles that sort of thing).

SC: <SIGH> Are you sure they haven't called you?

Me: Yes, I'm sure they haven't called. (We have a remark section that this would be noted in as soon as we hear from them)

SC: I guess I'll call them then.

Me: Ok. Is there anything else I can help you with?

SC: Are you sure they haven't called? Are you sure you can't call them? (wtf am I? your personal maid??)

Me: I am sure they haven't called and I'm sorry, but no, I can't call them. That is your responsibilty. If you are not able to pay your bill and you need help from them, it is your responsibility to follow up and make sure that they contact us. If we don't hear from them by next Monday, your service is in danger of being disconnected.

SC: < SIGH> Why is this so hard? Are you sure you haven't heard from them?

Me: Yes maam (trying really hard not to say...."for the 4th or 5th friggin' time, no we have not heard from them....you need to call them to find out if they are going to pay your bill, are you 5 cans short of a 6 pack or what?"

SC: Ok, I guess I try to call them. bye. <click>

[rdp78]

Okay, so really your paying her bill since she is on welfare and I can figure out why she is on welfare too. I mean how lazy can you be? I mean only thing she has to do is call her case worker.

[CanadaGirl]

I dislike welfare because of people like her. "Oh, I don't waaant a job. I'l just sit on my butttt and collect welfaaaare like the other 50% of the Staaaates".

[SonOfSpam]

No wonder she can't find a job, her brain has no capacity to process information

[pbmods]

So... she'd rather spend an hour on the phone arguing with you, who have done your absolute utmost to explain that you don't have the power to help her right now... instead of spending five minutes on the phone with her case worker who could probably get it all sorted out by the end of the day.

Yuh-huh.

Yeah, it takes too much effort to hang up and dial 10 more digits, huh? Awwww, I'm so sorrrry baby. Why don't you go back to your pillow and I'll put some more food in your dish. Who's a widdle baby, huh? *Whoose a widddwwwee bayyybeeee?????*

[gundam40]

She almost caught you there, by asking you multiple times that "are you SURE you haven't gotten the call?". Cause we all know you've gotten that call but just don't want her to know about it

[Cufflinks]

Proof again that socialism really works well

[Rapscallion]

It's good on paper, but then it meets SCs...

Rapscallion

[Phone Jockey]

I HATE when they ask if we can call them. WE CANNOT. We are in an INBOUND call center & other calls are holding. YOU CALL THEM. It's your responsibility anyway.