call center frustrations...

[Sarlon]

I'll grant you that the world over humans, in general, can tend to be sucky, and if I wrote an individual story for every single one I've dealt with in the past month and a half since I landed this job it would take 3 times as long to write....

So I work for an inbound call center for roadside assistance....

Think of it like car insurance, you pay a monthly fee, and if you don't use it, it's still there, but if you need it SOMETIMES you have to pay something for its use.

People calling in are understandably angry or frustrated....your car has a flat, you ran out of gas, your car broke down, your battery is dead....

and now for a few examples of what they expect...

a 25-mile tow for free.

a 50-mile tow for free.

I don't set the fees that the providers set, we just apply the discount to the fees, and will let you know if there is anything to pay out of pocket....

Story 1:
The other night I had to find someone a tow truck for a 24-mile tow, and the out of pocket cost was only $12......and INSANELY good rate if you ask me considering the distance, and that's a contracted rate that we had with the company doing the tow....that tow could of easily cost you a hundred dollars may more.

but asking him to pay that would have been easier to squeeze blood from a turnip. "I pay for this service every month! I was told I don't have to pay anything!!!!111!1!!"

Story 2:
We don't cover if your car has been in an accident, only if it breaks down.

Tonight, had a woman call in saying her car was in a minor fender bender and needed to be towed to a body shop.

After double checking, I informed her politely of said policy regarding towing, and she said in the SNOTTIEST tone, "well I'll just call back in later and not say it was in an accident then you guys have to tow it."

I glance at the Que of calls and realize that the odds of her getting a call back in soon will be slim but politely wish her a good day and disconnect the call.

I go on break soon after and come back and start taking calls again, the second call I get is her again.

I pull up her account, verify her, and then, of course, ask her how can I help. she lies to my face, says she needs a car towed to a body shop. I inform her that she spoke to me earlier and that we can't tow the car because she previously said it was in an accident "well, it's not that same car, its a different one."

Well since we have this on recording now, I get the information to make a case, place her on hold and talk to my supervisor. Explain the situation, and he says tell the provider if the car looks like it was in an accident and he can't tow it, then we need to charge her the full cost and we would be behind him 100%. The provider is ok with all this and understands the situation.

Damn shame I'm not in the department that handles those calls, I'd of KILLED to be a fly on the wall.

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now for the things that would take to long to write into individual stories....insert different voices and accents (we take calls from all over the US), male and female, young and old.

"What do you mean I have to pay $XX out of pocket? they (company customer service), told me that I would never have to pay anything!!!"

"I was told that I have XX(10 - 50 miles) number of radius miles free!!!!"

"I've been paying for this service for YEARS and finally need to use it!!!"

When told can't cover if it's been in an accident "WELL WHAT ARE YOU GOOD FOR!!!!"

"Yeah, I'm at the corner of XX street and YY avenue" No mention of a city, nothing of a business, or if it's a residential street. They assume I'm from the area and know EXACTLY where these locations are. Bonus points if they say its street name, but no mention of its a street, avenue, drive, blvd, anything, and then get offended if you ask.

While not entirely their faults, those who break down on the side of the interstate nowhere near an exit or mile marker.

The other fun calls are the ones who live in the middle of nowhere or in a VERY small town and don't understand why I can't find them someone who can help them with their problem.

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and now for the provider rant....I'm starting to learn their words and translate them....

"Yeah I'll do your 5 miles tow.....but its gonna be 2 hours and $200" During not prime times, and their en route distance is under 5 miles....and THESE are some of our contracted providers.

some are starting to screen their calls I'm fairly certain...they seem to have an "I'm sorry I don't have a driver available in that area" before I can get out who I am and who i work for and what I need.

I am getting to the point that I know who really wants the jobs from us just by their vocabulary. I know that rush hour makes things hectic and can run etas up into the stratosphere. I understand sudden and unexpected emergencies can shunt other jobs to the side (police calls trump our calls every day of the week).

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Sorry if I'm not making much sense, I'm just needing to rant...

[Pixelated]

Yeah, now that you know all the details, the caller's gonna call back and lie blatantly, because of course they will never get the same person again, nor does anybody in this office speak to anybody else ...

I am a member of one of those roadside assistance groups, and I understand that, if I run out of gas, I have to pay $5 for them to bring me a gallon of gas. I'm sure a lot of people bitch and whine about that ... because, ya know, it's not like you've got any kind of instrument on your dashboard that can tell you when you're getting low on gas ... right?

[bainsidhe]

if I run out of gas, I have to pay $5 for them to bring me a gallon of gas. I'm sure a lot of people bitch and whine about that ...

LOL, so true. I was once riding with a tow truck driver who was kind enough to give me a ride home after towing my vehicle to the mechanic. On the way, he stopped for a roadside-assistance call needing gas. He mentioned it was a pretty regular thing for folks here to intentionally ride the gas gauge low, trying to score free gas. And although most of them were repeat offenders, they were shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, that they'd have to pay for a couple gallons of gas from roadside assistance. Also shocked, apparently, that the tow driver didn't have enough gas on hand with which to fill the customer's tank all the way.

[Sparklyturtle]

I remember that it cost us $75 for a 10-mile tow, and this was from the tow service associated with our regular mechanic. (The tow truck driver said to Turtleguy,"This your missus?" when I pulled up from when I'd gone to find the tow company's phone number. Turtleguy replied in the affirmative. "You're a lucky man." )

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I remember that it cost us $75 for a 10-mile tow, and this was from the tow service associated with our regular mechanic. (The tow truck driver said to Turtleguy,"This your missus?" when I pulled up from when I'd gone to find the tow company's phone number. Turtleguy replied in the affirmative. "You're a lucky man." )

Two winters ago we had to have the car towed home after it had stopped while we were trying to turn at an intersection. Luckily, MamaDG was able to coast it through and pull it over to the side of the road, where we had less chance of getting hit.

Less than 3 miles from home and the tow (and it took roughly an hour or a little more for the tow truck to get there - our neighbor beat him by at least 30 minutes) was $65.00 - cash or credit, NO check.

I didn't quibble . . . just handed over the Visa card and thanked the Dog I had enough in the bank left over after first of the month bills to cover it.

I swear some of these folks need a dose of reality delivered to them . . .

[Slave to the Phone]

I once came out to a dead battery in the middle of a driving snow storm. Tow truck driver took an hour and a half to get there and charged me $45. I tipped him 20.