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Among the many things we do in the call center, we take calls for various tech support groups, get the basic information, then either get someone from TS on the line, or have them call the customer back. Today has been exceedingly busy for all the groups, including mine (dispatch), so we've mostly been having call backs, as opposed to trying to hold for someone, unless the issue was a priority 1/emergency. Given that every group has had calls in queue, this is understandable.
In the story below, I'm mostly paraphrasing. The caller I shall dub Raging Loon was very yell-y, and had a very thick accent which made him nearly unintelligible. Plus, he had a tendency to simply repeat what you said without understanding it, or to answer questions with completely unrelated answers. All of which was very frustrating, as his call was a low priority issue with a printer, and not an emergency. And for the duration of the story, multiple queue lights were on and flashing, reminding me of other, saner customers who needed my help.
RL - Raging Loon
Me -
S - Supervisor-y type
TS - Poor TS lady
Me: Answers phone in typical fashion.
RL: Mumbles about lots of things in loud but very unclear voice, making it hard to understand what he's getting at. Eventually gets around to mentiong case number.
Me: Thank you sir, let me just pull that case up. Alright, I see this was for your suchandsuch equipment and...
RL: Yes, TS was working on it and hasn't gotten back to me. I need to speak to her.
Me: Alright, hold on just a moment. IM's TS, who is on a call I'm sorry, TS is on a call at this time, would you like me to have her call you back?
RL: No.
Me: ....Ok, well, if you'd like, I can try to get someone else from support on the line for you...
RL: Well, see, I got this error message when I set up the new printer and blahblahblah....
Me: I'm sorry sir, I'm not tech support. I can either have TS call you back, or put you on hold and try to get someone from support on the line for you.
RL: Fine. Get someone for me.
Me: Thank you, please hold. Puts RL on hold for about 5 minutes - at that point, as I go back to see if he'd like to continue holding, his call drops
*Note: Our procedure is to put them on hold no longer than 5 minutes, checking back occasionally to let them know we're still holding*
I go about my work, take a few of the calls in queue, and then....
Me: Usual greeting schpiel
RL: Hi, this is Raging Loon again. You put me on hold for over 15 minutes so I had to hang up. I need to talk to TS!
Me: Sir, I had you on hold for no more than 5 minutes, which I have a call log and notes to verify. Tech support is very busy at this time, and TS is still on a call (IMed her as soon as his call came through) If you like, I can put you on hold for someone in tech support, but it may take some time to get someone.
RL: Fine.
Me: Puts RL on hold for about 2 minutes, then returns to his call I'm sorry, I'm still unable to get anyone on the line. Is there any way I can have someone call you back, since this is a low priority issue?
RL: Do you have any idea how long that will take?
Me: I'm sorry sir, I don't. As I said, tech support is very busy at this time, and is handling issues based on their severity. I have let TS know that you need her to follow up, and she will when she has time.
RL: That is not good enough! My printer is down! I want to speak to a manager!
Around this time, S has heard me dealing with this guy, and has seen my gesturing and heard my "do not lie to me!" comments during the hold time, and as such, has wandered over. He offers to take the call, but tells me if it happens again, just hang up on the guy, as we don't have time for this.
Me: Please hold RL, and I'll get a supervisor on the phone for you. Transfers RL to S, who takes it from there.
I continue taking calls, and all is quiet.....until....
Me: Gives the schpiel
RL: I was on the phone with Steve and the call dropped! Put him back on the line!
Me: Please hold....calls S Dude, I'm really sorry. RL is calling back...
S: Put him through.
Thankfully, I have not heard from RL since, though TS let me know that he is always worked up and not to take it personally. S also wandered back over to let me know that he understood my frustration, as he had trouble understanding RL and could tell that RL wasn't really listening to anything he said.
I think the thing that really got me peeved here was that he flat out lied to me. Did he really think lying to me about something I knew was untrue would get him sympathy? It only made me want to help him less, and want to hang up more.
In the story below, I'm mostly paraphrasing. The caller I shall dub Raging Loon was very yell-y, and had a very thick accent which made him nearly unintelligible. Plus, he had a tendency to simply repeat what you said without understanding it, or to answer questions with completely unrelated answers. All of which was very frustrating, as his call was a low priority issue with a printer, and not an emergency. And for the duration of the story, multiple queue lights were on and flashing, reminding me of other, saner customers who needed my help.
RL - Raging Loon
Me -
S - Supervisor-y type
TS - Poor TS lady
Me: Answers phone in typical fashion.
RL: Mumbles about lots of things in loud but very unclear voice, making it hard to understand what he's getting at. Eventually gets around to mentiong case number.
Me: Thank you sir, let me just pull that case up. Alright, I see this was for your suchandsuch equipment and...
RL: Yes, TS was working on it and hasn't gotten back to me. I need to speak to her.
Me: Alright, hold on just a moment. IM's TS, who is on a call I'm sorry, TS is on a call at this time, would you like me to have her call you back?
RL: No.
Me: ....Ok, well, if you'd like, I can try to get someone else from support on the line for you...
RL: Well, see, I got this error message when I set up the new printer and blahblahblah....
Me: I'm sorry sir, I'm not tech support. I can either have TS call you back, or put you on hold and try to get someone from support on the line for you.
RL: Fine. Get someone for me.
Me: Thank you, please hold. Puts RL on hold for about 5 minutes - at that point, as I go back to see if he'd like to continue holding, his call drops
*Note: Our procedure is to put them on hold no longer than 5 minutes, checking back occasionally to let them know we're still holding*
I go about my work, take a few of the calls in queue, and then....
Me: Usual greeting schpiel
RL: Hi, this is Raging Loon again. You put me on hold for over 15 minutes so I had to hang up. I need to talk to TS!
Me: Sir, I had you on hold for no more than 5 minutes, which I have a call log and notes to verify. Tech support is very busy at this time, and TS is still on a call (IMed her as soon as his call came through) If you like, I can put you on hold for someone in tech support, but it may take some time to get someone.
RL: Fine.
Me: Puts RL on hold for about 2 minutes, then returns to his call I'm sorry, I'm still unable to get anyone on the line. Is there any way I can have someone call you back, since this is a low priority issue?
RL: Do you have any idea how long that will take?
Me: I'm sorry sir, I don't. As I said, tech support is very busy at this time, and is handling issues based on their severity. I have let TS know that you need her to follow up, and she will when she has time.
RL: That is not good enough! My printer is down! I want to speak to a manager!
Around this time, S has heard me dealing with this guy, and has seen my gesturing and heard my "do not lie to me!" comments during the hold time, and as such, has wandered over. He offers to take the call, but tells me if it happens again, just hang up on the guy, as we don't have time for this.
Me: Please hold RL, and I'll get a supervisor on the phone for you. Transfers RL to S, who takes it from there.
I continue taking calls, and all is quiet.....until....
Me: Gives the schpiel
RL: I was on the phone with Steve and the call dropped! Put him back on the line!
Me: Please hold....calls S Dude, I'm really sorry. RL is calling back...
S: Put him through.
Thankfully, I have not heard from RL since, though TS let me know that he is always worked up and not to take it personally. S also wandered back over to let me know that he understood my frustration, as he had trouble understanding RL and could tell that RL wasn't really listening to anything he said.
I think the thing that really got me peeved here was that he flat out lied to me. Did he really think lying to me about something I knew was untrue would get him sympathy? It only made me want to help him less, and want to hang up more.
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