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Having just posted about a recent complainer I'm reminded of this old story. The only time I've ever completely lost my temper with a member of the public.
I was working in a quieter location than my current job. I was giving phone advice. Some people calling up believe they're calling a big call centre but it's just me. Sitting with my shoes off, feet on the desk, on my own in a little room. There is only one other person on the premises and they are doing other work.
So I get a call - and he's an idiot from the start. He's a Mr. "I know my rights" - a phrase only ever used by people who don't know their rights, and who have just made up extra rights they'd like to have. He believes it's a breach of his human rights that the government help he gets towards paying his rent is paid 4 weekly in arrears - and not upfront.
He's wrong. Feel free to skip to the bold if you really don't care why.
We don't normally give human rights advice - and I start of by explaining we're not experts in this field - and give him contact details of somewhere that is. But I am an expert in benefits - and I explain (a) that benefit is only paid in arrears because they have to know you were entitled. It makes sense - otherwise you'd come into money and they'd have paid you upfront when you didn't need it, (b) he actually pays his rent 4 weekly in arrears - so the only reason he's having problems is that he hadn't paid his rent when he last earned money (c) almost every benefit case (except some sexual discrimination ones) has been thrown out by the European court as being within the countries right to set their own administrative rules, and (d) someone had recently failed in an attempt to challenge these rules who had a much stronger case having an unusual tenancy requiring one single annual rent payment. Sort version he's wrong and an over entitled arse.
I kept the short version to myself - but I might as well not have done because his response to my lack of complete agreement was not good. He argued - and said I was wrong. I said that this was the only advice I could give, and he was welcome to go elsewhere for advice. But no - he wanted to continue arguing. Then he started demanding my name, and when I wouldn't give it (we never gave full names there - in this case I wouldn't give him any names because he was really creepy - but I did make it clear that I was the only person giving advice at that time, and just saying when he'd talked to me would be enough if he had a problem).
When I still didn't say I agree with him he called me "whore" and slammed the phone down.
It's not an insult I'd use - but he was middle eastern, and I took it in the spirit it was intended. It is very nasty - and meant to imply complete worthlessness. (And also suggests part of his problem was that I was a woman disagreeing with him).
So I was shaken up. I took a 5 minute break and talked it through with the other person in the building (not a superior - but someone who was a bit more experienced). She cheered me up a bit, and suggested I take a longer break and suggested I have a cup of tea - but I decided to go back and start answering the phones again.
2 minutes later I got the first call "I was speaking to a lady earlier and she was very rude to me"
I lost it. I said "Sir - you were speaking to me. I am the only person answering this line and the only person available to talk to. I was not rude to you, you were extremely rude to me. Now I would like your name because I will ensure that no one from this organisation will ever advise you again".
He put the phone down.
I left an apologetic note to my manager - as I was not allowed to bar people, but also pointed out that we had a policy that we would not except racist/sexist/etc. abuse, and that therefore I should not be called a "whore". The manager was OK, and the man never contacted us again.
I couldn't believe anyone would have the nerve to call me up and lie about me though. And even if he'd lied to a colleague did he really think I hadn't kept records of what had actually happened !
Anyone else had to listen to lies about themselves ?
Victoria J
I was working in a quieter location than my current job. I was giving phone advice. Some people calling up believe they're calling a big call centre but it's just me. Sitting with my shoes off, feet on the desk, on my own in a little room. There is only one other person on the premises and they are doing other work.
So I get a call - and he's an idiot from the start. He's a Mr. "I know my rights" - a phrase only ever used by people who don't know their rights, and who have just made up extra rights they'd like to have. He believes it's a breach of his human rights that the government help he gets towards paying his rent is paid 4 weekly in arrears - and not upfront.
He's wrong. Feel free to skip to the bold if you really don't care why.
We don't normally give human rights advice - and I start of by explaining we're not experts in this field - and give him contact details of somewhere that is. But I am an expert in benefits - and I explain (a) that benefit is only paid in arrears because they have to know you were entitled. It makes sense - otherwise you'd come into money and they'd have paid you upfront when you didn't need it, (b) he actually pays his rent 4 weekly in arrears - so the only reason he's having problems is that he hadn't paid his rent when he last earned money (c) almost every benefit case (except some sexual discrimination ones) has been thrown out by the European court as being within the countries right to set their own administrative rules, and (d) someone had recently failed in an attempt to challenge these rules who had a much stronger case having an unusual tenancy requiring one single annual rent payment. Sort version he's wrong and an over entitled arse.
I kept the short version to myself - but I might as well not have done because his response to my lack of complete agreement was not good. He argued - and said I was wrong. I said that this was the only advice I could give, and he was welcome to go elsewhere for advice. But no - he wanted to continue arguing. Then he started demanding my name, and when I wouldn't give it (we never gave full names there - in this case I wouldn't give him any names because he was really creepy - but I did make it clear that I was the only person giving advice at that time, and just saying when he'd talked to me would be enough if he had a problem).
When I still didn't say I agree with him he called me "whore" and slammed the phone down.
It's not an insult I'd use - but he was middle eastern, and I took it in the spirit it was intended. It is very nasty - and meant to imply complete worthlessness. (And also suggests part of his problem was that I was a woman disagreeing with him).
So I was shaken up. I took a 5 minute break and talked it through with the other person in the building (not a superior - but someone who was a bit more experienced). She cheered me up a bit, and suggested I take a longer break and suggested I have a cup of tea - but I decided to go back and start answering the phones again.
2 minutes later I got the first call "I was speaking to a lady earlier and she was very rude to me"
I lost it. I said "Sir - you were speaking to me. I am the only person answering this line and the only person available to talk to. I was not rude to you, you were extremely rude to me. Now I would like your name because I will ensure that no one from this organisation will ever advise you again".
He put the phone down.
I left an apologetic note to my manager - as I was not allowed to bar people, but also pointed out that we had a policy that we would not except racist/sexist/etc. abuse, and that therefore I should not be called a "whore". The manager was OK, and the man never contacted us again.
I couldn't believe anyone would have the nerve to call me up and lie about me though. And even if he'd lied to a colleague did he really think I hadn't kept records of what had actually happened !
Anyone else had to listen to lies about themselves ?
Victoria J
Again, I let him talk some smack. When he was done with his BS and asked if he could transfer, it was my distinct pleasure to inform him that he talked to ME and it was apparent he STILL had not done his steps and his ticket would be updated to reflect as such.
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