Tweet
I swear I want to scream this sometimes when I have to answer the phones.
90% of our calls are people looking to get service on their machines.It happens because some of our oldest customers have our number on speed dial. See, a long long time ago, our office used to be a call center. We used to have a lot more call centers. But we consolidated into 3 centers (and as I've been hearing rumors now, two call centers). Well, they still call our office and I transfer them to call center so they can put in their request.
However, it never fails that at least once a day, I get a customer who will ask if I'm this person or that, and get exasperated that they've just got the phone monkey..er..receptionist. However, since I've been here for so long, I know who they might need..if they'd just freakin' tell me! The following is a perfect example. The customer is actually co-owner of a company who has no contact with our office whatsoever in the past I don't know how many years they've been a customer. Her husband is the one who seems to be the one to call for service, toner and anything else they might need.
Me:
Crazy Lady dear lord..
Me: Good afternoon, <company name>, this is FMA_Fanatic, how may I help you?
CL: Is this [sales rep name]?
Me: No ma'am is is FMA_Fanatic. I can transfer if you'd like
CL: Why did you answer her phone? I wanted [sales rep]!
Me: *me glances to my console to see she was forwarded to me, most likely by dialing zero when the voicemail message started* I'm sorry ma'am, it looks like you dialed her extension but she wasn't there and you zeroed out to me. I can see if she's in the building.
CL: Why would I do a stupid thing like that. You're lying! She's there, I know it!
Me: *uhhh..okay* One moment, let me see if she's here. *places CL on hold before she can throw more accusations at me and pages rep. One of her teammates calls to let me know she's out at a customer site and will be back later. I check to see if her manager is in and he's not. Lovely. I get CL back on the line* Ma'am I'm sorry, but [sales rep] is out of the office. She should be back later. Is there something I can help you with or transfer you to someone who might be able to help you?
CL: WHAT!!!? *rantravefoamrabblerabblerabble* I don't believe this bullshit! *rantraverabblerabblemore*
Me: Ma'am, if you could please tell me how I can help you, it would help me to help you better.
CL: Don't use your crazy psycho bullshit on me! *insert more ranting and cursing*
Me: Ma'am please don't swear at me. I'm trying to help you. If you continue to do that I will disconnect the call.
CL: YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!!! *more swearing*
Me: Ma'am that was your final warning. I am disconnecting the call. Please call back when you've calmed down and can talk civilly to me. *hangs up*
Now it should be noted that I do have permission to do this if the caller gets too abusive. Now she calls back a few seconds later, screaming and swearing. I tell her once more I cannot help her if she is swearing at me and warn her that I am disconnecting the call, and do so.
A few minutes later, her husband calls. Very calm, very nice gentleman who asks if he can speak to the rep. I inform him that the rep is out, she'll be back later. He asks about her manager and I explain that he is out too. He finally asks me if I can help him with an order for toner.
All that yelling and screaming for toner. I tell him I can transfer him down to his supply rep, tell him who it is after I look it up and also give out the customer service number that he can use to order toner in the future. All of this could have been avoided if she'd just calmed her ass down and told me how I could have helped her to begin with.
90% of our calls are people looking to get service on their machines.It happens because some of our oldest customers have our number on speed dial. See, a long long time ago, our office used to be a call center. We used to have a lot more call centers. But we consolidated into 3 centers (and as I've been hearing rumors now, two call centers). Well, they still call our office and I transfer them to call center so they can put in their request.
However, it never fails that at least once a day, I get a customer who will ask if I'm this person or that, and get exasperated that they've just got the phone monkey..er..receptionist. However, since I've been here for so long, I know who they might need..if they'd just freakin' tell me! The following is a perfect example. The customer is actually co-owner of a company who has no contact with our office whatsoever in the past I don't know how many years they've been a customer. Her husband is the one who seems to be the one to call for service, toner and anything else they might need.
Me:
Crazy Lady dear lord..
Me: Good afternoon, <company name>, this is FMA_Fanatic, how may I help you?
CL: Is this [sales rep name]?
Me: No ma'am is is FMA_Fanatic. I can transfer if you'd like
CL: Why did you answer her phone? I wanted [sales rep]!
Me: *me glances to my console to see she was forwarded to me, most likely by dialing zero when the voicemail message started* I'm sorry ma'am, it looks like you dialed her extension but she wasn't there and you zeroed out to me. I can see if she's in the building.
CL: Why would I do a stupid thing like that. You're lying! She's there, I know it!
Me: *uhhh..okay* One moment, let me see if she's here. *places CL on hold before she can throw more accusations at me and pages rep. One of her teammates calls to let me know she's out at a customer site and will be back later. I check to see if her manager is in and he's not. Lovely. I get CL back on the line* Ma'am I'm sorry, but [sales rep] is out of the office. She should be back later. Is there something I can help you with or transfer you to someone who might be able to help you?
CL: WHAT!!!? *rantravefoamrabblerabblerabble* I don't believe this bullshit! *rantraverabblerabblemore*
Me: Ma'am, if you could please tell me how I can help you, it would help me to help you better.
CL: Don't use your crazy psycho bullshit on me! *insert more ranting and cursing*
Me: Ma'am please don't swear at me. I'm trying to help you. If you continue to do that I will disconnect the call.
CL: YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME!!! *more swearing*
Me: Ma'am that was your final warning. I am disconnecting the call. Please call back when you've calmed down and can talk civilly to me. *hangs up*
Now it should be noted that I do have permission to do this if the caller gets too abusive. Now she calls back a few seconds later, screaming and swearing. I tell her once more I cannot help her if she is swearing at me and warn her that I am disconnecting the call, and do so.
A few minutes later, her husband calls. Very calm, very nice gentleman who asks if he can speak to the rep. I inform him that the rep is out, she'll be back later. He asks about her manager and I explain that he is out too. He finally asks me if I can help him with an order for toner.
All that yelling and screaming for toner. I tell him I can transfer him down to his supply rep, tell him who it is after I look it up and also give out the customer service number that he can use to order toner in the future. All of this could have been avoided if she'd just calmed her ass down and told me how I could have helped her to begin with.
Comment