Never had my job threatened before

[Jewels]

Currently my grand ole state is gripped in the icy jaws of a blizzard, so everyone at work was a little on edge. The head techs spent the morning trying to reschedule installations and service calls that were suppose to be either today or tomorrow, because they don't want the techs on the road. Its bad.

Anyway, we have the customer whom everyone has a theory about...which is that she is a crackhead. The techs who go out to her place have all come to this conclusion while working with her face to face, and those of us who have dealt with her over the phone agree. To give you some background on her...

She has our phone service, and right from the start she has had nothing but problems. The day we installed her she was calling us and complaining that she couldn't receive calls from her boyfriend who was in jail. Ok, we'll work on it. When asked for a cell phone number that our techs could reach her at, she refused to give it, saying that she was out of minutes on her phone. The entire time our tech dept was working on the problem, she was driving around the metro area and calling us from various payphones. At one point she demanded that we reimburse her for the .50 that she spent on the payphone. While she was doing this, she was also screaming at her kid who she was dragging around town for the adventure.

So, the techs fix the problem, and everything is well and good...until she calls again. This time the problem is is that her phone has an echo on it, and her lawyers are refusing to take her calls because of the echo. Once again, the tech dept is on it and the problem is fixed.

Now, I realize that at this point, she doesn't seem that bad. What you need to realize is that every phone call with her is at least a half hour ordeal. She screams and hollers, and demands this and that. She gives you a long winded story about how her phone problems are causing all these other problems for her, and what she has tried to do to fix it. At that same time, she will be screaming that she doesn't have any minutes on her cell, or that she using someone elses cell phone minutes, or that she is expecting a very important call and we need to fix her phone NOW. For me, personally, its hard to fix a phone problem, as I work in customer service and not the tech dept, so if you want the problem fixed, shut up for 5 seconds and let me transfer you!

Anyway, today it all came to a head. She called and said that her phone wasn't working, and wondered if the lines were down due to the storm. I told her I wasn't sure, but I could send her to our head techs voicemail, as he was currently on his line. From there, the call went downhill, and fast...

SC: I'm so sick of this! This phone has never worked for me! Send me to the tech dept so that I can just cancel the stupid thing!
ME: Well, I can take care of the disconnection now, over the phone.
SC: No! Send me to your credit dept! I want to talk to someone there!
ME: Well, the person who is in charge of the credit dept is gone today, and she would be the person who could help you out the best, as she has the most lee--
***At this point she lets loose this weird half screaming, half moaning noise. It sounded like a wild animal***
SC: Thats it! I am sick of all of this! I want you to send a tech out to my place right now! I want him here within the hour! You know my address, get him here!!
***Remember how I mentioned the crappy conditions? Remember how I said that the techs are being brought off the roads? Yeah, clearly, this aint happening.***
ME: Ma'am--
SC: Don't ma'am me! I want a tech here right now! I don't care about the weather! I am going to the lodge the biggest complaint against your company and you personally! This is bullshit! This is fucking bullshit!
***I don't like it when people swear at me over the phone.***
ME: MA'AM. If you continue to swear I will disconnect this call.
SC: Disconnect it then, I don't care! I'm waiting for phone calls from my doctors, and they can't call because the phone is a piece of shit!
***Lets give her one more warning***
ME: Ma'am--
SC: I am going to complain to everyone about you and your company! I am going to get you fired! Thats right, I am going to get you fired bitch!
***Opps***
ME: Ma'am, I am disconnecting this call. <click>

When I got off the phone I was shaking. I had to go and walk around outside to calm down. I have never been treated that horribly over the phone.

[ahanix1989]

You heard her, she wanted her phone line disconnected
And you probably have that recorded as proof.

[Jewels]

Oh, its so very, very tempting.

[ShortTemperHatesStupidity]

As she has been a repeat problem, and seems to have a *ahem* issue with being civil, and you probably have the recorded conversation where she says to "go ahead" I would say you're absolutely in the right to cancel her service. Totally legit.

[wagegoth]

Crank. Should only be sold mixed with birth control.

[Kara]

Don't let her get to you. I get my job threatened on a daily basis sometimes, you'll get used to it. I've been told so and so knows the CEO personally and I'm going to be sorry, people have called me every name under the sun, I've been told they'll have my job, even threatened with jail time. People say they're going to sue the company and me personally. Once a guy said he was going to kill me (I know he can't because he A) doesn't know where I am and B) doesn't have my last name, but I still got to fill out and "incident" report and he's been banned from ever calling customer care again). One old woman even wished the wrath of God on me. And yet here I am, and they are nothing but stories to mock on this here little board.

[Spiffy McMoron]

Wow, she sounds like a real delightful person. Her poor child.

Does management know about her? And does your company have a file that can be pulled up and have either A) notes on the calls put on there, or B) have copies of the actual calls themselves put on there?

[CrazedClerk]

at my job we aren't allowed to hang up....ever.

[Jewels]

All phone calls are recorded, so if she does issue a complaint against me then we have the actual phone call itself to back me up (not that I am worried). We also keep detailed notes about calls on every account.

I was never really sure if I had the authority to disconnect a call, so I asked my supervisor and she said that if I feel the need I can. I've only done it once (this call), and my only reason for doing so again would be if the caller starts personally attacking me and is getting out of control.

[Jewels]

One thing I should mention about this woman...when she was first installed the tech who went out there actually considered hiding the equipment in her wall. She was freaking about the different lights and how they were or weren't blinking.

As she is the only person having issues with the service, I think that the problem lies with her and her phone.

[Pinkie]

When I was a newbie on the phones, I had to tell a woman that just because she had children in the home, didn't mean we couldn't turn her electric off for non-payment, and in order to get her service back, she'd have to pay the past due PLUS a deposit PLUS a reconnection fee. Total was about $1000. I offered names and phone numbers of assistance agencies in her area, but instead of getting out a pen and paper, she told me...."I hope you meet your God soon" and hung up....

[ShortTemperHatesStupidity]

I was never really sure if I had the authority to disconnect a call, so I asked my supervisor and she said that if I feel the need I can.

Lemmie tell ya something-and this goes for ALL lines of work, not just call centers-as an employee you will have to withstand some verbal abuse occasionally. I could say you shouldn't have to withstand any abuse (because that's what it should be), but lets face it, it's going to happen unless you're Donald Trump (and if you are what the hell are you doing on this site, you don't deal with sucky customers). But there is a line that absolutely should not be crossed by anyone-ever. IMO things like getting personal, name calling, excessive profanity should never have to be tolerated. As a person, you have the right to draw a line and be able to say enough is enough when that line is crossed. No one should ever have to endure more than their share...

[Jewels]

Exactly. If you want to insult the company or the service because you are frustrated...then fine. I won't stop you.

If every other word is a cuss word, I will tell you to stop (usually they hang up at that point).

If you are swearing at me and insulting me, and are refusing to calm down and listen and work towards a solution, then I will disconnect the call.

I am here to help, and I can't and won't help anyone who is acting like a toddler.

[Imogene]

"I hope you meet your God soon"

Well, at least she was kind enough not to assume you were of the same faith...
If there had been enough time, I would've piped back, "Did that, bought the book. Nice guy... girl... hermaphrodite...thing."