It malfunctioned before it was damaged....

[Ledomar]

Hello folks. As I stated in my last thread, I'm a CSR for {Can you hear me now?}. I honestly should post more of the conversations that I have on a daily basis, but by the time I get home and read a few posts on here, I forget most of the conversations (and I'm not quite the literary genius as some of the members on here are, aka GK, Jester, Customersruinmylife). But this guy was just begging to be posted.

SC = SPESHUL snowflake
Me = Wondering what deity I angered to deserve a fate like this
Sup = Supervisor (who's awesome)

Me: *Opening Spiel* What can I help you with today?
SC: Yeah I got a replacement device the other day because my old one won't power on anymore. When I went to take my old phone out of the case it fell and the screen cracked. I know if I sent it back I'd get a damaged device fee. How can I avoid that?

In all honesty, not a bad question. Educated enough to know he probably shouldn't send the damaged phone back. He got a point for that. But his reaction to the only option available earned him double plus uncool badside points.

Me: Well, sir, that is upsetting to hear that the device has been damaged. As for your question of avoiding the fee there is only one option. That option is to send back the replacement device we sent to you and to file an insurance claim on the damaged device.
SC: WHAT????!!!!!!!!!eleventyrarglegarblerage
SC: Now we both know that all you have to do is make some notes on the account and the fee will be waived when the warehouse people get the phone back. I used to run a repair shop for {Competitor-Other competitor merged corporation}. I know this system.
Me: Well, sir, I'm not sure of policy in place at {Competitor-Other competitor merged corporation}, but this is {Can you hear me now?}. This is the only option we have for incidents like this.
SC: *rant, rave, tries to say he's been in this business for 12+ years* You know what? I appreciate your stance on this, but I want a supervisor. I know they have more pull than Customer Service reps.

Oh buddy, you just opened a bad can of worms. Yes, sups do have more authority and can do a few more things than reps, but in situations like this, their hands are as tied as mine. Policy is policy, and the sups in my area of the call center actually back up the reps (YAY!!!)

Me: Okay sir. I will have to place you on a brief hold while I get that supervisor. I do feel the need to tell you that they will tell you the same thing I have stated as they have to follow this policy as well. *places on hold*

Sup arrives, and he's a really good one. He'll be as nice as can be, but he will back the rep up if the rep is right. If the rep is wrong, he'll let the rep know what policy is, but will be nice about it.

So I explain the situation and the sup takes my headset. At this point, all I can hear is the sup's side of the convo.

Sup: Hello, I'm C, the supervisor you requested to speak with.
*pause as SC is talking*
Sup: Well sir, the only option at this point is to return the replacement we sent to you, and file an insurance claim. (Wait a second, that sounds familiar! Deja Vu-like even)
*pause*
And the conversation went on for about 10-15 more minutes with Sup advising the customer of his only option. WORD FOR WORD.

Occasionally he would mute the mic and say stuff to me like "He's special isn't he" or "Wow, he just doesn't get it". The last time he muted the mic was around minute 14-15 when he said to me "I've put it as nicely as I can. Now it's time to be blunt." At which point he told the customer that to send the damaged device back would basically be fraud and he WOULD be charged a $299.99 damaged device fee.

Does SC finally realize he's not gonna win?

Look at the url at the top of your screen....

He asks to escalate to my sup's sup. Which means he'll have to wait 24-48 hours to receive a call back. Where he'll just be told the same option again....

To me, if I get told the exact same thing by both an employee AND that employee's supervisor, I'll just take that route. But we all know SC logic =/= sane logic.

The kicker was when he told my supervisor that the phone wouldn't be broken if it hadn't malfunctioned, because he wouldn't have had to take it out of the case to begin with...

[sld72382]

The kicker was when he told my supervisor that the phone wouldn't be broken if it hadn't malfunctioned, because he wouldn't have had to take it out of the case to begin with...

That reminds me of the time many years ago at Giants Stadium when several fans were busted for throwing snowballs at the officials, one of which was packed and thrown so hard that it injured a sideline worker.

The idiot who threw the ball said this afterwards: "All this would have been avoided if the snow wasn't there!"

[Argabarga]

You know, that conviction for assault could have been easily avoided if only that little old lady had given me her purse when I demanded it! It's not my fault she was unreasonable about it!

[EricKei]

The idiot who threw the ball said this afterwards: "All this would have been avoided if the snow wasn't there!"

to Mr Idiot: Alllrighty then -- by that logic, it also would not have happened if YOU were not here. Let's take some proactive measures to help with that going forward. SECURITY!

[barainga]

I had several instances at Borg Sphere call center similar. Even had a couple straight up ask me to help them commit insurance fraud by 'backdating' the insurance feature.

[starsinthesky]

I do that with customers as well at House of Crap. More often when it is to late to cancel an item. There is no way to unring that bell and stop the shipping process once it starts and when they want to take it up the chain I tell them I will do it, but their hands are tied as well.

[telecom_goddess]

Damaged device fee is 300 bucks? That's enough to make me consider placing my phone on a pillow soft cloud and encase it in plexiglass so it never has a chance to break. Damn.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Damaged device fee is 300 bucks? That's enough to make me consider placing my phone on a pillow soft cloud and encase it in plexiglass so it never has a chance to break. Damn.

There's a better option:

Get an otter box.

[icmedia]

Damaged device fee is 300 bucks? That's enough to make me consider placing my phone on a pillow soft cloud and encase it in plexiglass so it never has a chance to break. Damn.

The "fee" is that they charge you full price for the device if you send it back as a factory defect, and there is user-end damage. Because, user-end damage is what INSURANCE is for, and there is a deductible involved with it. Otherwise, people who wanted a new phone would just break their old one and send it in for a replacement every few months.

[It shouldn't]

The "fee" is that they charge you full price for the device if you send it back as a factory defect, and there is user-end damage. Because, user-end damage is what INSURANCE is for, and there is a deductible involved with it. Otherwise, people who wanted a new phone would just break their old one and send it in for a replacement every few months.

And as my boss found out........ after so many claims per year the insurance will drop your behind like a hot potato.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Damaged device fee is 300 bucks? That's enough to make me consider placing my phone on a pillow soft cloud and encase it in plexiglass so it never has a chance to break. Damn.

Closest thing I've found online to that would be the OtterBox.

[EricKei]

after so many claims per year the insurance will drop your behind like a hot potato.

Yup. Keep in mind that insurance companies are not actually in the business of "insuring" people. Kinda like places that handle Rebate offers -- their job is to deny claims for any reason possible, and then to fulfill them only if they cannot do that.

[Andara Bledin]

You know, I hear a lot of horror stories about rebates, but I've had half a dozen of them and nary a problem.

^-.-^

[Shalom]

I'm a CSR for {Can you hear me now?}. I honestly should post more of the conversations that I have on a daily basis, but by the time I get home and read a few posts on here, I forget most of the conversations

You could probably remind yourself by reading this thread...