[just_words]

Yesterday I rang up a company querying a item on a bill, I put it something like this, "you've charged me for this", and they said, "i'm not charging you this, it's not me", "Yeah but your my current representative of the company, you answered the phone and have been nominated to deal with my query".

Why do company representatives resent being classed as what they are? If you don't like the business that you represent, then why work there? (If anyone states money on the table, then you must also agree that you've sold your soul and should accept the fact that your a company representative).

But yesterdays went even funnier, I said "But you've just told me that I am required to formally post this request, there your rules", she said "there not my rules there yours", "What so I don't have to formally post the request, you can do it over the phone?", "oh course you do", "but you just stated that there not the rules"... After this went on for a few more minutes I couldn't stop laughing, so she came out with the old classic "Sir, i'm going to have to ask you to calm down", "No, it's you who is frustrated, me i'm really enjoying this conversation, you should listen back to the tape and see how many blunders you've just made, oh, was it you who calculated my last two incorrect invoices?"...


Yep, I was going to cancel anyway...

But surely she is legally a company representative and if I say 'you', I am referring to the company not her vanity.

[auto98uk]

Originally Posted by just_words

Yesterday I rang up a company querying a item on a bill, I put it something like this, "you've charged me for this", and they said, "i'm not charging you this, it's not me", "Yeah but your my current representative of the company, you answered the phone and have been nominated to deal with my query".

Why do company representatives resent being classed as what they are? If you don't like the business that you represent, then why work there? (If anyone states money on the table, then you must also agree that you've sold your soul and should accept the fact that your a company representative).

But yesterdays went even funnier, I said "But you've just told me that I am required to formally post this request, there your rules", she said "there not my rules there yours", "What so I don't have to formally post the request, you can do it over the phone?", "oh course you do", "but you just stated that there not the rules"... After this went on for a few more minutes I couldn't stop laughing, so she came out with the old classic "Sir, i'm going to have to ask you to calm down", "No, it's you who is frustrated, me i'm really enjoying this conversation, you should listen back to the tape and see how many blunders you've just made, oh, was it you who calculated my last two incorrect invoices?"...


Yep, I was going to cancel anyway...

But surely she is legally a company representative and if I say 'you', I am referring to the company not her vanity.

Yes

She was badly trained.

[sustainable]

Originally Posted by just_words

Yesterday I rang up a company querying a item on a bill, I put it something like this, "you've charged me for this", and they said, "i'm not charging you this, it's not me", "Yeah but your my current representative of the company, you answered the phone and have been nominated to deal with my query".

Why do company representatives resent being classed as what they are? If you don't like the business that you represent, then why work there? (If anyone states money on the table, then you must also agree that you've sold your soul and should accept the fact that your a company representative).

But yesterdays went even funnier, I said "But you've just told me that I am required to formally post this request, there your rules", she said "there not my rules there yours", "What so I don't have to formally post the request, you can do it over the phone?", "oh course you do", "but you just stated that there not the rules"... After this went on for a few more minutes I couldn't stop laughing, so she came out with the old classic "Sir, i'm going to have to ask you to calm down", "No, it's you who is frustrated, me i'm really enjoying this conversation, you should listen back to the tape and see how many blunders you've just made, oh, was it you who calculated my last two incorrect invoices?"...


Yep, I was going to cancel anyway...

But surely she is legally a company representative and if I say 'you', I am referring to the company not her vanity.

So you mean she won?

[epiphany]

Originally Posted by just_words

Why do company representatives resent being classed as what they are? If you don't like the business that you represent, then why work there? (If anyone states money on the table, then you must also agree that you've sold your soul and should accept the fact that your a company representative).

If you refer to "your company" rather than "you", they may appreciate you making this distinction and go out of their way to help you more.

The idea is to speak to the rep in such a way so they want to be on your side.

[auto98uk]

Also, slightly related is "the customer is always right" - no they bleedin' ain't!

[just_words]

Originally Posted by epiphany

If you refer to "your company" rather than "you", they may appreciate you making this distinction and go out of their way to help you more.

The idea is to speak to the rep in such a way so they want to be on your side.

That'd mean just accepting everything they said, even when they overcharge me because they say them's the rules you agreed to.

But by saying 'your company' infers something else entirely, in legal term's (see intro to most t&c's), 'you' and 'we' are usually defined in meaning.

[MuteWitness]

When I worked in a call centre everything had to go through a supervisor, so the same person could call 5 times and ask why haven't I done anything yet or no ones called them back but all I could do was pass everything on and hope the supervisors did their job. It was a major headache when I couldn't do anything to help and trying to deal with angry customers.

[just_words]

That's why I haven't worked in one for 15 years.

[Cat86]

Originally Posted by auto98uk

Also, slightly related is "the customer is always right" - no they bleedin' ain't!

Agreed.. I work for a telecoms company in customer service.. soon as the customer starts with ''you'' I generally switch off and cant really be bothered with them, unless they say ''i dont mean you personally''.

any customer that gets personal wont get very far..

And no customer managers to get me in a muddle yet.

[md25]

I feel sorry for phone jockeys. Many of them do, surprisingly, want to help you but their managers only care about minimising call times. So they can either upset someone at the other end of a phone line or upset someone who can scream in their face. What would you do?

[cgksheff]

Originally Posted by Cat86

Agreed.. I work for a company in customer service.. soon as the customer starts with ''you'' I generally switch off and cant really be bothered with them, unless they say ''i dont mean you personally''.

any customer that gets personal wont get very far..

And no customer managers to get me in a muddle yet.

Is this you, then?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryas9OANw-E

[nikkiboo27]

I work in a call centre and get abuse daily....Im used too it now, and not the slightest bit offended when someone says "you". I work for this company, im representing them so i need to do everything possible to help deal with this query as im the first point of communication. I follow up queries and ensure everything has been done before i pass it to a supervisor. If it means calling customer back i'll do it. If im ok with them, i usually let them have a good rant as they are usually correct (and to be honest i can see why they are getting mad) then you can guarantee i get an apology at the end of the call or "its not you im mad at its the company" etc....I have got colleagues that are totally useless at dealing with angry customers and will end up being offended by them and getting even more abuse down the phone.

Next time ask to speak to a supervisor and tell them to listen to that call and how they handled your query and why it puts you off using them again...It will get followed up.

Hope you sort it out.

[LitleMermaid]

What you have to remember is that the people on the other end of the phone aren't directly responsible for you problems-however frustrating the situation may be! At work (I don;t work in a call centre by the way) I am much more inclined to go out of my way for customers who don't talk to me like I'm something they've stood in

[daftlad]

I work in a callcentre and had to ring dell (another call centre)today. I eventually got it sorted out after 50 minutes (15 minutes before phone was first answered) and speaking to 2 different people. To all you who have a dell computer, you have my very deepest sympathy

[LitleMermaid]

And just for the record, I really do understand the frustrations-like everyone, I've got the sodding t-shirt when it comes to bein on hold etc But I always try and be nice to the people I do speak to-they are human beings after all! If they are rude, then I have no problem being just as abrupt back however

[wobblywill]

But if "they"(whoever) answer the phone, "they" are your point of contact

[lobster]

personaly , i allways found that writing to the managing director at his home address usually got the action i required