I've gone on and on about how bad my customers are, how stupid and mean and arrogant they are, etc., etc., etc...

I guess it's not really very fair to go on and on about the people that call here without giving the other side: how we mistreat our customers. I'm not going to get up on a high horse and tell you I've never been rude or snotty, that would be lying. I've never hung up on a customer, but I think I have dropped the "F" bomb a couple of times(maybe twice in as long as I have been here,it's not something I'm proud of). Enough about me and my faults, that's not only boring, its just not as interesting as other people's faults.

Seriously though, I would not like to call my center. Sure, there are many times that we do a good job. But other times we are unkind and weaselly. At least a couple of times a week there's shouting over the phone when a customer doesn't answer questions the right way or they just don't know enough to set up their order intelligently. There are several agents who will argue with customers if they don't answer their questions right, "Do you want my help or don't you!?! Then you need to listen to me and answer my questions!!". I know I've even caught myself doing this when a customer was just not listening.

Some customers ask to be updated when the trade is done. If it doesn't happen and customers call to complain, there are some agents who have straight up told customers that, "We don't have time to tell you how we spent your money." It's actually true that we don't have time to make every call that should be made, but we should at least make some attempt, or at least pretend we are trying.

If I was to tell you how it's different for me, "because I really care", and that all of those other agents, they're just uncaring assholes, that wouldn't be true. Its so easy to judge ourselves by our intentions, and others by their actions. I used to believe that some agents were "just jerks that don't care", but I don't see it so black and white anymore*.

I know most agents believe that the way they do things is the only way to take care of customers. Some think every call must be answered by the second ring, but its ok to let the trade take forever. Some people think that you should only take as many calls as you can handle well, and let the others just back up until they can be handled right. I wish I knew exactly where in the middle the answer was.

As much as I hate to admit it, we need more hands-on management when things get like this. Someone to give us a standard. I do like the fact that we don't get hounded with mandatory call time goals and micro-management here. But we're too far the other way. Every one is doing their own thing, and thinks they are the only one who knows how to give good customer service.

Thanks for reading,

AC


*Yes, jerks and slackers do exist. Its just that there are very few 100% jerks, most are around 70-80%. Percentages may vary...