A Parlour for a Plague

It was a billing question.

Had a terrible time understanding the person, as usual. I just really have a problem with following what an Indian person is saying. They tend to just keep repeating themselves, but with the slightest variation where you aren't sure they're saying the same thing.

Honestly, I could understand what they were saying if they would just ******* answer the question(s) I ask, without throwing in 10 times as many words as is required.

When I ask something, I kinda expect "All right, let me look that up"

Not:
"I can understand that you are having an issue with (repeats what I just said, but not exactly, and I do apologize for any difficulties you are having because of this. So if you will allow me to assist you today I will take the opportunity to look up your account # of 1234567, under the name of Chai2, regarding your service of (names particular service). I'm requesting your permison and ask that you give me authorization to look up your account # 1234567 under the name of Chai2 so I can see what exactly is the status of that account."

Then, every 4 seconds they say. "I apologize for the wait time in looking this up. I am waiting to get the information on account # 1234567, so do you mind waiting another 2 seconds until I repeat this?"

It just goes downhill from there. Every time.

Just when you were getting to the good bit. Please, do continue.

I know exactly what you go through. Did you ever watch a youtube video featuring Mike Nichols and Elaine May featuring Mike using a pay phone and Elaine being the operator? Like most of their skits, it was hilarious. I mean, I actually do laugh at those things.

Yeah....I think a lot of that **** is written out and the call centres fire them if they don’t say it though, to be fair.

It’s all crazy

Some of that (the repetition in particular) is probably a script. Other parts are cultural.

My assistant is in the Philippines and has been working with me for almost 2 years. I have never given her a hard time for asking a question. But she still begins every single question with, "If I may ask..."

Yes. However if the call is being recorded/ listened to, and the customer is specifically saying stop doing that, there shouldn’t be a problem.
If ATT can’t see that, shame on them. Why should people in another part of the world have such a significantly different script from a CSR for the same company in the US?

I think if the CSR is frustrating a paying customer literally to the point of tears, which has happened to me (and I’m sure others) on several occasions, something is not right in their system.

When I, and I personally know at least 2 other people who have said this, have to literally steel themselves for a few hours, or even until the next day, to make this call, something is very wrong on the other end.

When an employee has to put up with verbal abuse from people who are generally kind and patient humans, but are driven to the point of breaking down and snapping, something is extremely wrong in their system.

When, and I know i’m not alone in this, choose to hang up when they hear the voice of the CSR, and call back hoping the odds are are in their favor for the next call, things are wrong in their system

The problem is not the customer. It’s with the asinine script they may or may not be forced to follow. People are in charge of the script, not the other way around.

Customers should not have to sit and tolerate this almighty script when it does nothing to solve whatever problem they are calling about.

People generally call customer service when there is a problem, or they don’t understand something. They are already in at least a minimum, frustrated.

Shame on the script writer who thinks that a customer welcomes, will be soothed by or finds people parroting these scripts helpful

Shame on whatever level(s) of management who allow any of this to go on.

Seriously, why do customers need to be frustrated and/or angered by being held hostage to this ****? Why do employees have to fear for their jobs when, as the front line, they absolutely know paying customers hate it? How many times during their shift are they hung up on before the call even starts?

Honesty, and I’m not bragging, I am generally most CSR’s dream caller. I thank Them for providing help to me. I call prepared with any information they may need. I’ve made many CSRs chuckle or engage with me briefly, creating a nano relationship. I go out of my way when appropriate to compliment them on something specifically at the end of the call, which means they go to the next call feeling appreciated. It’s like I’m paying it forward to the next paying customer so they get a good experience too. I sincerely, no lie, think about these things when on a call.
Btw, when Obamacare first started, and their CSRs were getting tons of flack from entitled A-holes, I once choked up a CSR by letting her know many of us acknowledged she was in difficult situation and was doing an excellent job. I hope I relieved her stress for just a few well deserved minutes.

So when I get to where I avoid seeking help for my problem, when I feel anxiety and panic during a call, when I start to cry during a call, when I have been known to literally say “please, I’m begging you, just answer my question” and they on their end out of fear for their employment continue anyway, this is an abusive situation on both ends.

It doesn’t work, no one likes it, management knows it and I believe uses it in large part to avoid having paying customers call to get problems fixed.

The emperors naked

Yes, I know all those feelings

I can handle the script.

It’s when I try ant try and try to understand someone with a heavy accent and just cannot and ask politely for another representative and they won’t do it....

I also understand how awful it feels when you get really upset and lose it, when you are NOT the sort of person who treats people in customer service badly.

And dreading having to make those calls!

Then Why is all of this still happening?

One can commiserate all day, but why does it continue?

I do understand cultural differences.

But if the culture who is paying for, and having problems with the product/serice, is reaching out, it would seem that the better customer service would be to communicate in a fashion which the end user understands.

In cases like this, I believe the culture of the person having the issue, and is paying their salary, is the one that should be catered to.

Oh. and no jes, I would never have a problem, or think to mention the fact someone always starts a sentence with "if I may ask"
But, when the entire interaction is an exercise in "if I may ask", on a 15 to 20 minute call, and after that time I am no more understanding, less confused, more educated, satisfied with the service, I think something is dreadfully wrong on the company side.

CSR's from overseas have become a meme, a bad joke. That is poor business. If a customer has to dread making a call, every single time, it's unlikely it's always the customers fault.

I don't believe the customer is always right. I do believe a company should make an effort to communicate to their customer base in a way they will understand, and not have to take a drink or blood pressure pill either before or after.

AT&T is an oligopoly. It holds their customerd hostage in more ways than this.

Earlier in the year, when I couldn't get a overseas CSR at TMobile to stop repeating at least 3 more times after I asked them to stop, multiple times, telling how sorry they were that my husband was dead (literally 2 days before), even after I was audibly crying, as I am right now thinking of that day. Something in me broke, I think forever.

Something is dreadfully wrong with a company when something like that can go on. Especially considering that now, 10 months later, I still get a monthly bill from Tmobile which I don't pay obviously.

There comes a point when patience, and understanding a different culture, and scripts are not the issue.

The issue is a giant who is holding both their slaves and what they consider their serfs hostage to their own self interest.

Just **** that.

One thing to keep in mind... Call center employees are required to follow a script. The same is true in other industries with phone contacting. If the person does not follow the majority of the script, termination of employment usually occurs. This is especially true for an employee repeatedly violating the company instruction to 'follow and adhere to the (bloody friggin g.d.) script.'.

How would I know? A vast CV which includes: telephone sales, telephone survey taker, Bullworker exercise equipment service and support phone response. (I had plenty of minimum wage, no health insurance or overtime jobs). People are easily replaced. This is especially in locations such as India. Deviating from the script was frowned upon.

Huge corporations don't generally give a flying fig about the actual people...that would be both the customers and the employees on the bottom rungs of the ladder. As long as the revenue continues and stock holders are content, all is well.

Yes, it sucks. Probably won't get any better.

There was a time when the call went directly to an actual person. A knowledgeable person. Those days are gone. Now a call starts out with a medicinal mechanical recorded voice (and by gum, they all sound alike in either male or female 'voice'.... ''Hello! Please enter your account number ").

I place the blame on whomever or whoever invented the wheel!

Yeah. I've already mentioned all this Sturgis

The employees are the slaves, the customers are treated as serfs. Like we owe them something.

Some idiot that hasn't looked into the culture of the companies customer base invented this "script" in the problem country.

In the country where most of the customers are, the sacred script is there, but nowhere near as horrible. We all know that. That's why we hang up when we hear someone with a very foregin accent to our ears answers and says, "Hello, this is Cameron Thank you for call Oligopoly Inc and may I ask who I permitted to provide excellent service to today?" Click.

We all know what causes this.

We all know why they do it.

Every time I say "it's not worth calling and going through this" the company makes or saves money.

It's all very obvious.

It's a joke.

The earliest known scissors appeared in Mesopotamia 3,000 to 4,000 years ago after an argument about sharing the flat bread.

Later that same day the woman realised they didn't cut the mustard and "voila super supreme"(فويلا سوبر سوبريم) the pizza wheel was invented.

I've been unable to unscramble my voice mail on my landline for almost 10 months. My pin got scrambled, I can't figure out what it might be so I'm paying 12 bucks a month to frustrate my friends who leave messages that I can't access. They piss me off, I've spent hours online trying to figure this out....they thank me for being polite but they give me nothing......................assholes.

Well, at least you know you have a secure code. Right?

Well, can't argue with that.

Online? You can’t call them?

Do you need to change providers and set it all up anew?

Ill let her anwer but in my case, its actually easier to set up a zoom room than it i to hve a conference call. All the PIN numbers and **** jut confuse the folks whove actually never used conference calls. nowadayw, people in their 80's are familiar with zoom or skype.

I think Glitterbag is simply unable to retrieve voice messages people leave in the message box on her landline telephone

You often have to put in a pin which is chosen when you set up the voice message system.

She can’t remember her own pin and for some bizarre reason her provider seems incapable of just helping her set up a new one.

So people hear a direction to leave a message and do so, apparently not understanding that Glitterbag can’t listen to them.

28 degrees Fahrenheit in Austin @ 8am