hehe, work is work, Do it the way thet bosses wan tyou to do it or work for yourself ..... simple. It may not be "fair" but you'll learn that life is generally not fair.
So, what information did I get again? If I didn't get any information at all from the customer, other than he wants me to directly transfer him to a department that can help him (as I cannot do absolutely anything for him, period), please tell me what he has to explain to the next department? But, you do bring up a good point, although things often do look better on paper. It's always been my personal experience that if person A can't help me, than why are they trying to waste my time? If I am conducting business with a company, I feel valued when I can get done what I want done. Guess I'm alone on that one. Besides the point, even if I had gotten everything that he wanted to do on that call, and given the next rep the info, the customer would of most likely either explained it again, or been asked for it again. That's how most transfers go in the real world Yes, I realise the UN is not a country, it was a typo . I meant the UK, sorry. As to the rest of your post, I would agree 100%, although it doesn't make much sense, as during training it is drilled into your head that policy is not perfect, and that the customer comes first... Consistency in a workplace is helpful As I've stated before, I don't take things personally, until they are directed at me personally, and my job becomes threatened due to somebody not understanding how policy should be enacted. A same customer service? Wait, for a moment there I thought they put humans on the phones so that they wouldn't have to talk to a robotic voice... Guess I was wrong on that one. I will agree that every customer should get absolutely perfect customer service, but sometimes it is difficult. When a customer asks you to do something directly, and you have been previously advised that "customers come first," would you rather help the customer, or follow policy and waste their time? By the way, I hear customers complaining and whining all day about being on the phones too long with customer service, that we waste too much time, and just to top it all off, most calls I get customers hanging up on me when I am trying to close the call. Yeah, it makes sense to have a closing that takes you 3-4 minutes just to talk though But this is all irrelevant, as I'm the one taking the calls, not you.
The point is that it is your job to do as you are told by your managers which is outlined to them by the client. If you don't want to do this then walk out the door. Apology accepted As I said above - you are paid to do what the client wants you to do. Not what you think you should do. I get paid to follow policy so I follow policy. If you are following policy and getting poor CSAT results then you are doing a bad job. I get customers complaining that it has taken them ages to sort an issue or that they have been bounced from department to department but my customers never leave a call irritated or disappointed with the service I have provided because that is what I am paid to do. If you have irate customers at the end of your call then you are doing a bad job. Guess who I work for *n
Get a unique code name (unique in your call center). The caller will never know if your real name is John Brown but can still refer to you in follow up calls. -- Unless of course you want to pick a fight with your employer.
I appreciate all this is very frustrating. You are obviously bright and want to do a good job, in the way you logically think it needs to be done. But guess what? You're not paid to think. Essentially, in a call-center you are a business-client interface. If they could get a machine to do your job, they would (and guess what, sometimes they already do). This, of course, is reflected in your paycheck. Malfoleo, you're not the only one in that position. It happens even in fairly high-paid, professional jobs. The solution is straightforward: you don't like it (and quite reasonably, you don't), you quit and move on to another job where your talents and abilities are valued more. Simple as that. I've done it, other people have done it. If you can't quit, just go through the motions --which is what you get paid for, after all-- and bide your time until you can get a better job. Your employer wants mindless robots, than that is what they will hire, and that is what they will pay for, not insight, innovation, inspiration, or talent. Don't try and sell it to them, because they won't want to know. All you end up with is a pink slip and a bad reference. Just let it go, and move on when you can. Because this is one battle you can't win.
The First Amm. doesn't say 'I shall not give my Name to Phone Comapnies' IN ANY FORM POSSIBLE. The first ammendment simply says you can say whatever you want (Must be a joke ) in the US. Whether or not you say your name on phone or not has nothing to do with it. Malf, usually I would tell you just to die; but whatever. Having to say your last name before a service call is just ridiculous, the first name is all that is really neccesary. If someone tell you to f$$k off, and you hangup, you are help responsible? Stupid Cingular. Find another job, you don't need those SOB's.
If someone tells you to **** off, you tell them 'Sir (or madam), I will not allow you to speak in such a manner on this call, please refrain from doing so.' If they continue after this, you tell them 'Sir (or madam), I am terminating this call due to the language you have used. Please call us back when you are feeling more reasonable.' and terminate the call. As Nexxo pointed out, its a shitty job. We all have shitty jobs from time to time but you don't whinge about it. Get on with life, work toward getting yourself a job you'll enjoy and just go through the motions. It is not difficult to switch off mentally when you enter a building, go through the motions and then switch back on at the end of your shift. If you are, as Malfoleo is, doing a customer service role as opposed to a tech support role, it is even easier. The easiest ones are scripted - you get a beep on your headset, you go through the script, you log the call. You get another beep on your headset, you go through the script et cetera. You don't need a 130+ IQ to do the job and that is reflected in what you earn. Then again, I'm happier now doing a support role in a friendly environment with people I get on with, having a relatively stress-free working day, going home at the end of my shift and just chilling than I was when I was earning nearly twice as much doing a very stressful job which I would quite often have to take home with me. I just miss the money, thats all Another 5k a year doing the job I am now and I'd be content...Stress-free, enough to live on and a little spending money. Then again, I also have my eyes set on management...Hell, I could be Malfoleo's project leader in a wee while *n
When somebody begins swearing at my centre, you have the ability to laughably threaten to "put them on hold" For some odd reason, this actually works on customers... most of emm anyway. Easy job? Yes. Stress-free job? No. I actually find it very difficult just to 'shut down' and get on with my day. My brain just doesn't want to turn itself off and just keeps thinking, and attempting to operate in an environment where it shouldn't. I know that's the problem, and unfortunately there isn't a lot that can be done. Most days I'm content with my job, I give excellent customer service, I get the job done, and I help out people around me. These are days where my team lead is not getting mad at me because I used my brain on a call. Customers suck, I can handle them. Corporation sucks, never expected anything from them. My manager has the IQ of my last girl-friend? That is a problem. Why should I have to explain what a business model is to her when she's attempting to tell me why a "moment" has been scientifically calculated out to exactly 90 seconds. It just doesn't make sense, or a happy work environment. Penski, my supervisor? Hey, I could handle that, how can I help? You actually seem to think for yourself and have an opinion, I would love you as a manager. As well, I too have my sights set above where I am now. With any job I've ever had I've always wanted to go up the corporate ladder. Right now I'm applying to be either an SLR (just above a customer service rep; helps out with special projects or fills in for team leaders) or a red hat (policy and procedure help), and I've got probably 6-7 managers right now that are ready to sign off on me (as I'm one of the only people they've met that can directly quote exact text from the written policies). Don't think that just because I have "difficulties" with some people I work with that I don't want to continue working there. Oh, and I don't have enough time to be "stress free," on top of working full-time I also go to school full-time, do computer repair on the side, am in the middle of opening my own computer store, have a big contract for a web-site on the side, and am the sole bike-mechanic for my sister, who is a bicycle courier. Stress at work is only a small part of my day.
Ah, now I see what's causing you grief. We call it "real life" where I come from. Good luck with the corporate ladder. Management in many companies i've encountered could use a decent upgrade in brain power. ( Hmmmmm 64bit/water cool upgrade to bosses head). I'm not sure how you'll go after the problems you've outlined earlier as politics always play a part of any promotion (I'm sorry to say as I absolutly suck at internal politics). Hope it goes well for you.
Best interview quote: IT Manager: "Where do you see yourself in five years, Nicky?" Me: "Doing your job." ITM: "And what would I be doing?" Me: "His job." *points to company owner* Company Owner: "And what about me?" Me: "You'll be relaxing on a beach, living off the profits we could make " *n
QED. Just manage it, and just quit the job as soon as something better comes along. That's my point all along: YOU ARE NOT PAID TO EXPLAIN THIS TO HER. They are not interested in your explanation. That is NOT what they hired you for. Good. Then stop complaining and get on with it!
