inorbit Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Today at my secular job (aka, my real job... Still wiggling out of ministry)... Those days at work where those above you make a poor decision and you get the joy of relaying it to the client, who screams at you (rightfully so, as it is definitely the wrong decision on the company's part) and hangs up. It's costing the client both time and money and it's flat wrong. I tried explaining that I went to bat for them against management, that I pleaded their case and tried to get the right decision made... But it was out of my hands and ultimately not my decision. The client either didn't believe me, or didn't grasp what I was saying. So, to sum up: I spend a good chunk of the morning hunting down possible solutions and then trying to get these solutions to clear management, arguing with my superior on behalf of the client. I strike out there and am already frustrated by this when I call the client. I explain the situation and even offer the client another potential solution that I didn't clear with my boss (but at least I could give the client something), apologized profusely, explained my sincere frustration and desire to do the right thing, that I didn't think it was the right thing, but that it was out of my hands. Client chews me out, and hangs up. I'm so tough, I cried in the bathroom after the ordeal was over. LOL Man, I felt like dirt. I just had to vent. I'm being thrown under the bus from both sides and it's not even my fault. The screw up isn't my fault, and the lack of resolution isn't my fault. Gah. Does this go under rants, or under off topic? I'm still new here. Thanks for letting me pound sand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inorbit Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 But, hey, that's customer service. If screaming at me and making me cry after I did my best to help them makes them feel a tiny bit better, that's actually my job. Customer service=human doormat. I drink more these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 It's so easy for management to treat customers like shit when they're not the ones actually talking to them. If I were the client i'd ask to speak to that dillhole making the call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inorbit Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 It's so easy for management to treat customers like shit when they're not the ones actually talking to them. If I were the client i'd ask to speak to that dillhole making the call. He never asked to. He even claimed he worked in customer service himself and that this was terrible service. ...If he works in customer service, he should have thought of that and asked to speak to management. I didn't even get a chance to offer that, he was so diarrhea-of-the-mouth-followed-by-sudden-dial-tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Just do ur best not to let it get to ya. This is why they pay you the big bucks, right? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
openpalm45 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 *hugs* I hope your day gets better! If I lived near you, I would try to do something nice to cheer you up. Like buy you a drink or something. I used to work in a call center. For a ministry no less. I had to deal with similar situations. It was terrible, and I hated every minute of it. I stayed because I believed "God had placed me there." Oy. I definitely had my rough days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inorbit Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Haha! I stay, because the pay is not horrible (not amazing), I really enjoy the industry, and it allows me access to better pricing on stuff I would be wasting money on anyway. LOL It fuels one of my hobbies. Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I felt loads better just venting about it. Funny how that works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wester Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Capitalism sux don't it? Secure a new means of income and then give your customers the low down and wait to be fired or just walk out. Or, Organize a union. Even if you and your co-workers are allergic to unions, start acting in solidarity. Sh*t will change union or no union. Give em hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paine Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Today at my secular job (aka, my real job... Still wiggling out of ministry)... Those days at work where those above you make a poor decision and you get the joy of relaying it to the client, who screams at you (rightfully so, as it is definitely the wrong decision on the company's part) and hangs up. It's costing the client both time and money and it's flat wrong. I tried explaining that I went to bat for them against management, that I pleaded their case and tried to get the right decision made... But it was out of my hands and ultimately not my decision. The client either didn't believe me, or didn't grasp what I was saying. So, to sum up: I spend a good chunk of the morning hunting down possible solutions and then trying to get these solutions to clear management, arguing with my superior on behalf of the client. I strike out there and am already frustrated by this when I call the client. I explain the situation and even offer the client another potential solution that I didn't clear with my boss (but at least I could give the client something), apologized profusely, explained my sincere frustration and desire to do the right thing, that I didn't think it was the right thing, but that it was out of my hands. Client chews me out, and hangs up. I'm so tough, I cried in the bathroom after the ordeal was over. LOL Man, I felt like dirt. I just had to vent. I'm being thrown under the bus from both sides and it's not even my fault. The screw up isn't my fault, and the lack of resolution isn't my fault. Gah. Does this go under rants, or under off topic? I'm still new here. Thanks for letting me pound sand. I know it says "NotTelling" under your gender...and Im cool with that. But when you say you cried in the bathroom....survey says CHICK. If you want anonymity, make sure you edit your writing. I still have not telling though everyone knows Im the biggest bitch in here. WELCOME! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Managers. Who needs them, really? So some fucking manager made a decision that gets you into deep shit. Of course he'll never change his mind. At "best" he might allow things to go back almost to like they were before, but never exactly like that - because then there would be no denying that his first decision was crap. No matter how many people suffer, or how much his own company suffers. I seriously wonder just how much better we'd all be off if we whipped all managers of the planet to death Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I know it says "NotTelling" under your gender...and Im cool with that. But when you say you cried in the bathroom....survey says CHICK. If you want anonymity, make sure you edit your writing. I still have not telling though everyone knows Im the biggest bitch in here. WELCOME! Gender stereotyping, Paine? I'm a man, but every day when my young charges leave my classroom, I put my head on my desk and weep uncontrollably for about ten minutes. At least that is what I tell them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Sometimes I get really shitty about bad decisions or screw-ups by a company. When I know I can't keep it out of my tone, and it's not the fault of the person I'm speaking to, I usually give a preamble like, "hey, I'm pissed off, but I know it's not your fault, so please don't think I'm pissed off with you because I sound shitty, I'm just annoyed by the situation". By doing that, the person is usually really helpful even though I sound really shitty, and I usually apologise for sounding so shitty. I find I get better results that way, and usually have a laugh and a chat with the person at the end of the call. I've also learned when it's time to stop trying to deal with the company and go to the ombudsman about a situation. I do feel sorry for a lot of people who work in call centres. When I ring up Centrelink (our version of social security), I make sure I am extra nice, because they really do get a rough time on the phones. It's not easy for them. They'll have people on the dole ring up screaming about how they didn't get paid, and it'll be because they didn't put their form in when they were meant to. That's not the person taking the call's fault, and yet they get abused for it. So I do try to be extra nice on the phone, because you never know what kind of day the other person has had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I know it says "NotTelling" under your gender...and Im cool with that. But when you say you cried in the bathroom....survey says CHICK. Thats what I thought!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 But, hey, that's customer service. If screaming at me and making me cry after I did my best to help them makes them feel a tiny bit better, that's actually my job. Customer service=human doormat. I drink more these days. I'm glad I dont have to deal with the public. I think call centers dont hold to staff for very long cause of the abuse they get. I find exercise, even just a walk round the block, is a good way of reliving stress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I'm glad I dont have to deal with the public. I think call centers dont hold to staff for very long cause of the abuse they get. [...] Last I heard from the helpdesk where I once worked, it had degenerated into a call center in anything but name where some 12 people worked (in theory, if no one was sick or on holiday) and every fucking month someone new needed to be hired to replace another burnt-out agent who had to throw in the towel. 'nuff said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Today at my secular job (aka, my real job... Still wiggling out of ministry)... Those days at work where those above you make a poor decision and you get the joy of relaying it to the client, who screams at you (rightfully so, as it is definitely the wrong decision on the company's part) and hangs up. It's costing the client both time and money and it's flat wrong. I tried explaining that I went to bat for them against management, that I pleaded their case and tried to get the right decision made... But it was out of my hands and ultimately not my decision. The client either didn't believe me, or didn't grasp what I was saying. So, to sum up: I spend a good chunk of the morning hunting down possible solutions and then trying to get these solutions to clear management, arguing with my superior on behalf of the client. I strike out there and am already frustrated by this when I call the client. I explain the situation and even offer the client another potential solution that I didn't clear with my boss (but at least I could give the client something), apologized profusely, explained my sincere frustration and desire to do the right thing, that I didn't think it was the right thing, but that it was out of my hands. Client chews me out, and hangs up. I'm so tough, I cried in the bathroom after the ordeal was over. LOL Man, I felt like dirt. I just had to vent. I'm being thrown under the bus from both sides and it's not even my fault. The screw up isn't my fault, and the lack of resolution isn't my fault. Gah. Does this go under rants, or under off topic? I'm still new here. Thanks for letting me pound sand. My customers screamed at me on a regular basis. But I had an hourly wage and we weren't selling anything so I didn't 'let' my customers get too carried away. I've hung up on lots of them. But I wasn't in sales. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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