Pride - Page 3

07-20-2004, 11:55 AM

That IS the flip side of the coin, Kev. I guess these outfits feel it saves them money to have one call center for the entire country. I recently got a little money and decided to order cable service for my TV. Well, the cable company which services my area in Colorado has its call center out of Pennsylvania somewhere. I live in a funny little mountain town where the addresses can be hard to find. You cannot call the local offices of the company, only the 800 number. The technician who was supposed to connect my cable could not find my house, so I called the 800 number and gave this person on the East Coast directions to my home which she then relayed to the local technician sitting in his truck about 6 blocks from my home. Needless to say, it was a real comedy trying to give local directions to someone who had never even heard of the town I live in, had no idea what I was referring to when I mentioned local landmarks, and then passed my information on to the technician in some garbled form.

Cyber Wolf · 07-20-2004, 11:57 AM

Oh I can totally understand the customer's side of situations but I don't have to like the way they treated me. I'm a customer myself and who isn't? To that end, when I'm on hold, say for helpdesk, I try to be as patient as I can mainly because I've been the person who has to take those calls. I know I'm not the only person they've had to deal with today and I know I'm not the only problem. I've found that even overworked and had-it-up-to-here operators tend to be a bit less cynical, a bit nicer and more helpful when they realize I know what they're going through. A while ago, I was on the help line with Gateway for over 3 hours once in the 1am timeframe. My computer was being a tard and nothing the guy was telling me to do was working. But, he and I were just chatting away between reboots and such like buddies, all candid and talking about all kinds of stuff. I knew my computer being stupid had nothing to do with him and he even told me he appreciated me not being a butt, especially since it was taking sooo long and it was really late, because he had dealt with them for his whole shift and was very tired of them all. We had a good Windows roast that night!

07-20-2004, 12:34 PM

That's just it, Cyber. A little understanding and decency can go a long way. You and I have been on the opposite end of the firing line, so we know what its like and can treat people decently if they'll only give us half a chance to do so. There have been times when I have been totally enraged by the actions of some entity and I'll get on the phone with some poor smuck in customer service. The first thing I'll say is, "Look, I understand that you are not personally responsible for this, but I am very upset over this thing and can you help me resolve it?" I get a much better response that way.

When I was fighting Social Security I had to call their office of hearings and appeals which just so happens to be located in my town.

Clerk: Office of hearings and appeals. May I help you?

Me: No. I understand that you can't help me. Your job is to field calls from the desperate and the dying while your supervisers take 3 hour lunches over there at McKenna's (a posh restaurant directly across from where the social security hearings office is located). I need for you to put me through to someone who just got back from lunch at McKenna's.

Clerk: (stunned silence for a moment) You are quite correct. Let me put you through to Judge X's legal assistant. I believe she just came back in.

Worked like a charm.

hot_pastrami · 07-20-2004, 01:09 PM

Things like admitting fault, taking responsibility, and conceding a point are rare things in today's "society of victims." It is so rare, that I have seen reactions of genuine surprise from people (mostly in the workplace) due to my willingness to admit when I am mistaken, or when I screwed up. Strangely, my openness about my mistakes has won me a lot of respect at work, where those who are convinced that they are always right win a bit of disdain. Irony at work, at work.

ladysycamore · 07-20-2004, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marichiko

I then spent the rest of my shift barely able to contain my laughter over having sent this "gentleman" and his wife over Colorado's highest mountain roads and 4 most trecherous passes, including Wolf Creek and Rabbit Ears Pass and having them end up in the most God forsaken part of New Mexico known to man. This is a true story, and to this very day, I don't feel the least bit guilty about it!

Hell Goddamned YEAH Marichiko!!! I LOVE IT! That's what the hell he gets!!! Heh, sorry I'm all about the revenge factor if someone has acted like a complete turd towards me, and you served it up well! :thumpsup:

hot_pastrami · 07-20-2004, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hot_pastrami

Strangely, my openness about my mistakes has won me a lot of respect at work, where those who are convinced that they are always right win a bit of disdain.

I should mention that this was a couple jobs ago... at my current job, I'm still in the long process of proving myself and my abilities. Just trying to be noticed amidst the noise.

07-20-2004, 11:57 AM	#32
Cyber Wolf As stable as a ring of PU-239 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: On a huge rock covered in water, highly advanced moss and 7 billion parasites Posts: 1,264	Oh I can totally understand the customer's side of situations but I don't have to like the way they treated me. I'm a customer myself and who isn't? To that end, when I'm on hold, say for helpdesk, I try to be as patient as I can mainly because I've been the person who has to take those calls. I know I'm not the only person they've had to deal with today and I know I'm not the only problem. I've found that even overworked and had-it-up-to-here operators tend to be a bit less cynical, a bit nicer and more helpful when they realize I know what they're going through. A while ago, I was on the help line with Gateway for over 3 hours once in the 1am timeframe. My computer was being a tard and nothing the guy was telling me to do was working. But, he and I were just chatting away between reboots and such like buddies, all candid and talking about all kinds of stuff. I knew my computer being stupid had nothing to do with him and he even told me he appreciated me not being a butt, especially since it was taking sooo long and it was really late, because he had dealt with them for his whole shift and was very tired of them all. We had a good Windows roast that night! __________________ "I don't see what's so triffic about creating people as people and then getting' upset 'cos they act like people." ~Adam Young, Good Omens "I don't see why it matters what is written. Not when it's about people. It can always be crossed out." ~Adam Young, Good Omens

07-20-2004, 01:09 PM	#34
hot_pastrami I am meaty Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,119	Things like admitting fault, taking responsibility, and conceding a point are rare things in today's "society of victims." It is so rare, that I have seen reactions of genuine surprise from people (mostly in the workplace) due to my willingness to admit when I am mistaken, or when I screwed up. Strangely, my openness about my mistakes has won me a lot of respect at work, where those who are convinced that they are always right win a bit of disdain. Irony at work, at work. __________________ Hot Pastrami! Last edited by hot_pastrami; 07-20-2004 at 02:55 PM. Reason: I missed a word

07-20-2004, 11:55 AM	#31
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	That IS the flip side of the coin, Kev. I guess these outfits feel it saves them money to have one call center for the entire country. I recently got a little money and decided to order cable service for my TV. Well, the cable company which services my area in Colorado has its call center out of Pennsylvania somewhere. I live in a funny little mountain town where the addresses can be hard to find. You cannot call the local offices of the company, only the 800 number. The technician who was supposed to connect my cable could not find my house, so I called the 800 number and gave this person on the East Coast directions to my home which she then relayed to the local technician sitting in his truck about 6 blocks from my home. Needless to say, it was a real comedy trying to give local directions to someone who had never even heard of the town I live in, had no idea what I was referring to when I mentioned local landmarks, and then passed my information on to the technician in some garbled form.

07-20-2004, 12:34 PM	#33
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	That's just it, Cyber. A little understanding and decency can go a long way. You and I have been on the opposite end of the firing line, so we know what its like and can treat people decently if they'll only give us half a chance to do so. There have been times when I have been totally enraged by the actions of some entity and I'll get on the phone with some poor smuck in customer service. The first thing I'll say is, "Look, I understand that you are not personally responsible for this, but I am very upset over this thing and can you help me resolve it?" I get a much better response that way. When I was fighting Social Security I had to call their office of hearings and appeals which just so happens to be located in my town. Clerk: Office of hearings and appeals. May I help you? Me: No. I understand that you can't help me. Your job is to field calls from the desperate and the dying while your supervisers take 3 hour lunches over there at McKenna's (a posh restaurant directly across from where the social security hearings office is located). I need for you to put me through to someone who just got back from lunch at McKenna's. Clerk: (stunned silence for a moment) You are quite correct. Let me put you through to Judge X's legal assistant. I believe she just came back in. Worked like a charm.

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