Calling all CSRs! Call center blues! Tell me your horror stories!

**The Zevad** · 04-19-2008, 06:57 PM

Well fellow call center workers tell me your horror stories. Here's mine!

Ugh. I got stuck on a 13 minute call today which was wrong from the get go. Customer calls in. Very nice and upbeat sounding. She's praising the previous associates she's talked to. Buttering up my bank. I already smell a shit storm. So I verify her for security purposes and she's praising some associate named Renee. "Oh she was a delight. She was an angel. She was so helpful but she couldn't get everything done and told me to call back and said to get more courtesies." I already knew what it was about. I saw an overdraft fee refund. I checked for notes as to why the fee was refunded. See under normal circumstances overdraft fees are NOT REFUNDABLE. Unless it's bank error, aunthrozied activity, or fraud that caused it.

Well see Renee did a courtesy refund. And said sure you can get the rest just call in. So she was setting some expectations for the customer that I was not going to live up to. I don't do refunds unless it's fraud or bank error. You mess up your account and spend more money than you have which kind of disgusts me how people say they pay attention to their checking accounts and they became grossely overdrawn. I reviewed the account. I checked for bank errors like double charges or late deposits. Incorrect bank adjustments. Nothing. No bank error. Than I asked her questions. Did she do all these transactions. She said yes she did. SHE ADMITTED TO ME IT WAS HER FAULT THAT HER CHECKING BECAME OVERDRAFTED! That there was no fraud. Well than no refund.

She started her descent to bitchiness. "Well Renee said I could call back get more courtesies!" And for the life of me I don't know why I phrased it like I did but I said. "What was her name? We need to get her some discipline. She needs to be disciplined for guaranteeing refunds when we cannot do so unless bank error or fraud." She said I was rude. She didn't call to get anyone in trouble. "Renee was great! She has great customer service skills! She was perfect! I didn't call to get anyone reprimanded or punished! I didn't come to snitch on anyone. Why would you do that? You're not the boss of her." I apologized and said. "You're right that sounded more harsh than I intended. What I mean is we need to get her consistency by coaching her that we shouldn't make guarantees."

Than she drilled into me some more. "Well sir I'm sorry. I don't know what horrible thing happened to you last night that you're are not showing great customer service skills like Renee. But you have been fighting me on this every turn. Renee said I could call in for a courtesy." And I said. "Ma'am I apologize I'm not trying to fight you. It's just as you said that there is not bank error. And no fraud and I investigated and found evidence to back up that you are right that the error was not the bank's the accout overdrew and did not overdraw due to fraudulent or unauthroized activity but when I said we need to coach Renee what I mean is she needs to not promise fees that cannot be refunded." She got even angrier. "I did not call to get her in trouble! And she didn't make any promises of any refunds." And I of course said. "Ma'am you said she told you to call back and get more courtesy refunds." And she agreed. "Yes she did. Just give me back the fees." I of course said no that they are not fraud. Not bank error. The fees are valid.

"Well you know what YOU are the one who needs to be discipline. YOU are the one who needs "coaching" you don't know customer service like Renee. GIVE ME YOUR FULL NAME." I refused to. We don't have to considering what psychos there are out there. She than demanded my supervisor. Which I had no problem doing. But the hold time on Saturdays. THE HOLDS ARE A FUCKING BITCH. My last call before her turned to a supervisor call and I was on hold for TWENTY MINUTES. I told her that. In a nicer way. That I WILL get her a supervisor I just need her patience. She said she was cool with that. So I asked to put her on hold. And she hung up on me.

Brother I put so many notes on the account. Thankfully it was lunch right after that call. When I came back an hour later and logged back on to my computer and unlocked it I noticed I had left her profile up she called back ten minutes after she talked to me. And did the same song and dance with another associate WHO ALSO NOTATED THE ACCT. She complained about me. And he said pretty much the same thing. Fees are not refundable under normal circumstances unless fraud or bank error. She asked for a supervisor when he too did not give fees. She hung up on him as well. So eh.

What are yours. Honey Dippin Dan anything to report brohaim?

**The Zevad** · 04-19-2008, 06:59 PM

God bless who ever actually reads through that novel lenght rant.

**xanderharris** · 04-19-2008, 07:06 PM

my eyes are burning...everything is blurring together.

**The Zevad** · 04-19-2008, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by xanderharris

my eyes are burning...everything is blurring together.

Sorry.

**Doug O** · 04-19-2008, 07:33 PM

Zevad, you're going to kill me but I was a supervisor who would sometimes waive the fee (credit card, not overdraft). We would tell the CSR's when the call comes to me I won't blow it off if you're holding the line but I will make my judgement call. They would notice the accounts later like you did and call me on it sometimes

P.S. But that's b.s. that "Renee" promised courtesy! Probably trying to help her call time ...

**The Zevad** · 04-19-2008, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Doug O

Zevad, you're going to kill me but I was a supervisor who would sometimes waive the fee (credit card, not overdraft). We would tell the CSR's when the call comes to me I won't blow it off if you're holding the line but I will make my judgement call. They would notice the accounts later like you did and call me on it sometimes

P.S. But that's b.s. that "Renee" promised courtesy! Probably trying to help her call time ...

I appreciate are supervisors. They take a lot of bullshit from customers. I used to check and see if they did give it back to the more asshole customers. I just thought. "Aw you punks you gave them back the fees you never backed me up but whatever your call." Ya know? And I agree with you. Part of me thinks that the customer was being a bitch to "Renee" and Renee gave back the only fee at the time that she could because the two fees Miss Courtesy called for me to give her a courtesy on would have been pending. Fees have to post to the account for us to review them. I guarantee that Renee just said sure call back for the other two just to get Miss Courtesy off the phone faster and help her AHT (average handle time) Ugh. But whatever. I am glad though the guy who took the call after me pretty much said the same thing I did.

**Hate_Prime** · 04-19-2008, 09:45 PM

I had a brief stint in "credit solutions" which is the prettier term for collector. Everyday there was a battle between my ethics and my stupid bleeding heart liberal tendencies.

I won't go on a HUGE rant but let's just say when I do bad, I feel bad, but at the same time when I do good, I still tend to feel bad. Not fun calling up people in fucked up situations to tell them, using rosy positive language of course, that they have to pay, almost always an amount they can't afford (duh, otherwise we wouldn't need to call them in the first place), plus interest plus late charges and overlimit charges, or else we'll fuck up their situation even more. I know someone has to do the job, but I didn't want it to be me.

Although the stupid/crazy people were nice changes of pace from the sad, doom and gloom people. I look forward to them. Pumps me up. Also, I find it funny that all of a sudden people think themselves christians when we're calling and are all "Do you know it's sunday?! Why you callin' on sunday?!" Yes, I know it's sunday, you cocksuckers. I bet Jesus would pay his debts, even on sundays. Think Jesus would ever fuck up his credit because he just had to purchase his pizza hut pizza with his shitty low-limit visa with 30 fucking percent interest, retards?

**I AM GROOT!** · 04-19-2008, 09:52 PM

So many words...way too tired to read that, but I'm thankful I work in a branch and not a call center. While customers can still be frustrating and stupid, it's not the same as those you get over the phone.

But still...way too many words.

**kari** · 04-20-2008, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by Hate_Prime

I had a brief stint in "credit solutions" which is the prettier term for collector. Everyday there was a battle between my ethics and my stupid bleeding heart liberal tendencies.

I won't go on a HUGE rant but let's just say when I do bad, I feel bad, but at the same time when I do good, I still tend to feel bad. Not fun calling up people in fucked up situations to tell them, using rosy positive language of course, that they have to pay, almost always an amount they can't afford (duh, otherwise we wouldn't need to call them in the first place), plus interest plus late charges and overlimit charges, or else we'll fuck up their situation even more. I know someone has to do the job, but I didn't want it to be me.

Although the stupid/crazy people were nice changes of pace from the sad, doom and gloom people. I look forward to them. Pumps me up. Also, I find it funny that all of a sudden people think themselves christians when we're calling and are all "Do you know it's sunday?! Why you callin' on sunday?!" Yes, I know it's sunday, you cocksuckers. I bet Jesus would pay his debts, even on sundays. Think Jesus would ever fuck up his credit because he just had to purchase his pizza hut pizza with his shitty low-limit visa with 30 fucking percent interest, retards?

**Princesa** · 04-20-2008, 07:18 AM

I think its good business especially in these economic times to cut a customer a break or two every now and again. Call it seeding the business if you will. I mean why not?