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AIBU?

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Original poster

Anyone work in customer service?

135 replies

SparklyJadeFawn · 21/08/2024 23:00

I work in a customer service and admin role.

A lot of the job Is answering customer calls.

Honestly the abuse I get.

They shout scream swear at me. One of them called me stupid before I'd even said anything!

If I tell them that what they're asking for simply can't be done in the timeframe they want, they demand to have it now. Then call me useless etc.

Why are people so aggressive?

Is anyone else here dealing with customers?

OP posts:
Original poster
SparklyJadeFawn · 21/08/2024 23:13

Edingril · 21/08/2024 23:08

I turn it into a game and find ways to be super nice to them yeah I patronise them, they can complain about me being nice if they want I don't mind

Ugh. I just hate being shouted at.

I can see why people get burnt out.

People wonder why customer service isn't great in places

It's because when you've been shouted and screamed at all day, it's hard to recover and be happy and smiley to the next customer

OP posts:
MrsMoastyToasty · 21/08/2024 23:12

Yes I worked for several years in the call centre of a water company. The number for reporting water supply and sewerage problems rather than customer accounts.

The abuse we got when we were trying to help resolve problems was ridiculous.

Personally I loved it when a complainer said "I'm taking my custom elsewhere ", knowing that you can't transfer to another supplier like you can with gas and electricity.

Zoraflora · 21/08/2024 23:09

@JollyHostess101 that is absolutely shocking that someone could come out with something so hateful. That must have been very upsetting.

Edingril · 21/08/2024 23:08

I turn it into a game and find ways to be super nice to them yeah I patronise them, they can complain about me being nice if they want I don't mind

Original poster
SparklyJadeFawn · 21/08/2024 23:07

JollyHostess101 · 21/08/2024 23:04

18 years in airport customer service so seen (and been called) A LOT but at 7 months pregnant I got told “ I hope your baby dies” because their flight had been cancelled……. Not an ideal as a start to your holiday but rather an over reaction!

The public are vile sometimes! I am always super super nice to frontline staff because I’ve been on the receiving end too many times!

Edited

Oh that's awful!

The worst thing is they get very aggressive and some of them can not seem to calm themselves down in any way, they escalate and escalate in anger till they're shouting and nothing will calm them down

OP posts:
Original poster
SparklyJadeFawn · 21/08/2024 23:06

roughride24 · 21/08/2024 23:03

Yep. People can be arseholes when they want to be.

Customer service roles require a very thick skin and a very calm tone to de-escalate quickly.

Hopefully you have some lovely customers also to balance it out.

Lovely customers hmmm I'll have to think back to try to remember one!

OP posts:
Original poster
SparklyJadeFawn · 21/08/2024 23:05

Spotlightt · 21/08/2024 23:03

I have done, and if anyone would have spoken to me like that I would have told them I'm discontinuing the call as I refuse to be spoken to like that. Are you not allowed to do that?

We are only allowed to hang up the phone call if the customer swears at us.

And we must give the customer two warnings before we hang up.

Anything else, like demanding rude behaviour, I'm not allowed to hang up on

OP posts:
JollyHostess101 · 21/08/2024 23:04

18 years in airport customer service so seen (and been called) A LOT but at 7 months pregnant I got told “ I hope your baby dies” because their flight had been cancelled……. Not an ideal as a start to your holiday but rather an over reaction!

The public are vile sometimes! I am always super super nice to frontline staff because I’ve been on the receiving end too many times!

roughride24 · 21/08/2024 23:03

Yep. People can be arseholes when they want to be.

Customer service roles require a very thick skin and a very calm tone to de-escalate quickly.

Hopefully you have some lovely customers also to balance it out.

Spotlightt · 21/08/2024 23:03

I have done, and if anyone would have spoken to me like that I would have told them I'm discontinuing the call as I refuse to be spoken to like that. Are you not allowed to do that?

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