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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to have told this customer service agent that she was cheeky?

115 replies

OverTheLove · 06/09/2013 17:39

I've just got a new phone and it's not being activated yet, been told quite a few times it will be active in 3 hours, end of the day etc.

Rang today and got through to one woman who said that I had failed data protection but she would give me general information. I told her the problem and then she started to apologise and said that I had come through to the wrong department etc -

So I said to her stop speaking over me because I'm the customer and the customer is always right. I carried on talking and then was met with silence for 10/15 seconds. When she said ok, well I wanted to make sure you had finished because I don't want to speak over you.

To which I told her that she was very cheeky and that the company would have taught her better than that.

OP posts:

helenthemadex · 06/09/2013 18:06

I told her the problem and then she started to apologise and said that I had come through to the wrong department

she was trying to be polite, you were rude and unpleasant good on her I say

ivykaty44 · 06/09/2013 18:09

I had one customer phone one day and I tried to answer his question, every time he paused for a couple of seconds I tried very hard to start - but he then started talking again, so I let him continue. This went on for around 8 minutes, at the end of the call he thanked me very much for all my help and hung up, I told him he was welcome..! I never told him a blardy thing as I couldn't get a word in edge ways.

Some people just don't know how to listen

JaquelineHyde · 06/09/2013 18:10

Hot you decided to tell me what a customer service manager would do in a certain situation. I felt an example of my experience was needed to make it clear that I know exactly how a professional should behave in this kind of situation.

If I hadn't you may think I am just another idiot who likes to think they are an expert in something they know nothing about.

TSSDNCOP · 06/09/2013 18:13

Also, sometimes it takes a few seconds to get an arsehole customer off mute which you had to put them on so you could flick V signs at the phone while they ranted on.

Get over yourself Jacqueline everyone's human including CS staff, you can't expect them to sit there and take it without having a little bit of fun.

OnTheBottomWithAWomensWeekly · 06/09/2013 18:13

Is this one of those stupid reverse aibus?
If so, bugger off.
If not, bugger off, and find yourself some manners.

foslady · 06/09/2013 18:17

I treat my customers as human, knowing that one set training formula will be like a red rag to a bull to one person, but the polite way to another...

saintmerryweather · 06/09/2013 18:17

haha TSS thats exactly what the agent was doing

JaquelineHyde · 06/09/2013 18:20

TSSDNCOP Yes of course you are right, I suspect you would be happy for the police to act unprofessionally, or the family courts, or anyone else actually because after all they are human so let them have some fun

What a pile of shite that is.

I loved working in customer service, it's a varied and interesting job for the most part, even when I was being sworn at, shouted at, having my life threatened etc etc Shame it isn't paid as well as it should be or respected enough, if it was I would still be doing it.

HotCrossPun · 06/09/2013 18:23

Honestly Jaqueline, you need to get down off your soapbox.

MissStrawberry · 06/09/2013 18:23

I had a customer be a twat to me and he told me the customer was always right. I said back to him, what, even when they are wrong?

He really deserved it though.

Lj8893 · 06/09/2013 18:26

My boss told me how once a customer said to her....
"I pay your wages" and she responded "oh great, because I've been meaning to ask about a payrise!"

Sorry to slightly derail the thread!

JaquelineHyde · 06/09/2013 18:27

I am giving my opinion, which last time I checked I was allowed to do.

I am sorry that you think I am on my soapboax. I will leave the thread because quite clearly you have decided my opinion is not valid and should be ridiculed.

Blatherskite · 06/09/2013 18:27

"Also, sometimes it takes a few seconds to get an arsehole customer off mute which you had to put them on so you could flick V signs at the phone while they ranted on."

Exactly this^^

God, I hated working in a bloody call centre

puds11isNAUGHTYnotNAICE · 06/09/2013 18:28

You sound very rude OP.

foslady · 06/09/2013 18:29

Actually with Jaqueline' giving her cv and her training philosophy, I know which firms to avoid applying to if ever I move.....

TSSDNCOP · 06/09/2013 18:30

Yes, but the police, for instance, have the face to face ability to righteously fuck up your day if you're rude to them. CS staff at call centres don't get that kind of power.

I have the pleasure of dealing with customers all the time. 99.9% are lovely, and it's great fun to help them. But you know what, the 0.01% that aren't will never know that I'm silently hoping their central heating breaks down at 8pm on Christmas Eve.

Turniptwirl · 06/09/2013 18:31

Customers are not always right and anyone who has ever tried to explain to a customer that they've misunderstood something will know how much some people refuse to believe this... Usually the ones who are wrong!

She told you that you had the wrong department so you didn't launch into a detailed explanation and then complain she hadn't been helpful and you had to repeat yourself to the correct department

You sound like a knob to be honest, you're lucky that calls are recorded or you'd likely have had a lot worse!

foslady · 06/09/2013 18:33

No Jaqueline the issue is you cannot see that there is more than one way to handle a call. The contact centre staff were trying to save her having to repeat the issue (and potentially getting more upset) and saving time on a call. You cannot put everyone into a set formula

TSSDNCOP · 06/09/2013 18:34

Whoops I slipped an extra 0 in there

TSSDNCOP · 06/09/2013 18:35

You can Foslady at Tommy Tippee everyone used formula

foslady · 06/09/2013 18:36

Hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

TigerseyeMum · 06/09/2013 18:41

Victoria Wood could turn this whole thread into a tv series, it's hilarious!

ricecakesrule · 06/09/2013 18:42

I want to know what happened next - after you had called her cheeky? Did you hang up?

I think she was pretty restrained after effectively having been told to shut up when she was just doing her job and trying to direct you to somebody who may have been able to help. It's not her fault that you had been having problems with them earlier in the day.

Pachacuti · 06/09/2013 18:48

So what you're saying is that she was polite to you, you were staggeringly rude to her and then when she got slightly passive-aggressive back you called her cheeky and started a whole thread about it?

JaquelineHyde · 06/09/2013 18:48

fos Actually I agree that the OP has been incredibly rude (if you read my previous posts you will see this) however, any customer service agent worth their weight in gold will know how to deal with the worst types of customers without having to use things like the 'silence technique'.

I have pulled faces, flipped the bird etc etc at but never let them know because as soon as I let them know they have got to me, then they have the upper hand. Which is why professionalism at all times is the key because then you always remain in control of the call. It really is quite simple and anyone who can't do that really shouldn't be in the job.

By the way I haven't worked in CS for 8 years now but if poking fun at my CV and saying you will avoid those companies makes you feel better then bully for you.

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