to wonder why some customers have to resort to personal insults?

[mummytowillow]

I work in customer services for a well known retailer.

Today I spent an hour listening to a man verbally insult me. No swearing but just completely unnecessary personal insults about my intelligence, my personality, my experience, the fact I have a cough, the fact all I said was 'mmm' (he didn't let me speak).

All because he didn't like a policy that I didn't make and can't change.

He really was the most unpleasant person ever and ruined my afternoon!

I'm good at my job, fair, polite and firm, experienced but he really got to me today

The large glass of wine I'm drinking is helping!

Why do some people resort to such unpleasantness?

the customer wanted a refund for a non-refundable product that they had changed their mind about.

Right off the bat the customer is in the wrong.

Elephant I was following a policy and we're not legally obliged to refund unless faulty or as not as described. Does that make it clear enough for you!

Thank-you. I haven't ever taken a pop at you. I believe I have always tried to make it clear we should not judge right from wrong without specifics. You have provided specifics and it is clear the customer is wrong.

There are many companies who have different policies, and those policies are also wrong. We all see the same names cropping up over and over again on Watchdog and in lists of referrals to this ombudsman etc. This is no coincidence. This is management of risk for these companies, and the staff that work for these companies know what they are doing to customers. They do it deliberately in exchange for pay. I have been there, I have done it.

I know in your case you do not see that side of life, but those businesses do exists, and it is naive for MNers to think it doesn't happen because it only appears on their television. I am sure when they have been abused by a company and spent months fighting a case, they will realise that not all CC departments are like your's.

Of course there are people in the job who are bad at it; you get these folk in any profession though.

By the same token, anyone who works in customer service and is any good at the job can tell the difference between a customer who is angry/upset/frustrated because they have a problem that needs to be resolved, and someone who is being unpleasant for the sake of it. Some people might not believe it but the latter most definitely does exist.