Hello

[chelle0]

I work in a call centre and for the most part, I love my job. I enjoying helping people when they need me most. But. A lot of people don't even say hello. I don't expect how are you etc, but a simple hello is nice! Most people are relatively polite but a lot don't say please or thank you either and it really pisses me off at times. I would never dream of not saying please or thank you. Do you say please and thank you etc and if not, why not?

Yabu - get on with it and do your job.
Yanbu - people are pricks and have no manners.

Hello,

Don’t teach their kids to say hello/please/thank you either - so rude!

I think it'll depend on the type of call centre job you've got, are people ringing you, or are you ringing them???

They call me. Very rarely do I outbound call and that would only be if I've already spoken to them.

Yanbu - it's appalling. I wonder if it's because it's faceless, thet feel they can get away with rudeness.

I am in a similar environment, people call in for help with their benefit, most people are lovely, and appreciate what we do, but there is a significant minority who are having a separate conversation with another person, keep the TV on loud, or do the washing up at the same time as they are making the call.
It was a lot easier when people used landlines ! 😋

Do they have to get through the endless security questions before they get to you? It makes me mad when I've given my name, account number, a contact number, brief description of why I'm calling etc etc and then when I finally speak to a human they say 'hello, I'm Sally can I take your name and first line of your address'. By this point I'm so fed up I just answer the question (what was the point of me giving the information before?)

@Stigsmother This!!! And eating, just gross and so rude!

@SleepingisanArt

Sometimes I've started speaking before I've got any information about the customer. Although I appreciate they've typed stuff in and said what they need, I'm still human and a simple hello goes quite a long way!

I always put on my cheery, friendly, super nice persona when I ring somewhere that I need them to help me. Far more likely to get the help you need.

This is so sad to read. I always address call handlers formally 'good morning....I wonder if you could advise me about....' with 'I really appreciate your help today' at the end. I teach my dc the same.

But yanbu. I've worked in a call centre and sone people treat you like a robot it's grim. The eating is more grim.

YANBU-
Manners cost nothing!

I used to work in a call centre and the public are dicks

I worked in a call centre for a well known savings bank some years ago and we had oodles of training around "dancing with your customer" which was fine until your dance "partner" had two left feet and a walking stick...

I feel your pain OP, manners cost nothing and a simple hello isn't hard work.

It has apparently got much worse since pandemic. Yanbu.

I've noticed I always start with "oh, hello!" as if I'm surprised I'm speaking to someone lol

Everything seems to be through call centres now. You can't speak to your local branch or ring the bloke delivering your goods....so yes I'm usually fed up by the time I get to speak with a person.
I have a favourite bugbear and that's when at the end of a call (and 40mins of transfers and queing) Vickie asks "is there anything else I can help you with". What do you mean 'else'? You haven't helped me with my initial enquiry so else doesn't apply do it.
What I will say though is its generally not the call handlers fault its the system but they don't transfer you to anyone who can answer your very reasonable question.

I always give a quick greeting and get right down to business. "Hi, I'm calling because.." I figure people in call centres are busy and just want to get through quickly so they can get to the next customer. Is that wrong? I always say please and thank you.

People are rude, especially over the phone as they can't see you. Unfortunately it's part of the job. "I'm sorry you feel that way" is a regular phrase because we can't apologise for something that's nothing to do with us so that's the best we can say.

@007DoubleOSeven

I've noticed I always start with "oh, hello!" as if I'm surprised I'm speaking to someone lol

😂😂😂

Yes this. It really pisses me off and I probably sound grumpy, although I realise it's not the call handler's fault.

I also think that whoever you call, since covid, says " we're experiencing really high call volumes right now..." and leaves you waiting for 30 minutes plus before you speak to a human. So people get fucked off. It's not your fault but it's understandable.

i work for the repairs section of our local housing association and my absolute fave is after being shouted at and sworn at, they go “I know it’s not your fault” okay then why have you just called me a “fucking idiot” 😂😂

Meh.

Im very polite but I don't think multi tasking is rude. I'm capable of washing up or chopping a tomato or whatever at the same time as talking on speakerphone. Just as I'd be capable of doing those tasks at the same time if someone was sitting at the kitchen table chatting to me.

@ouch321

So if you've called us for our help, you quite clearly need us for something, do we not deserve 5-10 minutes of your time? We're humans not robots. I don't think people realise that we can't hear you all that well when you're clattering around and eating your hula hoops.

I can't imagine not saying Hi before launching into the reason for my call.

Yes but if we've been waiting in a queue for 15 minutes before you answer it might be 5 or 10 minutes of your time but it's much more than that of ours.

I'm always polite but if im in the middle of something when my call is answered I might carry on to get it to an appropriate pause point while we talk.