Shaes Chronicles

In recent years, there has been a drastic change in the type of service that is received through many of the companies that we do business with…and honestly, the changes are sad!

I hate to fault customer service representatives because they are only doing what they are told, but sometimes I honestly wonder how some of these people are able to keep their jobs with the way that they talk to customers and then I realized that this is the training that they are receiving.

While I will not name the company that I was employed with, I will tell you that in recent years I worked at one of the largest fortune 500 companies and some of the things that we were told in regards to how to treat the customers is incredible. Things such as not really “lying”…but not telling the whole truth about errors that were taking place in the systems; or my biggest peeve, rushing the customers off the line.

Now this is how that works in case any of you are not familiar with the inside of call centers. Associates are “trained” on how to provide assistance to customers and how to handle their information. They are told that the customer comes first and that you must do whatever you can for the customer. Then, as soon as the associates hit the floor, they are told to hurry and get customers off the line, only assist on the things you can assist with, do not “small talk” too much with the customers, and the biggest thing…if it’s not an issue in your department then transfer it!!! Associates do what they are told because they are marked down extensively if they do not because there are incentives and promotions at stake and in these times, people need their jobs.

But what can you do to make sure that you still get the service that you need?

Be Prepared
Know what it is you want to do before you get on the line. This way you can tell the associate directly what it is you need and so that they can get it done. No confusion, no downtime. Be sure to make it as simple and plain as possible. If you just happen to be in the “wrong” department…again (you know it will happen), ask the associate to stay with you on the line to ensure that you are sent to the correct location. If you ask them to “warm” transfer you, they really cannot tell you no and they will likely be better at making sure you get to where you need to go…especially if their talk time is depending on it.

It does not really help these days to get an associates’ name because many companies allow them to use false names. This is actually for the associate’s protection because of the many times they have been threatened by customers (they are just the messenger…I try to remember that sometimes).

If you have an issue with anything pertaining to your account, make sure to ask that they notate the account and even go as far as to verify what they have written. This will help if you need to call back to ensure that they have the previous conversation saved and on record.

Know your account information and how everything works. If you are calling about fees or technical issues, or even just general information, it helps to be educated on how everything works. This will help to ensure that you are getting the correct service if you happen to get an associate who is not as knowledgeable, as well as knowing exactly what it is you want and who you can get it from. Be knowledgeable of the phone systems too. No one likes the automated systems that take you in big circles of nowhere, but everyone uses them and that’s a reality that you have to deal with. Don’t know the exact number to hit, punch zeros until it tells you that you will be routed to an associate…that’s the easiest way to get passed it.

These are just a few of many things that you can do to help make your phone experience a better one. Being prepared and having the knowledge of your accounts will go a long way in protecting you from bad service, and get you off the line faster…which is a win win situation for everyone. It saves on having to wait on hold forever if you are prepared in advance and this will help to make sure that the associate is not so rushed to get you off the line because they have a long line of waiting customers. Now, this is not going to help in all cases with all companies…but, it’s a start to those situations that you do have some control over.

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