Looking at my boyfriend, Tom's, blog (look at link on the right) I've realised that I haven't actually written anything properly in my blog.
I've added images, I've written a few short comments, but nothing full length. I'm not sure how this one is going to turn out either, but I thought I'd just have a go and let me sub-conscious mind take over for a bit
*Adult Censoring Control Funcion on*
I've been working at my present job for about 4, nearly 5 months now and I've enjoyed it. The people are nice, a little strange, but you can't help but like them anyway. They're all very friendly and make the effort to get to know you.
The work is hard, but hell it's a challenge and I would much rather be busy off my ass at work then sitting, staring inanely around. So although I'm very tired in the evening and I long for the weekend, I really can't complain...and won't.
But there is one thing that really 'grinds my gears' *hears cheers coming from all Family Guy fans).
Clients.
Its not until you actually work on the other end of the phone line that you begin to appreciate how much trouble the people you're calling go through. You call them up and some may sound tired, slightly bitchy, a tad snappy, not completely there. But there is good reason. It's probably the end of the week and they're been stretched by work. They've possibly received 100s of phone calls before yours, many of which have been clients bitching a them. Or they're probably very tired from not feeling well and have a stack of paper work in front of them. Or they just don't know the answer and there is no one else around to help them.
I've now developed a large amount of sympathy for call centers. People at customer services and such like. We go through a lot of crap for many customers and may even bend the rules a little to accommodate many and many clients just DON'T GIVE A RATS ASS and think that it's nothing to make us change everything JUST for them then call us up later and say they've changed their mind, not caring how much of an inconvenience we've caused just for them.
Now, in the company I work for, I've learnt that there are three different types of people;
1) the people who don't have too much money, are comfortable and can just about afford a small luxury for the family/house so appreciate the little things you do for them even if you haven't gone to that much trouble. They appreciate it even more when they know you HAVE gone to a great deal of trouble.
(though a bit too much appreciation can be seen as patronising. eg, I had a woman on the phone once and I told her I was going to put her on hold. You'd have thought I told her I was going to solve every problem she's ever faced from thanks she gave me....for putting her on hold. Oookkk)
2) the people who have so much money, spending that little extra to get it sent somewhere doesn't raise a single hair on their heads and they don't care what you do so long as it's done right. They still appreciate the work.
then....there's 3) these people are technically in the middle, but save the best til last. These people are just a bit more than comfortable, but in such a way they feel they can afford anything even though it probably stretches them a bit and they buy that thing they really don't need, but then can't handle the charges when it'd probably cost less for them to get out of the house and collect it themselves (I know there are many people who can't collect for themselves so have to have it shipped but there are some people who are plain lazy) These people are arrogant, rude, don't give a crap about anything you do for them, and will scream at you for something you have no control over. What the hell happened to human decency and respect?! Some people will shout to me about the service without actually being annoyed at me, but some will in fact blame me and I have to let them know 'I'm sorry I'm just sort the files and do the data entry, I have no control over what you're mad at'
I've had so many clients I've been tempted to shout 'what the hell do you want me to do???'
There was one character who rang from god knows which plain of life and demanded an answer. I couldn't give them one, but there was no one available to help, so I offered to take their details and get someone to call them/e-mail them back, which they refused. I offered to keep them on hold whilst I waited for someone to come back, which they refused!! In the end I was forced to say, 'I'm sorry sir, but there's nothing I can do for you then...'. Fortunately just as I said that my boss came back so I was able to put him over.
As I said, although I do enjoy my job, you do get some clients which make you want to scream 'oh go *** yourself'. I had one woman at one point, demanding some information and throughout our conversation, she'd snip and attack everything I said. At one point, I must have allowed an edge to enter my voice having become fed up of her attitude and she suddenly soothed, became very polite and grateful, but I didn't care, the damage was done and I was no less relaxed with my tone.
I don't care if this would cause offence but in my mind, we shouldn't have to deal with bullshit from clients. Just because they've spend 1 million on an item, doesn't mean they can treat others WORKING for them like crap. We do the best we can, but they really don't give a crap.
I remember one particular client I had who made me want to tell him where to go. An incredibly patronising client from the USA. He asked me if we'd received a piece of information he'd faxed through, and he was so unclear, I had to keep asking him questions to ascertain what the hell he'd sent. I was trying to be as polite as possible as he became more and more patronising during the phone call. In the end I suddenly remembered the fax I'd placed earlier on my supervisor's desk, asked him to hold and picked it up. I returned and informed him that yes, we had received it to which that snobbish git replied 'well congratulations, you finally got your head round it'. GOD the temptation to say 'well *** you mister' and hanging up was overriding me and I had to sit there in silence as this.....urgh.....just sat there having a go at me about the service he'd received (because I couldn't understand what the hell he sent through because he was so bloody vague). I remembered what my supervisor had said about ranting clients; let them rant until they are silent and they have nothing else to go on when they finished,....then you can clean up the phone call' so I did. He finally finished. I counted to 3 to see if he'd continue and when he did I replied as calmly as I could 'well I do apologise sir...is there anything else I can do' 'yes you can tell so and so to call me back' 'ok sir, thank you, good bye' and hung up.
Before I wrap up this rant, I would just like to add another thing. For all those people out there who believe the best way to give a contact number across is at top speed, under the illusion that the person on the other line can hear you clearly, then when they ask you to repeat it, saying each....and...every...single....number....reeeaaallyyy....gradually........because.......the person....taking the number.....is a moron.
Don't
Just say it normally, the first 4 digits, pause, the next few digits, pause then the final. We can't write as fast as you talk when you're on speed and we're not idiots.
even if you've said the number slowly and we need it repeated there's a good chance we've something MUCH more important on our minds and need to clear it up.
So as a sign off I'd just like to say, please take a moment to understand what the person on the other side is going through. Maybe it's late, maybe they're tired, maybe someone is trying to talk to them without realising they're on the phone.
But please remember, we're doing the best we can. We didn't come off the side of your shoe and would appreciate the respect. Not some whiny little crap from some dick who thinks he's God, just because he spent too much money on an item which could have easily been spent on a charity, rather than their own satisfaction....
Thank you.
*falls asleep from used up energy*
