Bad Customer Service (Dallas: neighborhoods, purchase, school)

[Willsson]

Originally Posted by catman
Well, when one calls Customer Service and has to try to make out the poorly spoken English from someone in a call center...seems like that would transcend what state one lives in. But I can see that we are discussing different sorts of things. On a purely local level, I haven't had huge problems.

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

That ticks me off big time, too, and it's all too common.

For most of us it becomes an inconvenience to have to push the buttons, interpret the foreign english, hang out on hold.... But remember, there's thousands of users doing the same thing. Those buttons and that foreign office are the gate keeper. It's like trying to get on an airplane. Make a reservation, check in, get frisked, wait at the gate, get a boarding pass... all to make sure you really intended to be there.

[just4ivaylo]

The biggest thing I've seen compared to up north is the slow pace, especially at smaller stores and restaurants. There seems to be no rush at all. I've listened through entire phone calls while waiting to ask the waiter or the cashier a question. They simply look at me and proceed to talk to their friend on the phone while I stand there like an idiot waiting for them to get off the phone and do their job.

This is by no means 100% of the time, but it is more common down here.

[catman]

That is one of my pet peeves: to go in person to a store and have myself 'put on hold', standing there while the person talks to someone on the phone who didn't care enough to come to the store.

[Rakin]

Originally Posted by catman

That is one of my pet peeves: to go in person to a store and have myself 'put on hold', standing there while the person talks to someone on the phone who didn't care enough to come to the store.

Or go into Home Depot with 14 customer lines and 1 on the far end is open. At least take them out and turn it into a waiting area.

Speaking of HD, where'd they get those crummy machines to make keys ? I have never had a good one made there that actually works.

[nimchimpsky]

I have customer service experiences all over the spectrum. In terms of phone experiences, some people have been very friendly and patient with me. I use relay so it takes much longer. That means there is a third party typing everything the hearing person says to me, and voicing everything I type to them. Being "on the phone" for half an hour to an hour is pretty typical for me. I go out of my way to be very polite to both the relay operator and the person on the other end of the line because I understand how much patience relay requires.

On the other hand I have a lot of people hang up on me, because they think the relay operator is a telemarketer or they hang up when they hear a moment of silence before the operator gets through. I don't understand why companies and businesses aren't trained to understand and deal with relay calls, especially ones that don't have any email or TTY information. But I can understand that's not the person's fault because they just don't know any better. What I don't understand is when I call back and ask the relay operator to explain that it's a relay call and I am just a customer trying to get through. I've had airlines and doctors' offices hang up on me after being on hold for 45 minutes. Over and over again. That was frustrating.

In person, I also get a wide range of positive and negative experiences. Some people offer me extra help and others completely ignore me. I can't say I've noticed customer service getting better or worse as a whole, but I think it really depends on the person who happens to be helping you. Some people are patient and creative, others are not.

[Houston3]

Originally Posted by CollegePalooza

lol. Make sure you put that on youtube. You will be a celeb over night!

That or registered on a sex offender web site...LOL

[catman]

Just two points I would like to make:

1. I'm sure that working in a call center can be a hideous job. Whose fault is that? Not mine. I resent it when the company places it somewhere overseas where English is spoken in a way that is difficult to understand (I'm thinking India). No, it isn't the fault of the poor call center employeee. It's the fault of the company for not hiring in this country. All they care about is profit.

Some call centers have very helpful employees who can easily be understood. Those companies are to be complimented.

2. tofurkey: Why are you defending this "gate keeper" concept, as if that makes this stuff all right? A terrorist calling a call center wouldn't be able to harm anyone, so your airplane analogy fails.

[latetotheparty]

Originally Posted by nimchimpsky

I have customer service experiences all over the spectrum. In terms of phone experiences, some people have been very friendly and patient with me. I use relay so it takes much longer. That means there is a third party typing everything the hearing person says to me, and voicing everything I type to them. Being "on the phone" for half an hour to an hour is pretty typical for me. I go out of my way to be very polite to both the relay operator and the person on the other end of the line because I understand how much patience relay requires.

On the other hand I have a lot of people hang up on me, because they think the relay operator is a telemarketer or they hang up when they hear a moment of silence before the operator gets through. I don't understand why companies and businesses aren't trained to understand and deal with relay calls, especially ones that don't have any email or TTY information. But I can understand that's not the person's fault because they just don't know any better. What I don't understand is when I call back and ask the relay operator to explain that it's a relay call and I am just a customer trying to get through. I've had airlines and doctors' offices hang up on me after being on hold for 45 minutes. Over and over again. That was frustrating.

In person, I also get a wide range of positive and negative experiences. Some people offer me extra help and others completely ignore me. I can't say I've noticed customer service getting better or worse as a whole, but I think it really depends on the person who happens to be helping you. Some people are patient and creative, others are not.

i use relay when talking with my ex in houston..... it has been around for over 25 years..... its a shame more people don't know about it.....

that said.... may large companies have numbers for hearing impaired to call..... many also have a chat option to contact customer service.... might be worth looking up their website(s) to see if either of these are available for whomever you need to reach......

Originally Posted by tofurkey

My experience has TXU as the absolutely worst, if not non-existent customer service for existing service.

Tho'... and I don't really mean to defend but... Call Centers are absolutely some of the most disgusting places on the planet to work. Sure, there are some really awful jobs... coal mining, oil rigs and I give them their due. But Call Centers are driven by numbers and the people you talk with are pushed to make calls shorter, resolve any and all issues in one short call and all the while make you think they really care. And that's just for the call.

A call center rep is tethered to a phone for 7.5 hours daily. They get an unpaid lunch but two 15 minute breaks. Otherwise it's TAKE A CALL... usually for about minimum wage to about $10 bucks an hours. Unless, of course, it's a union shop then it's more like $15 or so, but those would be the telephone company or other regulated industry. Gotta pee? Try some personal regulation.

i was a customer service rep (read call center) for southwestern bell in houston from 1978 - 1980 and you just described the job to a "T" ...... we were understaffed and NEVER without a customer on the line..... and by the time they FINALLY got through to us, MANY people were so upset at how long it took to get through, they would invariably take it out on us...... was probably the worst job i ever had......

[Willsson]

Originally Posted by catman

Just two points I would like to make:

1. I'm sure that working in a call center can be a hideous job. Whose fault is that? Not mine. I resent it when the company places it somewhere overseas where English is spoken in a way that is difficult to understand (I'm thinking India). No, it isn't the fault of the poor call center employeee. It's the fault of the company for not hiring in this country. All they care about is profit.

Some call centers have very helpful employees who can easily be understood. Those companies are to be complimented.

2. tofurkey: Why are you defending this "gate keeper" concept, as if that makes this stuff all right? A terrorist calling a call center wouldn't be able to harm anyone, so your airplane analogy fails.

Uhhhh, don't have any idea where terrorists comes in here. The reference to gatekeeper... the first line of contact the customer gets... the guy in India. That person would escalate to a mainland rep, the person who knows more... usually.

It's not really my intent to defend the use of a gatekeeper. I'm pointing out that the gatekeeper is there - as a cost reduction practice - due to the large number of callers. Think millions of users in NYC alone. You can have more gatekeepers for less dollars, thus allowing more callers thru the system. With no gatekeeper you have all callers going directly to > a fewer number < of persons who can actually resolve the bigger or more complex issues. NO, getting rid of the gatekeepers will NOT increase the number of US reps....OR, you can pay more for your product. It would just cost you more for your resentment.

[latetotheparty]

Originally Posted by tofurkey

Uhhhh, don't have any idea where terrorists comes in here. The reference to gatekeeper... the first line of contact the customer gets... the guy in India. That person would escalate to a mainland rep, the person who knows more... usually.

It's not really my intent to defend the use of a gatekeeper. I'm pointing out that the gatekeeper is there - as a cost reduction practice - due to the large number of callers. Think millions of users in NYC alone. You can have more gatekeepers for less dollars, thus allowing more callers thru the system. With no gatekeeper you have all callers going directly to > a fewer number < of persons who can actually resolve the bigger or more complex issues. NO, getting rid of the gatekeepers will NOT increase the number of US reps....OR, you can pay more for your product. It would just cost you more for your resentment.

and THAT is what it all really boils down to..... in customer service, in health care.... in nearly every aspect of our lives anymore........