MANILA, Philippines - Customer service is one of the conveniences customers take for granted, most especially because it is, most of the time, free and easily accessible. I have been in the business for a few months now, and there are things I just learned and noticed about it. Here are the things customers DO NOT know (or probably, don't take much of consideration) about the customer service representative they are talking to.
Customer Representatives Have Feelings, Too.
Of course you do know about it, don't you? I know how frustrated you are about the product or the service, but little did you know that shouting or cursing at the representative won't help you at all! If you want to be respected, you treat others with respect, too. Right? Most people who call the center start the call irate and end it irate.
"Hey, why the f**k is my phone not working?! You idiot. I hate your product! I am not using it again! F** You!"
Do you think that will help you? Seriously.
Think about it? Imagine those words being said to you when it is actually your first time talking to each other. Difficult right? Some agents actually absorb what you say, most especially if you said something about their race or accent. So the next time you speak with a representative, never ever say bad words, because these people are there to assist you and not to make fun of you.
Of course you do know about it, don't you? I know how frustrated you are about the product or the service, but little did you know that shouting or cursing at the representative won't help you at all! If you want to be respected, you treat others with respect, too. Right? Most people who call the center start the call irate and end it irate.
"Hey, why the f**k is my phone not working?! You idiot. I hate your product! I am not using it again! F** You!"
Do you think that will help you? Seriously.
Think about it? Imagine those words being said to you when it is actually your first time talking to each other. Difficult right? Some agents actually absorb what you say, most especially if you said something about their race or accent. So the next time you speak with a representative, never ever say bad words, because these people are there to assist you and not to make fun of you.
It's Not Always The Agent's Fault If You Are Having A Problem
..It's probably the system or the company itself. Little did you know that most of the agents you are speaking with are not hired directly by the company which provides the product/service you just purchased. That is why they are called "call center agents", because the company, let's say Apricot Computers, paid Chuck Norris Customer Services, a call center company, to provide them the customer service they need. See that? But it doesn't mean they don't know anything about the products! These agents are trained for weeks just to be an specialist about the products or services! They probably know more about the products than the CEOs themselves! Trust
me!
So, if ever there is a problem with the product or the company in general, never put the blame on the agent. Although he or she is the only person available to represent the company, he/she is not responsible for your mistakes and that of the company's. Calm down now, and talk with them as though you are speaking with your relatives.
The Representative Doesn't Have All Day To Speak With You
Did you know that agents need to resolve the issue in the fastest possible time? The shorter the call will be, the better. But it doesn't mean you need to be rushed. It's just that there are instances that people would place the agents on hold or let them wait while the customers do their thing.
Example, "Hey, I need to set up my computer first so I can see if you have really reset my online account.. Hold on.. Ok. It's restarting now.. Just a moment.. Ok.. Hmmm.. How do I turn it on again?"
Hey, hey, hey. STOP.
Do not do that because it is so unprofessional. I mean, unless you are calling regarding your broken computer, then there is no problem, but doing something to prove if the agent has really done it is not a great idea--plus putting him or her on hold is the worst thing that you can do. If he/she said it, trust the person. You are ruining the respect they are giving you.
All Your Concerns Are Notated On Your Account
But don't expect the agent to know everything immediately. One thing that you should not do is to lie. Lying is a no no while speaking with a representative because they can see everything on the system. If they asked you something (which you have already answered before or if it wasn't the first time you have talked about it), it doesn't mean they don't know anything about it or they would like to know about it, it's actually just they are just verifying the information you have previously given.
Friendly Customers Are More Likely To Be Assisted Well
It's not about the customer's mood of course, but if you sound friendly, the agent will like you and, more likely, your problems will be resolved immediately. There is no point of pressuring the agent to do what you want because just because the customer is always right doesn't mean it's true.
"Give me my f***ng password!" says one customer. It is usually not allowed to give out such information to the customer (for security purposes.) But instead of the agent telling you how to reset the password, you continue with "I AM THE ACCOUNT OWNER! LET ME SPEAK WITH THE SUPERVISOR! ANYONE HIGHER THAN YOU!" which didn't resolve the issue at all!
No.
Try this:
"Hello! I am having a problem with my password, seems like I forgot it, is there a way you can get it for me?" although the agent will not give it to you, you might hear: "I will be more than happy to assist you, let me inform you that I cannot give out any account related information to you for security purposes, but let me guide you in resetting it online.."
See.
Customer Representative Must Not Lie
Have you forgotten that the calls are recorded? And so that you know, the calls are actually audited for quality purposes. Once an agent lie to you, he/she might be fired. So trust an agent when he/she says "I am not lying, Ma'm/Sir." believe him/her.
Speaking With The Supervisor Will Not Help At All
If you want to speak with the supervisor, make sure that it is about a commendation or complaint regarding the agent. Don't ask for one just because the system cannot do it for you or because the agent says it's not possible. The companies have policies remember, just because you want it, doesn't mean you can get it through the supervisor.
"I need my credit card number because I left my card at my mom's home and I am paying for my bill now." says the customer. Usually, in this scenario, it is not allowed even if you are the cardholder. The agent then goes "I would like to help you out regarding that but I would like to inform you that we don't have access to such information (which is true) and may not be able to give it to you. But if you want to pay for something, you may try our online bill payment system. All you need to do is....."
The customer then goes, "NO! I have no time! I have no computer! Give me the manager because I have no time to speak with you all. You are not helping me!"
Gee. That escalated quickly! The agent will then tell you that "Let me just inform you that the supervisor will not be able to give the card number as well and will just tell you the same thing."
"I don't care! I want to hear it directly from him!"
Seriously?!
If the agent says no, it doesn't mean he or she is avoiding you to be transferred just because he or she is afraid that you might report him or her. The reason why you are being deescalated is because it is just a waste of time on your part and their part. So, be patient and trust the agent. Remember, the calls are recorded and you will not be misinformed as much as possible!
The Agents Do Not Place You On Hold Before You Speak To Them
"You placed me on hold for 45 minutes just to speak with you!" Errr.. Did you know that when you call, you are immediately connected to the "most" available agent? The longest waiting call will be connected to the first agent who becomes available.
Example:
Caller A: waiting for 10 minutes.
Caller B: waiting for 14 minutes.
Agent A: the call will end in 5 minutes.
Agent B: the call will end in 3 minutes.
Agent B will be connected to Caller B! It's a first come first serve basis!
There you go! There are actually more to say, but here are just the essentials! Just make sure the next time you call the customer service that if you want to be treated with respect, respect the other person, too! But of course, no matter how disrespectful you are, you must/will still be respected by agent.
How about you? What are the instances that you've had problems with the agent himself/herself?
Call Me Jed™ (cc) 2013. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.
..It's probably the system or the company itself. Little did you know that most of the agents you are speaking with are not hired directly by the company which provides the product/service you just purchased. That is why they are called "call center agents", because the company, let's say Apricot Computers, paid Chuck Norris Customer Services, a call center company, to provide them the customer service they need. See that? But it doesn't mean they don't know anything about the products! These agents are trained for weeks just to be an specialist about the products or services! They probably know more about the products than the CEOs themselves! Trust
me!
So, if ever there is a problem with the product or the company in general, never put the blame on the agent. Although he or she is the only person available to represent the company, he/she is not responsible for your mistakes and that of the company's. Calm down now, and talk with them as though you are speaking with your relatives.
The Representative Doesn't Have All Day To Speak With You
Did you know that agents need to resolve the issue in the fastest possible time? The shorter the call will be, the better. But it doesn't mean you need to be rushed. It's just that there are instances that people would place the agents on hold or let them wait while the customers do their thing.
Example, "Hey
Hey, hey, hey. STOP.
Do not do that because it is so unprofessional. I mean, unless you are calling regarding your broken computer, then there is no problem, but doing something to prove if the agent has really done it is not a great idea--plus putting him or her on hold is the worst thing that you can do. If he/she said it, trust the person. You are ruining the respect they are giving you.
All Your Concerns Are Notated On Your Account
But don't expect the agent to know everything immediately. One thing that you should not do is to lie. Lying is a no no while speaking with a representative because they can see everything on the system. If they asked you something (which you have already answered before or if it wasn't the first time you have talked about it), it doesn't mean they don't know anything about it or they would like to know about it, it's actually just they are just verifying the information you have previously given.
Friendly Customers Are More Likely To Be Assisted Well
It's not about the customer's mood of course, but if you sound friendly, the agent will like you and, more likely, your problems will be resolved immediately. There is no point of pressuring the agent to do what you want because just because the customer is always right doesn't mean it's true.
"Give me my f***ng password!" says one customer. It is usually not allowed to give out such information to the customer (for security purposes.) But instead of the agent telling you how to reset the password, you continue with "I AM THE ACCOUNT OWNER! LET ME SPEAK WITH THE SUPERVISOR! ANYONE HIGHER THAN YOU!" which didn't resolve the issue at all!
No.
Try this:
"Hello
See.
Customer Representative Must Not Lie
Have you forgotten that the calls are recorded? And so that you know, the calls are actually audited for quality purposes. Once an agent lie to you, he/she might be fired. So trust an agent when he/she says "I am not lying, Ma'm/Sir." believe him/her.
Speaking With The Supervisor Will Not Help At All
If you want to speak with the supervisor, make sure that it is about a commendation or complaint regarding the agent. Don't ask for one just because the system cannot do it for you or because the agent says it's not possible. The companies have policies remember, just because you want it, doesn't mean you can get it through the supervisor.
"I need my credit card number because I left my card at my mom's home and I am paying for my bill now." says the customer. Usually, in this scenario, it is not allowed even if you are the cardholder. The agent then goes "I would like to help you out regarding that but I would like to inform you that we don't have access to such information (which is true) and may not be able to give it to you. But if you want to pay for something, you may try our online bill payment system. All you need to do is....."
The customer then goes, "NO! I have no time! I have no computer! Give me the manager because I have no time to speak with you all. You are not helping me!"
Gee. That escalated quickly! The agent will then tell you that "Let me just inform you that the supervisor will not be able to give the card number as well and will just tell you the same thing."
"I don't care! I want to hear it directly from him!"
Seriously?!
If the agent says no, it doesn't mean he or she is avoiding you to be transferred just because he or she is afraid that you might report him or her. The reason why you are being deescalated is because it is just a waste of time on your part and their part. So, be patient and trust the agent. Remember, the calls are recorded and you will not be misinformed as much as possible!
The Agents Do Not Place You On Hold Before You Speak To Them
"You placed me on hold for 45 minutes just to speak with you!" Errr.. Did you know that when you call, you are immediately connected to the "most" available agent? The longest waiting call will be connected to the first agent who becomes available.
Example:
Caller A: waiting for 10 minutes.
Caller B: waiting for 14 minutes.
Agent A: the call will end in 5 minutes.
Agent B: the call will end in 3 minutes.
Agent B will be connected to Caller B! It's a first come first serve basis!
There you go! There are actually more to say, but here are just the essentials! Just make sure the next time you call the customer service that if you want to be treated with respect, respect the other person, too! But of course, no matter how disrespectful you are, you must/will still be respected by agent.
How about you? What are the instances that you've had problems with the agent himself/herself?
Call Me Jed™ (cc) 2013. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Philippines License.