h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm in a call centre right now and would like to add that I really hate it when a customer remembers my name and acts nice to me, as it is just really obvious that it is very fake and I'd be more inclined to give them the usual treatment (I'm good at my job, so by that I mean nothing special)

Loved the article though

Working on a Tech Support desk for a major computer company I tend to feel the same way. I know it's part of the "rules" to try and reember the names of whomever you speak to, but when customers use your name repeatedly, it just irritates me after a while.

I do like to take care of "problem customers" though, because I have been working at the desk for about 4 years now and I do know what our responsibilities towards the customer is.
One thing that I know infuriates those borderine customers to no end is if you as a customer service representative treat them with politeness and just keep your calm at all times. Difficult customers are usually trying to get a rise out of you and make you lose your temper so that you snarl back at them, at which point they can make it a personal matter and turn the complaint against you as a person to take the focus off of his own problem. And if they get that focus off of their own problem, they can then twist it to look like you are not giving them the help they are entitled to.

Many are the times I've spoken to a customer that's been screaming ans shouting in my ear and when I've then transfered to my Team Leader since no one was making any headway either way, they're as nice and polite as kittens after a meal.

Customers are weird, though.

Interesting.

Whilst writing the entry I spoke to lots of people at work, and almost all of them prefered people remembering their names.

There were a couple like you who didn't like it though.

I'm always polite to customers, even the rude ones!

In general, I find that waiting a while and using the name once later in conversation is fine. Using it right away or doing it several times repeatedly indeed sounds fake. Using it once under the right context, say while explaining that you know the situation isn't their fault, can show that you empathize and understand you're talking to a person with feelings rather than some avatar of the corporation itself.

Also, I've witnessed jaded call center employees who act nice but hang up on anyone with a difficult problem. They're less likely to hang up on someone who will be able to call back and mention they did it. It's never my goal to complain, and I would phrase this as the last person "accidentally hanging up on me." But if there is a pattern, reporting on it will eventually be picked up on by a manager.

It's good to remember the name in any case. I've been in situations where the manager I was speaking to demanded to know "who told you that" since I had been given incorrect information before. If this information led me to believe I would receive non-standard help, having that name could be the difference between getting the help and not.

Also, I find it generally a good policy to give a compliment if you've had a good conversation with a phone answerer before being sent to a manager for practical reasons. It can get you on good terms with the manager if you speak well of their employee's level of service, then go on to explain that unfortunately they didn't have the power to help you. In a best case scenario, the manager will later reward or at least look well upon the first person who was kind enough to take an interest.

Ooh, I used to hate it when a customer used my name as every other word!

At one call centre I was the one who got to speak to the 'problem' customers, mainly because of my Scottish accent. However, at the last place I worked we weren't allowed to do that - a shame, because the team leaders and managers were never around when you needed to escalate a call. Funny that.

I'm working in a call center right now where people call in with broken cell phones and we try to fix them. I'm a "supervisor" which means I get paid the same but don't have to take as many calls because I only talk to those people who are either very upset or very pleased. It's not a bad gig if you can get it.
I've found that usually the angry screamy customers are the least likely to get what they want because they immediately put the agent on the defensive and make them concentrate on fending off the customer's attacks and not on solving the problem. When you request a supervisor because the agent won't give you what you want you'll more than likely be talking to me because the real supervisors are too busy to deal with some irate customer. If you request my supervisor you'll more than likely be transferred to another agent just like me but be told they're further up the ladder. I've seen this lead to the embarrassing situation where the determined customer gets transferred in a complete circle and gets back to the original "supervisor". Oops. If someone ever does actually get to talk to an real supervisor they'll probably blow you off with talk of "policy" or "terms and conditions" unless there actually is something they can do which is unlikely because it would probably already have been done by now.
Also, if you have a legitimate reason why you deserve something like a credit towards your bill or a free phone you probably won't get it if you demand it but might if you are calm and logical about it. Explain what happened and make the agent feel sorry for you but don't overdo it because it sounds like you're fishing for something you don't deserve and agents can smell a liar. Obsequiousness is also a bad tactic. Like a Buddhist, follow the middle path. Be firm, but not angry. Stay calm, but don't be impassive.

Good stuff...

I agree, when a customer is screaming and shouting I have NO desire to help them at all, but if someone is polite and calm I will go out of my way to solve their problem, even if they're not insisting upon it. I also hate people using my name, it's far too personal!

When a customer shouts, swears or is patronising to me down the phone they get one warning and then I hang up. It helps to take a firm but fair approach to customers, firm being first. I do my best to help any customer that phones up, but if someone is stupid enough to be abusive more often than not they haven't read the T&Cs, instructions or have usually made the mistake themselves and have no complaint.

i've never worked a call centre (phones scare the hell out of me - not in the girly scream, oh no it's going to eat me kind of way though)

i know i'd probably hate it, it's bad enough being a face to face customer servicey person but doing it on the phone is probably worse.