Tension Breaker - Had to Be Done
Jan. 7th, 2004 01:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hiddenmuseYes, it's time for a trip to the Whine Cellar. I had a client that decided that I was going to be her verbal punching bag, so rather than carry it around forever, I'm going to let go here.
Frustrated clients are par for the course in any line of work. Sometimes, the client's complaint is valid - and against the company. Other times, they just want to take their idiocy and make you the blame puppy to be kicked about, rather than accept responsibility for themselves.
Today's client wanted me to be the blame puppy because she'd gotten her intent to cancel notice too late - due to the fact that she'd moved a few months prior, and DID NOT tell us. Therefore, it was our fault that her coverage had lapsed, because she could not pay the bill on time.
I called the company, to see what all I could do at our end. Granted, it wasn't all that much, but it was better than nothing at all. When the client returned my call, so I could give her this information, she was quite livid - first off, since I was at lunch, telling the receptionist that she "didn't want (my) fucking voice mail".
So, I made the mistake of taking the call, thinking that I would be able to deliver the information from the company, and that was that. I'd forgotten who I was dealing with - someone who'd apparently had her Cheerios pissed in, as well as having had the fuse lit on her tampon. I did what I could to remain diplomatic, although, I admit that I did raise my voice a few decibels.
In turn, I was basically told to shut up, so she could vent. After she'd vented, telling me that as her agent, I should be working for her, and that what I had to tell her - via the company - was not acceptable in the least, that I was not doing my job right. She wanted the phone number for the company, so she could talk to them personally - to find out what I should've been doing, then call me back and tell me how to do my job right.
She got the phone number, then hung up, rather unceremoniously. I almost slammed down the receiver myself and out loud, told her to fuck off, then cried.
Thankfully, when she called back (while I was at lunch), she was in a better mood and not ready to tell me how to do my job.
Regardless - no one deserves to be treated that way by a client. Ever. And she's not the only one that's like that towards me, or anyone else in the office.
Frustrated clients are par for the course in any line of work. Sometimes, the client's complaint is valid - and against the company. Other times, they just want to take their idiocy and make you the blame puppy to be kicked about, rather than accept responsibility for themselves.
Today's client wanted me to be the blame puppy because she'd gotten her intent to cancel notice too late - due to the fact that she'd moved a few months prior, and DID NOT tell us. Therefore, it was our fault that her coverage had lapsed, because she could not pay the bill on time.
I called the company, to see what all I could do at our end. Granted, it wasn't all that much, but it was better than nothing at all. When the client returned my call, so I could give her this information, she was quite livid - first off, since I was at lunch, telling the receptionist that she "didn't want (my) fucking voice mail".
So, I made the mistake of taking the call, thinking that I would be able to deliver the information from the company, and that was that. I'd forgotten who I was dealing with - someone who'd apparently had her Cheerios pissed in, as well as having had the fuse lit on her tampon. I did what I could to remain diplomatic, although, I admit that I did raise my voice a few decibels.
In turn, I was basically told to shut up, so she could vent. After she'd vented, telling me that as her agent, I should be working for her, and that what I had to tell her - via the company - was not acceptable in the least, that I was not doing my job right. She wanted the phone number for the company, so she could talk to them personally - to find out what I should've been doing, then call me back and tell me how to do my job right.
She got the phone number, then hung up, rather unceremoniously. I almost slammed down the receiver myself and out loud, told her to fuck off, then cried.
Thankfully, when she called back (while I was at lunch), she was in a better mood and not ready to tell me how to do my job.
Regardless - no one deserves to be treated that way by a client. Ever. And she's not the only one that's like that towards me, or anyone else in the office.
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no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 12:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 01:55 pm (UTC)So, I'm sorry customers take stuff out on you. Maybe you could just be very rude and degrading to them first and then it won't seem like they are unjustified. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2004-01-07 02:49 pm (UTC)If the producer doesn't send her a letter asking her nicely to take her business to another agency - especially after tomorrow, when I'll be asking to not deal with her personally any longer - I will be surprised. (The person handling her commercial business refuses to talk to her, deferring her to the producer instead. I may do the same, to save my sanity!)