Recently, I've had to deal with customer service a lot and I'm feeling sort of ambivalent about how I should treat them. It's common courtesy to be respectful and patient, but on the other hand, if I act like a pissed off d-bag trying to stir things up, I might get what I want faster. What are your thoughts, CAG?
How should you treat customer service reps?
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Ive always found that being nice but knowledgeable seem to get me further than being an ass. If it is a billing dispute I would have your bills out and know what you are talking about so they cannot try to talk you into paying for something you shouldnt be, but still be nice about it.
I treat them with respect, up until the point where being the nice guy isn't working anymore. I literally had a cable guy this morning refusing to reconnect an outlet in my house. A call to the supervisor later and he was back out there, reconnecting it just fine.
Being nice definitely comes first, and you should be very nice. I try to be overly nice to CS reps because I know they take a lot of crap from people. You will get much farther by being nice.
However, if the CS rep starts out by being a jerk then I see no problem with giving them back exactly what they gave you. I don't think I have ever had this happen, but if the rep is being a total jerk (and you have started off by being very nice to them) then I see no reason to be nice to them.
However, if the CS rep starts out by being a jerk then I see no problem with giving them back exactly what they gave you. I don't think I have ever had this happen, but if the rep is being a total jerk (and you have started off by being very nice to them) then I see no reason to be nice to them.
Do you really get further by being nice though? Too often I see people treating workers at stores and restaurants like crap, but then management will do anything they can to make those people happy. It seems like sometimes beng loud and rude goes furher.
That being said, I just can't be rude to a worker unless they're being rude to me.
That being said, I just can't be rude to a worker unless they're being rude to me.
Never be rude to a CSR/customer service person. If they personally are decent, then it's the business's fault they can't help you. If they're rude, report them to management or corporate.
We've got 10% unemployment. If someone is in a customer service job and can't treat customers decently, get his ass fired and get someone else in there who wants/needs a job.
Plus even if they're rude, why lower yourself to their level? And purely defensively, the cliche "don't piss off the person who's bringing you food" has validity to it.
Polite, factual, firm, and saying something positive along with my complaint usually works for me. People won't go above and beyond, they may even do less than the minimum, for people/customers who treat them poorly.
If you're rude, even if you're in the right, your opinion may be minimized by their seeing 'Oh he's just a jerk, who cares what he thinks."
Unfortunately, some businesses do treat the squeaky wheel better. I couldn't be that customer because, well, I'm not a jerk. Odds are though that that customer is being blackballed.
We've got 10% unemployment. If someone is in a customer service job and can't treat customers decently, get his ass fired and get someone else in there who wants/needs a job.
Plus even if they're rude, why lower yourself to their level? And purely defensively, the cliche "don't piss off the person who's bringing you food" has validity to it.
Polite, factual, firm, and saying something positive along with my complaint usually works for me. People won't go above and beyond, they may even do less than the minimum, for people/customers who treat them poorly.
If you're rude, even if you're in the right, your opinion may be minimized by their seeing 'Oh he's just a jerk, who cares what he thinks."
Unfortunately, some businesses do treat the squeaky wheel better. I couldn't be that customer because, well, I'm not a jerk. Odds are though that that customer is being blackballed.
iNFiNiTE HORiZON
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I sometimes get less help by being super nice, it usually depends who the specific person you're dealing with is though. i've often seen people be complete assholes to cs and get better results... so who knows lol
From a CS department head perspective I don't tolerate abusive customers; at all. I have blacklisted several people for disrespecting my team. Those that come in and are nice and understanding usually get free upgrades and extra perks.
From a customer's pov, I have no patience for ignorance and ruse CSRs. I blame management for that. I start off nice to all CSRs but if they go out of their way to be a douche then I take the necessary steps to make sure that CSR is noticed by his superiors for being said douche.
From a customer's pov, I have no patience for ignorance and ruse CSRs. I blame management for that. I start off nice to all CSRs but if they go out of their way to be a douche then I take the necessary steps to make sure that CSR is noticed by his superiors for being said douche.
gothamcentral79
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I was a customer service manager for almost 6 years and a customer being a douchebag was the easiest way to have me do everything I could to make sure they didn't get what they wanted.
captaintek3304
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I work for a call vented customer service in a very sensitive business ares. My 30-40 calls a day usually see me get yelled at by at least 25 of those people. And every single time I give the.attitude back. If you're going to treat me like shit, why should I be respectful to you? Oh and we have a company wide chat tool, and when we get douchebag clients, we're usually all laughing with each other about how much of an idiot you are. The biggest mistake people make is to assume we don't talk to each other.
commandercody83
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I'm nice. Always.
Just because they are on the phone doesn't give anyone the excuse to be a jerk.
Worked retail for over 11 years, so I know the difference between good/bad.
Just because they are on the phone doesn't give anyone the excuse to be a jerk.
Worked retail for over 11 years, so I know the difference between good/bad.
Survivalism
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As a rule, I'm never a jerk to someone who's handling my money or food. That's just asking for it.
[quote name='skiizim']Here is a better question, are you nice and courteous to a foreign CSR?[/QUOTE]
Why wouldn't you be? If you need someone's help, you should probably do everything you can to have them on your side.
[quote name='skiizim']Here is a better question, are you nice and courteous to a foreign CSR?[/QUOTE]
Why wouldn't you be? If you need someone's help, you should probably do everything you can to have them on your side.
VashandWolfwood
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I try my absolute hardest to be nice to CSRs. I'm rarely talking to them unless I need something, and you get more flies with honey.
I had a problem with a pricematch at Best Buy I should have had no problem with, called the 1800 number when I got home, was nice to the person and got the giftcard I was supposed to have in store. If I'm being a world-class doucher to the CSR on the phone, I question whether she would have done anything for me.
I had a problem with a pricematch at Best Buy I should have had no problem with, called the 1800 number when I got home, was nice to the person and got the giftcard I was supposed to have in store. If I'm being a world-class doucher to the CSR on the phone, I question whether she would have done anything for me.
Survivalism
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As a rule, I'm never a jerk to someone who's handling my money or food. That's just asking for it.
[quote name='skiizim']Here is a better question, are you nice and courteous to a foreign CSR?[/QUOTE]
Why wouldn't you be? If you need someone's help, you should probably do everything you can to have them on your side.
[quote name='gothamcentral79']I was a customer service manager for almost 6 years and a customer being a douchebag was the easiest way to have me do everything I could to make sure they didn't get what they wanted.[/QUOTE]
I work at a fast food restaurant and if someone's being a tool, we give them the smallest piece of chicken or skimp on the bacon or make them wait an unnecessarily long time. We're making your food, why would you act like that?
[quote name='skiizim']Here is a better question, are you nice and courteous to a foreign CSR?[/QUOTE]
Why wouldn't you be? If you need someone's help, you should probably do everything you can to have them on your side.
[quote name='gothamcentral79']I was a customer service manager for almost 6 years and a customer being a douchebag was the easiest way to have me do everything I could to make sure they didn't get what they wanted.[/QUOTE]
I work at a fast food restaurant and if someone's being a tool, we give them the smallest piece of chicken or skimp on the bacon or make them wait an unnecessarily long time. We're making your food, why would you act like that?
[quote name='Survivalism']Why wouldn't you be? If you need someone's help, you should probably do everything you can to have them on your side.[/QUOTE]
I'm just saying because there have been times that the language barrier has been so bad that there is no helping the situation and can be frustrating. Although this problem has worked more than favorable on more than one occasion too.
I'm just saying because there have been times that the language barrier has been so bad that there is no helping the situation and can be frustrating. Although this problem has worked more than favorable on more than one occasion too.
bread's done