cussing customers

[OccupantRJ]

Originally Posted by MrSnicks

I have worked customer server in IT support for years. If it is someone cussing on the phone I just inform them that it is against our policy for the Customer Service representatives to be talked to like that and if they continue I will disconnect the call. And if they curse again I do. Sometimes it takes 5 hang ups on the same person until the get their language under control.

Patrick

RJ likes this!

[TAftw]

If someone starts doing that to me over the phone I hold the phone at arms length and look at it. Then after they're done I say something like "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't get that last part, could you repeat it?" If someone in general starts going ballistic on me I tune out, same thing with over the phone.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by MrSnicks

I have worked customer server in IT support for years. If it is someone cussing on the phone I just inform them that it is against our policy for the Customer Service representatives to be talked to like that and if they continue I will disconnect the call. And if they curse again I do. Sometimes it takes 5 hang ups on the same person until the get their language under control.

Patrick

THIS is the proper way to handle it. Many do not even realize they are swearing or being that offensive. Make sure your company policy says this, and if not try to get it changed. No one should have to put up with that kind of abuse.

Jim

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Work around contractors who want their machinery working to make them money....you hear a lot of cussing about the work / circumstances / manufacturer / dealer / whatever constantly.....luckily very little is directed right at you....I've learned to joke with them before they have a chance to go nuts with comment like "You never call me just to say "Hi!" or "How's things?" - it's always busted stuff and problems that get us talking!"

I remember questioning my choices in life shortly after I started the first time a customer went completely bonkers / cussing up a storm over a lose hose clamp on a new machine......

[nehog]

I agree, it's painful when that happens. The funny thing is that I'm always going to be as nice to the rep as possible, because I've learned that being nice almost always gets me what I want...

Were I have been in your position on that customer, I'd have asked why he felt he needed two cartridges instead of one, and reminded him that they have a shelf life so if it sits too long it may not work well. It is possible that they have some big jobs coming up soon, or maybe he's found that it takes forever to get one (a problem for you to resolve!) and want's to avoid any potential for outages?

[DodgeZ]

Originally Posted by tpolley

had a customer cuss at me today over the phone. i was going by our company policy and the crusty old douche bag started cussing at me. i froze. im not used to dealing with that stuff.

a little more detail, he called and requested toner for his copier. he's on a maintenance agreement so toner is included. he wants two toner cartridges. looking at his history, the last time we sent him toner was 2010. before that it was 2009. i'm under orders not to send more than 3 months of toner to a customer. i told the guy i can't send him 2 cartridges. i can send 1. thats when he started cussing.

i folded like a deck of cards and sent him two cartridges. at which point he said "god damn" and hung up on me.

i was so pissed off i couldn't see straight. pissed off at him, and pissed off at myself for the way i handled it. while i was listening to him cuss at me i wanted to tell him to go fuck his self and hang up but i knew that would get me fired. i just sat there with my thumb on the hang-up button listening to him go on and shaking my head.

i immediately went to my boss and told her my side just in case the old coot called to complain.

how do you prepare yourself for this stuff? how do you keep your cool? what do you say when somone is cussing you out? how do you deal with the absolute rage you feel afterwards? i've never been confrontational. i hate arguing with people. people always want to know "why?". i don't make the rules, i just enforce them.

First of all, if you sucked him in to a maintenance agreement you should have just sent two. Clearly he isn't abusing the system and you guys are making money off of him. He probably is completely out and wants a spare. Which is understandable. He is paying you for a premium service, Staples can surely sell him toners for less. That means he doesn't want to have someone giving him a hard time. Just like when you call up SnapOn. You don't want any crap.

Understandable that you can't over send toner per the rules. Here is what you can do. Put the guy on hold and ask your boss if it is a okay. If the boss says no tell the guy your boss won't let you and you'll get in trouble if you do. The trick here is to get the guy on your side. Show him you are trying to help him. He won't be mad at you if you are "helping" him or if you tell him you'll get in trouble if you just do it. If you need to, hand the call to the boss. That is their job and why they get paid more than you.

If the guy is getting crazy, tell him *calmly* that if he continues to cuss at you that you'll be forced to end the call. That should help slow him down some. Good luck, it took me years to figure out how to handle phone calls like that. I've been so mad I couldn't speak because if I did I'd tell the guy to go F' himself.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by DodgeZ

First of all, if you sucked him in to a maintenance agreement you should have just sent two. Clearly he isn't abusing the system and you guys are making money off of him. He probably is completely out and wants a spare. Which is understandable. He is paying you for a premium service, Staples can surely sell him toners for less. That means he doesn't want to have someone giving him a hard time. Just like when you call up SnapOn. You don't want any crap.

Understandable that you can't over send toner per the rules. Here is what you can do. Put the guy on hold and ask your boss if it is a okay. If the boss says no tell the guy your boss won't let you and you'll get in trouble if you do. The trick here is to get the guy on your side. Show him you are trying to help him. He won't be mad at you if you are "helping" him or if you tell him you'll get in trouble if you just do it. If you need to, hand the call to the boss. That is their job and why they get paid more than you.

Wow, seriously? Just give the customer anything he wants, even if it is contrary to the contract, and because he is being an ass?

As for the rest, lots of assumptions there.

Jim

[SpiderGearsMan]

I will not be talked to that way ..hang up

[GirlnAgarage]

Originally Posted by tpolley

how do you prepare yourself for this stuff? how do you keep your cool? what do you say when somone is cussing you out? how do you deal with the absolute rage you feel afterwards? i've never been confrontational. i hate arguing with people. people always want to know "why?". i don't make the rules, i just enforce them.

I've learned to make curse words an automatic shut off. I leave or close the conversation immediately. Otherwise if I don't, I can explode right back. Dealing with the anger afterwards I go for a run or do some sort of workout.

[milesvdustin]

In high school i worked at a steak n shake. Drunks would come through the drive through and slur through the squawk box and I would have to tell them to repeat many times to get their order. When they started cussing I would call the police and have them come. I think I successfully got three or four people DUI arrests in the parking lot!

Being in the Marines, my job now involves gratuitous amounts of yelling and profanity!

[Crzydmnd72]

you only have to deal with them while you are talking with them., they have to live with themselves ALL the time.

Having said that, I am a copier guy also, and policy maker should have room for exceptions in the policy. Having said that, the 2 things that irk me worst is a down customer because of no toner, and a down customer because the toner was clumped and won't dispense. Theres a happy place somewhere in the middle lol

Now I gotta get back to this tough problem of why 2 sided transparencys don't look right....lol

[KCarGuy]

I've Had that Happen to me way too many times.
One time I was working on a customers machine (because it was down) Not only was he Cussing on the phone as I was working my way there, but as I was doing the work on his equipment, trying to get it up and running for him.
First off, I didnt invent or build the thing...I'm simply the guy here to Help You!
Second, Its really hard to concentrate and focus, when they are Yelling at You.
Funny thing is, I kept a Cool Head, Did my Job and fixed the equipment....
...The minute it was running, he asked me if I wanted something cold to drink?
Its Like a switch was flipped.
Some people just aint right!
Stay Cool and be the better Person! Good Luck!

[Dickey]

I don't answer the phone very often these days but back when I did, I especially enjoyed the angry customers. It brightened my day that someone was having a bad one.

No idea why, but I figured at the very least someone was getting something good out of a bad situation. I still volunteer to work with difficult people if such a conversation comes up.

[RedVise]

Originally Posted by Crzydmnd72

you only have to deal with them while you are talking with them., they have to live with themselves ALL the time.

Having said that, I am a copier guy also, and policy maker should have room for exceptions in the policy. Having said that, the 2 things that irk me worst is a down customer because of no toner, and a down customer because the toner was clumped and won't dispense. Theres a happy place somewhere in the middle lol

Now I gotta get back to this tough problem of why 2 sided transparencys don't look right....lol

What he said. If you deal with the public, you have to be able to handle these situations. If you are a copier guy, in the field you must be able to fix the machine and also calm down the customer. You just have to learn people are different on the phone , kinda like Interweb bullies, if you get my drift.

Hang in there dude!

Brian L.

[GN4WHLN]

As a teacher, I have parents who do this periodically. I simply say "We're done here" and walk away. I have no interest in talking with someone who behaves like that. I don't care what we are meeting over, I'll let them know once I don't want to hear it and after that we're done. They can behave civilally or out the door they go.

Of course, I'm not selling them anything so I'm not losing profit here. If they want to complain, I couldn't care less.

[DodgeZ]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Wow, seriously? Just give the customer anything he wants, even if it is contrary to the contract, and because he is being an ass?

As for the rest, lots of assumptions there.

Jim

Wow, you cleary didn't even read my post?

[bimmer1980]

Lot's of good advise here. I've dealt with this myself. I used to have one customer that was a real tyrant. He would call me up and cuss me out over something he perceived was wrong. I would wait for him to get it out of his system and then we could talk business. I had to meet him on the job site as well. He was a real A$$ thru and thru... and his boss was even worse!!!

It was the worst project I have ever dealt with, but I did learn to grow a thicker skin and not to let it bother me. Sometimes you just have to let them get it out of their system. Then you can talk business. I will say, I didn't exactly feel inclined to go out of my way to give him everything.

Those customers that asked nicely, got a lot more options and perks......

And don't ever take it personally.

From those experiences, I have learned that when I call up with a problem, you catch far more flies with a little honey than with lemon juice.....

[STINEY]

I'm with you DodgeZ.

Has no one here EVER heard the phrase "The customer is always right"?

Seriously, you wonder why he felt the need to cuss - - it was from severe frustration. I guarantee you he had LOTS of better things to do than spend time on the phone with the copy machine supply folks.

Customers (who pay YOUR salary, by the way, in case you forgot) go with a contract on the premise that it will be one less thing for THEM to worry about. The copier is a tool that simply needs to work on a daily basis with no hassles, and that includes having an extra toner on hand.

No wonder this country has problems. We have forgotten which side our bread is buttered on.

Flame away. Mine is obviously an unpopular opinion, I have donned my flame-suit.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by DodgeZ

Wow, you cleary didn't even read my post?

I read it, I just do not agree with it. I also saw your last part, which I left off, because I did agree with it.

IMHO it doesn't matter what your job is, putting up with abuse is NOT part of nearly anyone's job, nor should it be.

Jim

[SuperSocket]

Send him both and make a note of it. If he's able to get free ink when he needs it, an extra will just help him buffer. It doesn't seem like he abuses the ink, so it's probably a good deal for your company.


My suspect is that he ran out and had something important to print but couldn't, so that's why he wants extra.