How Do You Deal With It?
So I've recently been 'promoted' to work on the phone lines at work. I work for a bank dealing with bank charges. Basically I was trained to deal with these complaints and basically give customers help and advice. But the customers tend to reject EVERY suggestion I present and get really moody. I've been insulter, shouted at, screamed at, sworn at, personally insulted, had personal and rude remarks made at me.
I can understand people will be upset and maybe stressed over these complaints Fair enough. But their remarks and the thought of, great another day of abuse, is really starting to get at me. the company wont move me either cause I'm only a temporary member of staff. And no matter how many permanent positions I apply for they wont even give me an interview. So until I can find a permanent better job. How the hell am I supposed to deal with this abuse day after day??
Answer:
Realize it is only your job not your life and do not take personally what upset people are dishing out at you. Have been in customer service and it is not a fun place to be. But you can be a positive influence to these people if you want to. You control the conversation and the outcome so take the negative complaint and turn it into a positive outcome for both you and the customer. You will both be happy (or close to it) and your company will see the difference in your demeanor and may start looking at you for other positions. When applying for the other positions I would put down reason for wanting to change as : to have more personal, face to face contact with our customers so that I can help them or interest them in new company promotions, this type of reasoning will get you noticed and your positive attitude will now be put to good use. Now it will not work with every customer or situation but you can't win them all so smile and go on about your day when you lose one. Most of all when you go home leave work at work. Go home and relax.
Some people can be real jerks, especially when it comes to money. Maybe it will become so automatic and routine that you won't pay attention to the words coming out of your mouth and you really just won't care. BUT you'll still be doing a good job. It's like any dumb job, things get habitual. "I would be glad to help you with that." and all those parakeet words.. I mean parrot words and phrases customer service folk have to use.
Yick.
I hated it.
all you can do is help them as much as you can, i have worked in similar jobs and at first its quite daunting all the rude people that you encounter, but eventually you learn to detach yourself from it, just ride this storm out, and i promise you, you will learn to cope with it, and if not, hey.. its only a job and you must be valued to the company , otherwise they wouldn't have given you a promotion in the first place, so keep that in mind too, there are plenty of other jobs out there, and this one isn't the be all and end all
Practise daily, and when needed, one of the relaxation techniques at http://www.ezy-build.net. (.net.nz/~shaneris) on page 2. Learn the EFT variant for public use (massaging the temples) and turn the volume down/remove 'phones for a short while at those times, to let them vent, as you massage yourself, then come back to find out whether they have finished. What would happen if you hung up on those people?
Some promotion. What's wrong with you? What makes you think you HAVE to deal with that? Clearly, they have no intentions of moving you. So check and see if you got a pair of balls, if they are there, grab them. THEN USE THEM!
Why are you not contemplating looking for a new job? You sound like there's no way out. There's plenty of jobs out there.
Very often, ignorant people tend to "shoot the messenger". You don't make policies, although, what they are complaining about is policy. What you can do mentally, is to remember that the barbs are really for the president of the company...NOT YOU...
Why not try saying something like, "I really would like to help you, however, I cannot change policy, nor can I do things that break the rules". "what is it you would like ME to do...or can I refer you to a more appropriate person." You should then refer them to your supervisor. Whatever you do, DON'T go down to their level. Stay calm. The louder they get, the softer you should get...they have to "shut up" to hear you.
Be polite knowing that you ARE just the messenger and that the hits are meant for others not you.
Customer service is very hard...but the more you can deflect or interrupt the chaos, the better you'll be.
In the end, you will develop better people skills that will help you later in your career. Use the mean ones as practice for "not letting it get to you".
Slip a small half-pint bottle of Vodka in somehow, and take short swigs all morning. Switch to a full pint in the afternoons. Keep an extra in the locker.
The answers post by the user, for information only, FunQA.com does not guarantee the right.
More Questions and Answers: