Rude as can be to your phone staff...

Mikey P

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But nice and freindly to you or your crew..

Why is it that people treat those they know they never meet like crap?


My daughter gets ragged on pretty frequently then when I call to see what's the beef, I'm talking to Sister Theresa.
 

Jim Pemberton

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I've had that happen with female employees here. Same deal, the individuals treat them like crap, then act like I'm their friend. The service guys get treated like gold too, since they keep their equipment running.

"Invisible employees" tend to get bad treatment from some because they feel that they can at best vent more "safely" with them, and at worst abuse them to somehow feel superior in their own lives.

I challenge that behavior when I'm certain its happened, and have fired a couple of customers because of it.

It's completely unacceptable
 

Mark Saiger

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My wife will get that too every now and then....

When it gets to a point where she get's tired of them, she tells them to call me....and good luck getting ahold of me....

She will forward a text usually to let me know mouthy client call on way.....

She laugh's it off a bit, but I know it bothers her too....

If some are too rude...my wife also just looks up their account, decides if worth keeping as a client....and then tells the problem ones....we are booked out 5-6 weeks....
 

PrimaDonna

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Haven't had that happen in a really long time. More so when I first started out. But since we don't have as many price shoppers and lots of repeat and referrals they have been very pleasant.


Now....I'm going to get one of those calls this week. I just know it.
 

Ron K

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Do the clients know she is your daughter? Do you want them to? Maybe a picture of you and her with the contact info, personalize it, let the clients know she's the boss! If they don't know her or her position, past experience with "customer service may I help you" is their only barometer.
 
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Jim Pemberton

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Haven't had that happen in a really long time. More so when I first started out. But since we don't have as many price shoppers and lots of repeat and referrals they have been very pleasant.


Now....I'm going to get one of those calls this week. I just know it.

You also speak confidently and firmly on the phone. Most people who behave that way would likely lose their "phone courage" when they hear you.
 
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clean image

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Carl Maddock
We deal with it on both ends.

It is mostly from 1 nationality, and it may be cultural. And they make up a decent percent of our customers.

Had a customer tell one of my young technicians he should be in college not doing what he was...and not in a good way.
 
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Old Coastie

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We deal with it on both ends.

It is mostly from 1 nationality, and it may be cultural. And they make up a decent percent of our customers.

Had a customer tell one of my young technicians he should be in college not doing what he was...and not in a good way.

Tell him to tend his own curry.
 

Brian H

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I've had that happen with female employees here. Same deal, the individuals treat them like crap, then act like I'm their friend. The service guys get treated like gold too, since they keep their equipment running.

"Invisible employees" tend to get bad treatment from some because they feel that they can at best vent more "safely" with them, and at worst abuse them to somehow feel superior in their own lives.

I challenge that behavior when I'm certain its happened, and have fired a couple of customers because of it.

It's completely unacceptable

I agree with Jim. It still happens all the time here.

Many, many years ago I used to think it was our person and how they answered the phone. Now I realize that it is just certain people's nature. For the most part, our current staff just laugh it off, but a couple of times over the years I have seen some people so mean they have brought our Customer Care Coordinators to tears. In those cases, the customer is just not worth it and we tell the customer to take their business elsewhere.

A happy staff, who know you have their back, is worth way more to me than the very best customer.
 

Jim Pemberton

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A happy staff, who know you have their back, is worth way more to me than the very best customer.

A business consultant once told me to spend more time training and supporting my employees than my customers. That took me aback, because, of course "The Customer is King"

What he then told me helped a great deal:

"Unless you are going to be the only person in your company that talks to your customers, you have to have your employees at their best, because they will be the ones who give your customer their best, or their worst".

When an employee feels like you don't have their back, and that you expect them to be a customer's "whipping boy" (or girl, as it were...), then it they may end up being at best fearful, at worst sullen and resentful with your customers.

Keeping them feeling supported, respected, positive, and empowered means they'll treat the 99% of your terrific and understanding customers great each time, even when there is a reasonable complaint involved.
 

Desk Jockey

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I caught it twice last week. :errf:

One was upset because he said our technician told him he would never see the bill and was bothered when a 30 day statement came to him. I reminded him that intimately he is the responsible party and that we bill the insurance company as a courtesy. Some insurance companies do not pay direct and if he had other services associated with the loss it could all be on a check. After 5 minutes of explaining he was alright with it. Not happy but understood.

The other was an estimated 2-level water loss. Water from a dishwasher down into a finished basement. She called to say come do it, then 5-minutes later called wanting to speak to a manager. She bit my head off "you're not just sending guys over here to tear my house apart, are you?" Yes ma'am, I am. You have moisture trapped beneath tile & grout kitchen floor, under the cabinets, into the ceiling and walls below. If left unattended to you will have microbial activity and eventually mold. After 5 minutes with her I reexplained everything the estimator already told her and send the crew. (They couldn't wait to go)

She bit their heads off too but later the following day she apologized to them. Never to me.

Some people are way too tense. :oldrolleyes:
 
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