I’ve had a good run lately, but as we all know it hits the wall eventually. I work for a student loan billing agent, and I am not a designated call representative, but due to an extreme and prolonged staffing deficiency they have tasked most of the non-technical and non-managerial staff to fielding incoming calls. The call comes in to our US based help desk line, for which my bosses have assigned me solely because my qualification is that I live in America. I have zero experience with dealing with escalated calls, and in fact my skin is so thin that I’m the last person in the company who should be fielding them. I do however have an empathetic and clear sounding voice that is apparently well suited to phone work and has worked well in the past.
So, Douche Bag Dick Head lands on my line because of the chip on his shoulder about getting one of our Filipino staff first off, who bless their hearts try their best despite the wretched training that they are provided by our employer. DBDH likes to pay his bill on the last business day of the month in which his payment is due, in the afternoon of that day. Our file cutoff is 11am, and any payments after that are processed on the next business day. So, he is in essence gaming our system by calling in the loan payment 30 days late each month, as statements are due on the 1st and he makes it at the end of the month before our credit bureau export file is generated, and expects this to work out.
He hits my line immediately hot and bothered that he was reported late at the end of January despite calling in the payment on the 29th. He proceeds to rapid-fire throw profanity laced statements and questions (interchangeably) about how our company is lame, he is fed up with dealing with off shore reps, what does he really owe, why was he late when he made the payment in the month it was due, he’s going to file a lawsuit because we are destroying his credit, none of this is his fault, blah, blah, blah. And he’s in a hurry because he’s at work.
DBHU: How much do I need to pay for January? Me: $xx.xx DBHU: I was just told I was past due, that is impossible because I paid last month. Me: True, but you made the payment after the processing cutoff, and due to it being a Friday and a holiday weekend the payment file wasn’t processed and applied until the first business day in January. DBHU: Rants again about the topics listed above, and concludes that it isn’t his fracking problem that our stupid company isn’t open on the weekend to process payments.
I say nothing because I’m looking more deeply into this to see what I can do.
DBHU: Since you didn’t answer me the first time, and I’m in a hurry, what do I need to pay? Me: You need to make a payment of $xx.xx for this month and if you want to make account current through 2/1/18 as this is due tomorrow, it will be an additional $xx.xx. DBHU: I didn’t ask for that. What do I need to pay for JANUARY for the 3rd time. Me: Once again, the amount is $xx.xx, but…. DBHU: So I need to pay $xx.xx? Me: Yes, but the payment cutoff- DBHU: I am not interested in that! I just want to make a payment and for you to fix my credit reporting! But since you won’t answer my question for the 4th time, what do I owe for JANUARY!
My patience is wearing extremely thin, and it takes all my self control to not ream him out for sheer idiocy. So I do the best thing and just keep my mouth shut.
DBHU: Hello? Hello! Me: Are you finished so that I can answer you questions? DBHU: I am listening but you are NOT ANSWERING MY GODDAMN QUESTIONS! For the 5th time, WHAT DO I OWE FOR JANUARY? Me: For the 5th time, $xx.xx, but since you are not listening to what I’m saying, I think I need to get a supervisor for you. Please hold.
So I go track down my lead, who unfortunately for her, was still available to take this lunatic because she hadn’t punched out for lunch yet. I give her the story, give plenty of warning, and go back to let him know that I’m forwarding him over.
DBHU: How dare you put me on hold like that! Me: Well sir, I did not appreciate you swearing at me and you aren’t listening to me, so that than continue to waste both of our time, I felt it necessary to find assistance for you. DBHU: Well it’s your fault that you sounded incompetent with your muttering and stuttering! Me: OK sir….good bye.
He then proceeded to pull the exact same spiel with my lead, who is the most even keeled person around, and in fact ended up reducing her to tears after she had to disconnect him because he just would not settle down and listen to reason and just accused her of reading from a script. (helpful hint: just because you keep hearing the same explanation, it doesn’t mean a script is being read)
The idiotic thing is, if he were half way decent, I could have offered to check on correcting the credit and advised how to avoid this from happening again, and given that he did make it before it could be corrected manually. But now? F him. Someone above me can deal with it.
When will the public ever ever get that you are more apt to get a positive result if you act nicely and politely?
submitted by /u/WhskyTngoFxtrt_in_WI
[link] [comments]
