A Shutdown Means No Service.

Hello once again all, I come to you after an extended lunch due to me wanting to murder my customer and being too worried to calm down. For info:

I work for an appliance manufacturer as a customer care squad member, and recently raised up in the ranks as a mentor and a lead when needed. Today has been especially rough as I had gotten a phone call from my father that my cousin who lives in a certain state you WILL have heard of was involved in a school shooting this morning and at this point we had not heard anything about his safety.

It was bright and early and I was doing ‘walking’ which is where a trainee on the phone will raise their hand when they need help, a Walker comes over to help them through the issue. A semi-great guy so far raised his hand and this glorious moment where I lost my cool happened. I’m not proud of it…but it happened. I asked my mentee what was up. Men=Mentee, Bug-me, Does Not Compute/DNC=customer.

Mentee: This lady’s flying off the handle because the service tech cancelled for this morning’s appointment…what do I do?

Bug: Ok, that’s fine, things happen sometimes…let’s try to call and see why.

So I plug into their computer and they call up the tech office. We eventually figure out it’s because the customer lives in a urban area not even a few blocks from the very same school that my cousin goes to and the servicer also has children that go to that school and they have stopped everything until they know everyone is alright/stay out of the way for the police to finish up. I instantly see re,d and as my mentee is staring at me like he’s about to pass out I barge in and take over the call. I thank the servicer, wish him and his kids safe, and hang up to go back to DNC.

Bug: Hello DNC I’m Bug and I’m a Certified Care Member taking over for Men. Now the reason your appointment was cancelled for today is due to a local emergancy, the service company thought it best to stay out of the area and give their employees time to breathe and wait for word from their kids.

DNC: I don’t CARE about that! I was promised Effing service today!

Bug: I apologize ma’am, but as there is SWAT team and police everywhere at the local schools they have deemed their children’s safety a bigger priority right now. I understand it’s frustrating, but at this time all I can do is reschedule you service, but if there is any openings today that same service tech may be able to come out depending on when this issue with the school is resolved?

DNC: THAT’S NO WHERE NEAR GOOD ENOUGH!

Bug: I apologize again, but there are children that is hurt, scared, and wanting nothing more than their families and to be out of a building that’s supposed to be safe for them, your dishwasher can wait.

DNC: -MY- kids go to a better school then that place for-

Bug: DNC. My cousin goes to that school, up until now he wanted to be a crime-scene investigator however I’m not even sure if he’s alive. I’ve been off the phones since 8:30 this morning and I did not come back until I had cried it out and felt I could speak without wanting to scream. Your dishwasher WILL wait. Enjoy the rest of your day.

…and I disconnected, patted my mentee and went to have another cry/break at my supervisor’s insistence and that lady is now going to be handled by major supervisors only from here on out…a lot of us were quite sour at her. My coworker brought her dotsons to visit me, they were cute and after finding out that my cousin was ok…could finally go back to work. I haven’t seen any sort of write-up yet but I am waiting for one to appear in my email.