Oh hey my last post was pretty well received! Thanks guys. Now I’ll tell the story of one of the most painful calls I’ve ever gotten, from a client who was not exactly rude persay but just didn’t believe me when I told him I couldn’t do what he wanted.
Now I work in credit card activations, and here’s a dirty secret about my department: other than activate cards, we can’t do shit. I’d actually say my main duty is selling the credit card insurance that I offer eligible client’s but when it comes to customer service matters I’m pretty limited so when client’s ask me questions I usually end up transferring them. Not sure if every bank works this way but they one I work for does.
So the client calls in and right away I can tell there’s a major language barrier. Good news is that that means I don’t have to sell to him (company policy), bad news is everything else that comes with working with a language barrier.
Me: Hi this is (my name) and I’ll be assisting you today. Can you give me your credit card number please?
Client: Ok. Here’s card number (he starts dialing the card number into his phone)
Me: No sir I need you to say your card number aloud please.
Client: Here’s card number (continues dialing)
Me: No sir speak it into the phone.
Client: I’m giving you card number (continues dialing)
Me: No sir with your voice give me the card number.
Client: Oh voice ok. (Client finally starts reading out his card number. I’m not sure if he has a speach impediment or if this is just how he thinks numbers are pronounced but every time he got to a one he said it in a odd way, instead of just saying one he’d say w-w-w-w-w-one. He did not have this issue with other words. Naturally his card number had a bunch of one’s in it so getting his number out of him took forever.)
We got through the security questions pretty well all things considered, I had to speak slowly and occasionally rephrase the questions when he didn’t understand me, but we got through them. I told him his card is activated and was about to send him on his way when he stopped me.
Client: Wait I have question.
I start groaning internally here. Remember that I can’t do customer service stuff, I can answer simple questions but I don’t have full access to the client’s account information or the ability to change anything. I give him the go ahead to ask his question and just hope it’s something simple.
Client: what is the card limit?
Me: (that’s a question I can’t answer so I read him the scripted response) I’m sorry sir but I have limited access to your information so would you like me to transfer you to my colleagues at customer service?
Client: No just tell me card limit.
Me: I can’t tell you your card limit because I don’t have access to that information. If you’d like I can transfer you to a customer service representative who can help you.
Client: why can’t you just answer question?
Me: I don’t have the answer to your question.
Client: Then say that not the other thing. Why didn’t you just tell me you don’t have card limit?
Me: (I’m just trying really hard to get rid of him set this point) I’m sorry for that sir, customer service can help you Would you like me to transfer you?
Client: ok transfer me but first I have another question…
It went on and on like that at least ten times. This guy had a bunch of questions and requests to change something about his account, none of which I answer or do for him. He just keep kept on asking questions never once taking the hint that I wasn’t there right person to ask. Eventually he ran out of questions and I finally got to transfer him to customer service. Now calls like this where they only thing I’ve actually done for the client is activate their card usually take about 2-3 minutes, this call took 25 minutes because A: I had to work around a language barrier and B: he just would not stop asking questions. Even remembering this experience makes me scream internally.
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