On mobile, English is my second language.
I worked in a call centre servicing a “store”. A bit of background: it was an online store with many items, different suppliers, etc. Think Wish, but actually quality, brand items, new, shipped directly from major companies like Apple.
There had been a limited discount code given out at some event, so VIP people could get a certain amount off their “purchase”. The catch was they had to use a code. Someone posted the code online, and so we had a bunch of calls about it (over a holiday weekend, so we couldn’t reach out to higher ups to ask if it was a proper code- and we weren’t told about it.)
We finally got confirmation that the code was real, but we strictly cannot apply it to existing purchases.
Cue people demanding to cancel their orders, made days ago and already sent to be packed and shipped. Now, we were a call centre, not a physical store, and had multiple warehouses who shipped stuff, but the warehouses were not ours- they were “suppliers”. Contact was email, and they also supplied other businesses, so responses could take up to a week.
Cue Foolish User, FU for short. I will be ME, Manure Explainer.
Me: “Thank you for contacting (company), how can I help you?”
FU: “Apply this code to my (week old) order.” (Blah blah, security questions so I can access her order)
Me: “Sorry, (polite explanation we can’t apply code to existing order, etc). Is there anything else I can help with?”
FU: “But my friend got the code applied! You just don’t want me to cancel, it’s so hard to get you guys to do anything.” (Note: the team was actually amazing and would regularly go above and beyond to make sure things went well for customers, despite no commission etc.)
Me: “Sorry you feel that way, we cannot apply the code, is there anything else I can help with?” FU: “Fine, then cancel it.”
(Note: cancellations once orders had been made was against the terms of service, but we can request it. Some brands would tell us no, some would “not see” our emails in time, but the brand she bought was actually pretty good, checks emails regularly, and usually can and does cancel things if not shipped. However, we can’t cancel until the best brand tell us it’s okay, because that’s … Not how things work.)
Me: “As it has already been sent to be packed and shipped, I can’t cancel it without confirmation from the brand. It can take up to a week to get a response, and I can’t guarantee we can cancel it. However, I’d be happy to ask for you.”
FU: “THIS IS UNFAIR. THEY DON’T WANT TO LOSE THE ORDER SO THEY WON’T CANCEL IT. (cue tirade of how she’s going elsewhere next time, why does it take so long, we’re useless, blah blah) so what can I do?!?”
Me: “You can confirm you want me to ask for a cancellation, or you can continue with the order as is.”
FU: “You won’t get it done, useless, taking my business elsewhere.”
Me: “Sorry you feel that way. I can send the request, if you want.”
FU: “NO. Useless, impossible to deal with, blah blah, don’t cancel.”
Me: “Okay.”
Wrapped the call, left notes. Made note that I repeatedly offered to ask for cancellation, and she didn’t want to proceed.
I feel like this could be malicious compliance (because if I’d sent the request, it probably could have been cancelled), but mostly it was just an entitled fool who was too busy having a tantrum about a measly discount and reasonable practices (because… Items can be sent by the time a cancellation request is received) to actually accept a possible solution.
Ah well. I feel a bit smug knowing FU didn’t get the discount they weren’t entitled to.
submitted by /u/NapOrPotato
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