So, I was working at a call center for a pretty big cosmetics company. Let me just say that our usual threshold for free shipping is at $25, and that the standard shipping fee is $6. Also, we don’t have a back ordering system, so the customers have to wait until a particular item’s back in stock, in order to purchase it from the website.
So, a customer called in and gave me her previous order number, which was from like 2 or 3 weeks ago. She said she got everything in time and everything was great, so I asked how I can help with it.
Customer: Soo I wanted to purchase item XY with that order, but it was out of stock at that time, so I want to purchase it now.
Me: Alright, we do have XY in stock at the moment and it’s on 30% off, so you’ll get a good deal out of it.
Customer: Yes, I know that!!! But I want free shipping with it.
Me: Unfortunately, if you only want XY, you don’t qualify for free shipping at this moment, as the threshold is at $25.
Customer: YES I KNOW THAT BUT MY ORDER IS OVER $25!!!
Me: I’m sorry? You only have this one item in the bag and it’s below $25, so free shipping cannot be applied. If you add more items…
Customer: The previous order did qualify!!! I want free shipping!!!
Me (clearly confused about this, just wanting to check if I understopd her): So, you want free shipping for today’s order, based on an order made 3 weeks ago?
Customer: ARE YOU GONNA HELP ME OR NOT??? I HAVE A SLEEPING CHILD NEXT TO ME, AND I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!
Me: I’m truly sorry, but I’m just trying to understand…
Customer: I want to speak to a supervisor!!!
Me: Alright, I can see if the supervisor is available, but could you just clearify this, so I can transfer all necessary information? (I always try to de-escalate things myself, becuse our supervisors are pretty busy and I knew they would not take the call immediately. She would have to wait a few days for a call back from them. So, if she clearified her situation, I would have consulted with a supervisor and she would be given a refund for the shipping costs, as a one time courtesy)
The customer then starts yelling at me (even with a child sleeping next to her???), calling me names and such. I then politely ask her to lower her tone and adjust her language, or I’ll have to release the call. She then litterally said: “IF YOU HANG UP I’LL CONTACT HQ GET YOUR ASS FIRED!!!!”
click.
A few minutes later she called again, got my collegue. She yelled at him, demanded a supervisor immediately and complained about me. He asked for her name and email address (we NEED this info, because the supervisor would not take the call without it), but she refused and continued yelling. He just told her that she can forward a complaint to our official email address, so she hung up. We later found the email in which she complained about the worst service ever.
I knew that she could not get me fired, because a) she was wrong, b) our calls are being recorded, and I did not do anything wrong, c) I was one of their best agents. But I still cried after the call and took a 10 minute break just to calm down.
She did get a call back from a supervisor 3 days later, and they gave her free shipping. The customer is always right, I guess…
submitted by /u/kaitain1
[link] [comments]
