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My boss has told me a few times that I need to improve my empathy with customers. Honestly, speaking in an empathic way is not something that comes naturally for me. I’ve been told I sound cold even though I try not to be. I’m very logical minded. You share a problem? I give you answers. But clearly my boss doesn’t like that. What are some tips you can share to help me improve?
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I wish I could offer you some pointers. After 10 years of my life spent working at a call center, I think in the last 2 of those I have successfully burned out my empathy skills. Empathy doesn’t mean shit to customers when they have the an entitlement complex. I’m not sure what type of company you work for, but in utility services people have become terribly bold.
Every call is the same “I can’t pay” which I totally get. I’m barely keeping it together myself. We go through the same song and dance, offer a list of arrangements and utility assistance, and at least in my experience 60% of those calls seem to be people who are still angry. Angry we don’t just comp the bill, angry they make 6 figures a year and can’t get on low-income plans, angry because we issued a shut off notice in the first place “because of Covid.”
Those that never paid their bills milked the system when moratoriums reigned Supreme. Call volume was at an all-time low. The audacity of some of these folks calling in today, still claiming covid prevents them from paying astounds me. I want to ask, “so, what stopped you before covid?” When I see 4+ years without significant payment activity. (Not complaining about those that are still to this day legit impacted)
I know it’s a long drawn-out rant but I think only other CS workers would understand. Many of us are tapped out.