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On mobile so please forgive formatting.
The call center I worked in handled infomercial beauty products by subscription (Their initials are G|R.) The way it worked, you ordered the introduction kit for about $20 for a 30 day supply. After about 3 weeks, you get the 90 day supply and it’s still $20 a month. This continues until you cancel the subscription.
On to the story! I’m cranking through escalation calls (“I WANT A SUPERVISOR!”) and things are going as usual. Then, she calls.
SM: Screaming Mom
M: me
M: Thank you for holding, My name is Emotional_Pay. How can I assist you?
SM: WHY DO YOU KEEP CHARGING ME?!?
M: Ok……. Let’s look at your account. Can I get your zip code & street number or your account number?
SM: I GAVE THAT TO THE LAST MORON!
M: Ma’am, if I’m going to help you, I need that information.
SM: FINE!!! It’s (info)
M: Thank you. I appreciate that. I see here that you ordered the introduction kit for $10 promotional price and then the next shipment went ou-
SM: I DID *NOT* ORDER ANY KIND OF PLAN! I ORDERED THE SINGLE KIT AND I CHECKED THE NO SUBSCRIPTION BOX!!! I DID *NOT* AUTHORIZE ANY OTHER PAYMENTS OR ANY OTHER SHIPMENTS! YOU ARE ROBBING ME! YOU HAVE STOLEN FROM ME! *blah blah blah for about 5 minutes*
I just let her scream. I review the account and see that these shipments have been happening for 3 years. After she started to lose steam, she paused.
SM: ARE YOU EVEN STILL THERE?
M: Yes, ma’am. I’m just listening for my turn to talk.
SM: *scoff* I WANT ALL OF MY MONEY BACK!
M: I can certainly take a look. Let’s review the account. I see it was first ordered (3 yrs ago) and kits have been shipped every 3 months since then. Regarding the subscription, there is no box to check refusing future shipments. The only way to stop them is to cancel. You’re daughter has had 12 kits shipped to her since *date 3 yrs prior.*
SM: *Explosion of incoherent screaming* … STOPPED SENDING TO HER AFTER THE FIRST KIT!! I DON’T EVEN TALK TO HER CAUSE WE’RE ESTRANGED BUT I ONLY SENT ONE KIT! SHE’S IN COLLEGE AND WE DON’T TALK! *back to screaming*
M: *It’s not my fault you are a horrible person and your daughter knows it*
Ma’am…. Ma’am….. Ma’am
SM: *screaming turning to words* I WANT MY MONEY NOW! YOU STOLE MY MONEY! I WANT EVERY DOLLAR BACK IN MY ACCOUNT **NOOOOOWWWW**!!!
M: *while she’s still screaming* Ma’am, I can try to assist you but I can’t help you if I can’t talk to you.
SM: YOU’RE GOING TO REFUND EVERY CENT! I WANT MY MONEY BACK NOW!!
You get the idea. This went on for 30 minutes. She wasn’t cursing or being directly abusive so I couldn’t just hang up.
M: MA’AM!! I can’t help you if I can’t talk to you. Now, do you want me to help you?
SM: *shuts up*
M: What I can do is refund $XXX for the last 3 kits we sent.
SM: WHAT?!? NO! I WANT EVERY CENT BACK! YOU STOLE MY MONEY!
M: MA’AM! (Yes, I got to raise my voice twice. 🥳) I can’t continue unless I can talk to you.
By this point, my supervisor is over my shoulder because we’re about 35 minutes in. Luckily, I write call notes on scratch paper during my calls so he could get an idea of what was going on.
M: What I’m going to do is send your case to our corporate escalation team (across the call center) and someone would be in contact with you within 3-5 business days.
I’m finally able to get her off the phone after 42 minutes. I didn’t even ask, I told my supervisor that I was taking a 15 minute break.
Results: After getting an “atta boy” 🙄 from my supervisor and corporate escalation for how I handled the call, I found out that she was offered to return any unopened packages for a full refund. The most satisfying part is knowing she wouldn’t be getting another dime because all of those packages were shipped to a college dorm. They either got used by someone else or tossed.
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