Not being able to deal with things in the best way..

[guitarfreak357]

So today was a difficult day, a lady called up wanting to complain about our service. she was persistent to speak with management and wanted to hold until something was done. as i tried to deal with the call in the best way i could and offering her support. but she remained persistent! i gave her several warnings and ended up terminating the call.

during this time i was literally shaking, i physically couldnt speak at one point because my heart was beating through my chest. ive been struggling with depression for 2 and a half years and am on 10mg citalopram. It just upsets me that i cant deal with things as well as i used to, and makes me question am i any good at my job? Does anyone else get these thoughts? i feel like im always getting angry people and im not in the right place to deal with them

[lillyofthevalley37]

When you are dealing with the public you have to switch into a mode whereby the mantra is the customer is always right

Once you embrace and live this attitude you will see your life is made easier these customers relax when they feel like you are on your side

I used to work in retail and never deviated from this attitude and it really stands you in good stead

It's so much easier to be on the customers side than opposing them

[Agora1 in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

Oh I so agree lillyofthevalley. For years, I worked part time at the

Customer Service Booth at large mall during the Christmas holidays. It was a totally different kind

of mode I would switch into. A smile on my face and an attitude that

the customer is always right made my job fun and the customer happy.

Everything and anything was brought to Customer Service including "why is

Santa taking a break just as my children got to the front of the line" Oh yes,

I was the go between Santa and the parents.

It's all what we make of it. xx

[hypercat54 in reply to Agora1]

I agree with both of you but will say having worked in customer service both face to face and over the phone, that it is much more difficult in the latter to deal with angry customers. I always had very good customer skills but even I had to deal with a few customers who were abusive or who refused to calm down no matter what I said or did.

In the end if a manager wouldn't or refused to deal with them I had to terminate the call. We were always told to politely request the caller to stop shouting, be abusive, etc and warn them we would terminate the call if they continued. I always felt like a failure when I did so can emphasise with gf. x

[guitarfreak357 in reply to hypercat54]

Thank you hypercat54 yes more than anything i felt like a failure that i had to terminate the call

[hypercat54 in reply to guitarfreak357]

I remember nearly terminating one call (the manager told me I should have) when the customer insisted her child sit on her knee and she kept giving loud yells down my headset which caused me audio shock and I had to rip my head phone off. I had to take 5 minutes break after the call to recover. Even when I explained the situation to the caller she just angrily asked if I had children! You can't reason with some people.

I remember one call from a Glaswegan with a very thick accent and I couldn't literally understand a word he was saying. We had translators available for every language except Scottish! His partner was lovely and I could understand her so when she offered to do the call for him I gratefully accepted.

Try and remember the majority who are fine gf and I guarantee you will feel a lot better. x

[Agora1 in reply to hypercat54]

I agree with you hypercat. I much rather deal with the customer directly.

I did volunteer phone calling for Amvets when I was young and was in tears

in how abusive the callers would get. It would have been better for them to

just ignore the call but CID was not around at that time. We live and learn

through our experiences don't we cat xx

[lillyofthevalley37 in reply to Agora1]

If anyone could succeed at being the go between Santa and anxious parents at Christmas time it's you Agora

[Agora1 in reply to lillyofthevalley37]

lol xx

[CanuckAnon]

Nobody is perfect 100% of the time. You did all you could to help no fault on your part. Some people just want to escalate their issue bcuz they think it will be solved this way instead of accepting help from you for instance.

Yours is a hard job as people tend to be not as courteous or polite on phone as they do face to face. Do not take it personally or to heart. Think of all the appreciative people who you have been able to help or gone above and beyond for. Do not doubt yourself over 1 customer experience.

Happy day to you.☺️

[Agora1 in reply to CanuckAnon]

You're so right Canuck...It's easier for the customer to get bolder

hiding behind the phone and harder for us to achieve our purpose. xx

[Agora1]

guitar, you are never a failure when you are doing your job.

It is a very difficult position to be in when you are representing

the company and the caller takes all it's frustration out on you.

Being sensitive because of our anxiety isn't easy. I hope when you

go home tonight, you give yourself a hug and reinforce the fact that

you did what you had to do. And then Breathe.... xx