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American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

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09Lexie
Moderator Emerita

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

Maybe a better word other than 'liar' would be 'mistaken'. Something about that word seems really harsh esp in this situation.

Just my .02.
Message 21 of 41
09Lexie
Moderator Emerita

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

Message 22 of 41
E150GT
Frequent Contributor

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

I called the number on the back of my bce yesterday and got a US based call center in no time flat. No wait at all. 


CSP-$8700, Amex BCE-17.2k, Chase Freedom-$5700
Discover It-$6600, USAA MC-$5900 Ink Bold- $12k United Explorer-$5k
Message 23 of 41
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!


@JonStur wrote:

Sorry I must disagree with you. That customer service person was a liar. They lied when they told their customer that they couldn't do something when in fact they could. They also displayed an inherent level of incompetence. Just because they were unfamiliar with something, it wasn't their job to just assume it couldn't be done. Their job is to transfer you to someone who is more knowledgeable. I know cs people are just human with emotions also, but they understand that with this job there will be the occasional irate customer. If they aren't equipped to handle them, then they need more training, or a different job.


I've worked in CS spots before, personally I find it  inexcusable to be rude to a CSR, even when they're mistaken (as in this case), or displaying an inherent level of incompetence.  

 

If you have 5 years of experience on the phones in a given company, and something out of left field (which this request was) comes in, no it's not their responsibility to go ask on every little detail.  That's a fallacy and an inefficient use of the business's time.  They did what they were supposed to do, and I can tell you from personal experience simply dumping the irate customer off isn't going to win you many points in the queue.  I don't disagree that this could've been handled better, and most likely the CSR could've been convinced to ask, but lashing out at a CSR is nearly guarunteed to create an unrecoverable situation.  Really from a CS perspective, the customer's going away for a little bit, regrouping their thoughts, and approaching it differently (or going to be someone else's problem) are both winning results.

 

I've been there both as a front-line CSR (where I was threatened to be killed by a customer, and I'd never talked to the dude, faceless organization...) and I've also worked in the Executive office support group as well.  I've seen cases where the customer was waaaay out of line, and in other cases where the customer legitimately got screwed; the former is far more common than the latter, unfortunately.

 

End of the day, when I call in for whatever, I know I'm asking them for something, not the other way around, and I am unfailingly polite regardless of how badly I think the call is going.  Funny thing though, the vast majority of times I actually get what I want, and in some cases get more than I deserve.  Simply try being a bright point in the CSR's day, one may be surprised at how conversations with otherwise faceless organizations tend to go better.  I know I'm good interacting with other people on the phone, but I honestly don't see how this tactic can't work for most folks.

 




        
Message 24 of 41
HiLine
Blogger

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

Message 25 of 41
09Lexie
Moderator Emerita

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

Message 26 of 41
parakleet
Valued Contributor

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

@HiLine @09Lexie I agree that calling them a liar is a bit over the top. Mistaken or misinformed are more appropriate in this circumstance. 


Gardening since 7/16/14
Current: EQ 711 7/13/14; EX 724 TU 721 6/19/14
Goal: 760+
Message 27 of 41
parakleet
Valued Contributor

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

@Revelate +1 as well!


Gardening since 7/16/14
Current: EQ 711 7/13/14; EX 724 TU 721 6/19/14
Goal: 760+
Message 28 of 41
Creditaddict
Legendary Contributor

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

You think moving Credit Line between 2 cards is "out of left field"

ESPECIALLY for a rep that's been at the company for 5 years? Because if that was true and she was an American Express account holder herself (maybe different since she wasn't in the USA!) but 5 years ago you could log in online and move credit lines around at will pretty much as often as you wanted as long as you left $500 on the card you moved it from or to whatever the current balance was.

 

Slightly off subject but same lines... I'm Gluten Free... I don't expect you to know all about Gluten Free and you may not even be able to help me with picking out the food but if you are serving food, selling food, if that is your only job is with food, I consider it an EPIC Fail in the company, in training, and in you if you don't think it's even a thought to either learn it, question it, or ask someone... I constantly time and time agian (earlier today, the manager was doing register training with a new girl when I walked up and I "KNOW" That without asking I could have built a Gluten Free meal but you know what a sauce would be nice and those are what I need to know are Gluten Free or not... I asked if "Gluten Free options were available?" That same manager doing the training kind of looked very confused at me and then turned to the girl and in a lower voice said "I don't know what Gluten Free is?" then turns to me and says "You can pick your meat, your veggies, your sauce, what would you like?" Which is the company slogan, so she got that part right!)

I won't die if I eat Gluten and I certainly won't die if the women/man on the other end can't move my credit lines but I think this conversation has gone crazy of what we can and can't expect from someone that we call or deal with.... and I think if we had the recording, maybe I even came across harsher in this post then I was on the phone because it's something I have been "personally" working on to realize this is a much higher problem then 1 little CSR that is paid very little (especially in other countries) and I think you would hear that she had a tone and a nasty condescending know it all tone with me way before my questions back.

I felt "False" was better then liar, but mistaken could have been good also but either way, I needed the call transferred to someone else so how would you like for me to have that happen if I don't question the answers given?

and while I agree they can't put the call on hold and ask for all questions but you can't suggest that she did the right thing by giving completely wrong info (Unless I never said a thing back and we ended the call) but the second Im thinking she is wrong, continueing on giving false info and getting rude is not the way a CSR should handle things to avoid longer calls and what not and clearly if long calls and non fustrated calls were an issue, banks would have pulled from forgeign call centers a LONG LONG time ago!

Message 29 of 41
HeilFico
Regular Contributor

Re: American Express is becoming the new Capital One!

Lol, this is really heating up! Being new at a job is one thing, but being there for five years and not knowing the answer to such a simple inquiry is mind blowing. When I used to work in call centers I always tried my best to help each and every person. (Even the ones that were rude and obnoxious) Nine times out of ten if I was able to provide them with whatever information they were seeking they usually apologized and calmed down. Did I like receiving calls like these? No, but it was part of the job. I NEVER took it personally. I also made sure to apologize myself if I unknowingly gave wrong information. 

 

Another thing worth mentioning is that larger corporations have protocols in place for these types of calls. If this call was being monitored and scored she would have failed. 

 

And did she even ask a supervisor as claimed? You would think someone higher up the chain would have known better. The ball was dropped multiple times. 

Message 30 of 41
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