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Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?

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LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@navigatethis12 wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:


Yes, they are!! Smiley Very Happy

 

Customers ensure you have a job. I hate dealing with people sometimes but you always have to keep in the back of your head they're keeping my paycheck coming.

 


 

While customers are indeed what keeps businesses alive, they are indeed not always right. I cannot tell you how many times people order something from my parents, get it, and then say it is not what they ordered. It is what they ordered, but they order the wrong thing. No sense in telling them they ordered the wrong thing because they will only believe that we made the mistake. One customer did not pay the bill but insisted that they did. My dad would not let it go until they finally did pay. The customer never came back and good riddance. I would rather lose a difficult customer, than keep having to deal with their nonsense. I have not had any senseless customers yet, but I know there will be some at some point.


I totally understand......................

 

I'm just saying the customer makes the world go round'! Smiley Very Happy

 

I'm getting roasted on this topic lol

 




EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 31 of 46
MarcinXP
Frequent Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@LS2982 wrote:

@MarcinXP wrote:

I manage a very large call center for one of the biggest telecommunication companies in US. I can tell you we use algorithims like that not just for consumers but also for internal purposes and it's not about how many times you call, but about why you are calling.

 

If you are calling because your promotion expires and you want another one and then that one expires and you want another one then maybe it's time to let you go. Promotions are only for those who want to join my company and then after certain time 6 or 12 months decide whether they want to keep services at full retail. not all promotions are made equal, howeve if you are paying $39.99 on a package that costs my company $60+ bucks a month for 6 months and then threaten to leave if we don't give you another one..you might get away with it once..but after a while the algorithm might come back that you actually cost the company money and its not worth keeping your business..don't get offended...I mean we all want lower prices, but at that point it does not make practical sense...our job is to maybe offer you more services at discount, but not same services for lower....at what point will you pay full retail??? EVER???

 

The other reasons people call like technical issues...there is an algoritm for that as well. but that one says..how often you call, is it for same issue, was it resolved, if not why not, who did or did not do their job, is it just this customer or once around them as well and that one is internal designed to keep people accountable.

 

My only advice is that while we have algorithms for all of this, do not understimate the power of a CSR. Some are clueless and even their sups as well..trust me...but some are really, really good. You get the right one on a right day, build rapport and make small connection and no matter what algorithm is in place you can get what you want...you yell and scream and go off thinking you are entitled to whatever and CSR will shut down and quote policy because they know if you escalate...either a) their supervisor will back them up or b) if CSR gets in trouble they can always point to a policy or what the computer said to do.

 

I get reports sometimes and talk with my leadership team about why so and so on credited this account this much or put this promotion if customer already was on one and so on and all I get back is...well I coached with them and they said customer was really nice and they felt bad and they just made a decision....I hear that about 99%....very rarely I hear "Customer yelled at them and initimidated them and they just gave in"...nope usually it's opposite...they shut down and even if customer was making sense by then because they were verbally abused they just quoted policy like a broken record...YMMV with each rep.

 

And to above poster...NO CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT..LOL.....sorry but with all of the meetings and calls reviewed it seems like our population is changing. Customers these days call in demanding and frankly expecting like company should bend over backwards for everything and they are not willing to pay anything for it and want everything for lowest price and they will yell and scream and threaten to leave...even though they won't. I personally made a decision to disconnect 4 customers just last month based on their behavior on the call and called them to inform them that we will no longer be serving. One of the customers I had security pay them a visit. Before you judge me..LOL..I can tell you that I'm very sympathetic and talk with a lot of customers when most of my peers in other centers look at me and say..that's why we have managers, supervisors and agents...let them deal with it...I don't mind talking with customers and at times I agree with them and sometimes we have a good laugh about why the company does this or that and build rapport...i had cards sent to my office....but if you don't pay your bill, call in bully an agent and yell at them about billing error although there is no error, billing is correct you just did not pay the bill and they try their best to explain that and all of a sudden you get racial words thrown at you and saying I hope you and your children get raped....you need to go to another provider since we choose not to ever service you again...some customers are apologetic afterwards (Sometimes I hang up and shake my head cause they guy I just spoke to was the nicest ever, yet he did all of the cursing and yelling over the phone hour ago....seems like he beats his wife and then delivers flowers next morning)

 

Anyway...got too far carried away...main points are...

 

There are algorithms for internal and external reasons

depending on you and CSR they can be avoided

Customer is not always right.


Yes, they are!! Smiley Very Happy

 

Customers ensure you have a job. I hate dealing with people sometimes but you always have to keep in the back of your head they're keeping my paycheck coming.

 


LOL...Love you posts LS, but I have to disagree with you....Customers ensure I have my job...but that's 50% of what I would call MY BOSS.....Shareholders also ensure that I have my job and that is another 50% of MY BOSS.

Customers are always right is a silly anology that some small mom and pop shop created as a slogan. While most of the customers I deal with are right and we could have done something better whether it's better pricing, better package, better service, reliability...you name it...there is a good 20% that are not right! In-fact they are plainly wrong...THEY WANT WHAT THEY WANT AND FOR HOW MUCH THEY WANT IT FOR AND THEY REFUSE TO BUDGE AND WHAT'S WORSE THEY ALSO REFUSE TO LEAVE OR STOP SERVICE..LOL..

 

You are definitely NOT right trying to get a promotion back to back to back thinking that you are entitled to it and then making a bold threat by saying...YOU WILLING TO LOSE ME AS A CONSUMER AND MY $39.99 A MONTH!!!

 

YES!! BECAUSE IT COSTS MY COMPANY $58 DOLLARS TO KEEP YOU MONTHLY...WE EAT THE 18+ dollars or so per month for first 6 months in hopes that you stay after your promo is over, but whats the point in keeping you if you just want another promo or cancel.....eventually if we give in you would have another promo and then when that one goes to regular rate you leave...so we might as well save some money now and let you go.

 

I fight for customers all the time and bicker back and forth with my VP and Division folks about stupid things we do...but trust me CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT and I will lose my job faster for poor results and profits because share holders are not happy long before customers are not happy!

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Message 32 of 46
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@MarcinXP wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:

@MarcinXP wrote:

I manage a very large call center for one of the biggest telecommunication companies in US. I can tell you we use algorithims like that not just for consumers but also for internal purposes and it's not about how many times you call, but about why you are calling.

 

If you are calling because your promotion expires and you want another one and then that one expires and you want another one then maybe it's time to let you go. Promotions are only for those who want to join my company and then after certain time 6 or 12 months decide whether they want to keep services at full retail. not all promotions are made equal, howeve if you are paying $39.99 on a package that costs my company $60+ bucks a month for 6 months and then threaten to leave if we don't give you another one..you might get away with it once..but after a while the algorithm might come back that you actually cost the company money and its not worth keeping your business..don't get offended...I mean we all want lower prices, but at that point it does not make practical sense...our job is to maybe offer you more services at discount, but not same services for lower....at what point will you pay full retail??? EVER???

 

The other reasons people call like technical issues...there is an algoritm for that as well. but that one says..how often you call, is it for same issue, was it resolved, if not why not, who did or did not do their job, is it just this customer or once around them as well and that one is internal designed to keep people accountable.

 

My only advice is that while we have algorithms for all of this, do not understimate the power of a CSR. Some are clueless and even their sups as well..trust me...but some are really, really good. You get the right one on a right day, build rapport and make small connection and no matter what algorithm is in place you can get what you want...you yell and scream and go off thinking you are entitled to whatever and CSR will shut down and quote policy because they know if you escalate...either a) their supervisor will back them up or b) if CSR gets in trouble they can always point to a policy or what the computer said to do.

 

I get reports sometimes and talk with my leadership team about why so and so on credited this account this much or put this promotion if customer already was on one and so on and all I get back is...well I coached with them and they said customer was really nice and they felt bad and they just made a decision....I hear that about 99%....very rarely I hear "Customer yelled at them and initimidated them and they just gave in"...nope usually it's opposite...they shut down and even if customer was making sense by then because they were verbally abused they just quoted policy like a broken record...YMMV with each rep.

 

And to above poster...NO CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT..LOL.....sorry but with all of the meetings and calls reviewed it seems like our population is changing. Customers these days call in demanding and frankly expecting like company should bend over backwards for everything and they are not willing to pay anything for it and want everything for lowest price and they will yell and scream and threaten to leave...even though they won't. I personally made a decision to disconnect 4 customers just last month based on their behavior on the call and called them to inform them that we will no longer be serving. One of the customers I had security pay them a visit. Before you judge me..LOL..I can tell you that I'm very sympathetic and talk with a lot of customers when most of my peers in other centers look at me and say..that's why we have managers, supervisors and agents...let them deal with it...I don't mind talking with customers and at times I agree with them and sometimes we have a good laugh about why the company does this or that and build rapport...i had cards sent to my office....but if you don't pay your bill, call in bully an agent and yell at them about billing error although there is no error, billing is correct you just did not pay the bill and they try their best to explain that and all of a sudden you get racial words thrown at you and saying I hope you and your children get raped....you need to go to another provider since we choose not to ever service you again...some customers are apologetic afterwards (Sometimes I hang up and shake my head cause they guy I just spoke to was the nicest ever, yet he did all of the cursing and yelling over the phone hour ago....seems like he beats his wife and then delivers flowers next morning)

 

Anyway...got too far carried away...main points are...

 

There are algorithms for internal and external reasons

depending on you and CSR they can be avoided

Customer is not always right.


Yes, they are!! Smiley Very Happy

 

Customers ensure you have a job. I hate dealing with people sometimes but you always have to keep in the back of your head they're keeping my paycheck coming.

 


LOL...Love you posts LS, but I have to disagree with you....Customers ensure I have my job...but that's 50% of what I would call MY BOSS.....Shareholders also ensure that I have my job and that is another 50% of MY BOSS.

Customers are always right is a silly anology that some small mom and pop shop created as a slogan. While most of the customers I deal with are right and we could have done something better whether it's better pricing, better package, better service, reliability...you name it...there is a good 20% that are not right! In-fact they are plainly wrong...THEY WANT WHAT THEY WANT AND FOR HOW MUCH THEY WANT IT FOR AND THEY REFUSE TO BUDGE AND WHAT'S WORSE THEY ALSO REFUSE TO LEAVE OR STOP SERVICE..LOL..

 

You are definitely NOT right trying to get a promotion back to back to back thinking that you are entitled to it and then making a bold threat by saying...YOU WILLING TO LOSE ME AS A CONSUMER AND MY $39.99 A MONTH!!!

 

YES!! BECAUSE IT COSTS MY COMPANY $58 DOLLARS TO KEEP YOU MONTHLY...WE EAT THE 18+ dollars or so per month for first 6 months in hopes that you stay after your promo is over, but whats the point in keeping you if you just want another promo or cancel.....eventually if we give in you would have another promo and then when that one goes to regular rate you leave...so we might as well save some money now and let you go.

 

I fight for customers all the time and bicker back and forth with my VP and Division folks about stupid things we do...but trust me CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT and I will lose my job faster for poor results and profits because share holders are not happy long before customers are not happy!


(goes to sit in corner)

 

I sowwy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Smiley Sad

 




EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 33 of 46
gettnthere
Established Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@LS2982 wrote:

@jsickz32 wrote:

sprint sucks ass to the point i paid the 200 to end my contract. you have better chances of calling using a rock then your sprint phone when your out of covered signal area.


SO TRUE!!!!! Smiley Very Happy

 

I cant tell you how many times i've cursed my damn phone out on the highway only to have people look at me like im nuts!!

 



I've gotten those before Smiley Very HappySmiley Very Happy



Starting Score: EQ 609, EX 633(Fako), TU 700
Current Score: EQ 699, EX 758, TU 733
Goal Score: 720 across the board
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Message 34 of 46
navigatethis12
Valued Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@LS2982 wrote:


I totally understand......................

 

I'm just saying the customer makes the world go round'! Smiley Very Happy

 

I'm getting roasted on this topic lol

 


Didn't mean for it to sound that way; I was just saying experiences I have had about customers being wrong and not admitting it. I would say you are getting roasted by Sprint more. 240 is insane to me. I don't even want to pay the $25 every 90 days that I have. 

Message 35 of 46
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@navigatethis12 wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:


I totally understand......................

 

I'm just saying the customer makes the world go round'! Smiley Very Happy

 

I'm getting roasted on this topic lol

 


Didn't mean for it to sound that way; I was just saying experiences I have had about customers being wrong and not admitting it. I would say you are getting roasted by Sprint more. 240 is insane to me. I don't even want to pay the $25 every 90 days that I have. 


The plan itself is really not that bad, its a family plan with unlimited data. I would have no problem paying it if I got the service i'm paying for.

 




EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 36 of 46
gettnthere
Established Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?


@LS2982 wrote:

@MarcinXP wrote:

@LS2982 wrote:

@MarcinXP wrote:

I manage a very large call center for one of the biggest telecommunication companies in US. I can tell you we use algorithims like that not just for consumers but also for internal purposes and it's not about how many times you call, but about why you are calling.

 

If you are calling because your promotion expires and you want another one and then that one expires and you want another one then maybe it's time to let you go. Promotions are only for those who want to join my company and then after certain time 6 or 12 months decide whether they want to keep services at full retail. not all promotions are made equal, howeve if you are paying $39.99 on a package that costs my company $60+ bucks a month for 6 months and then threaten to leave if we don't give you another one..you might get away with it once..but after a while the algorithm might come back that you actually cost the company money and its not worth keeping your business..don't get offended...I mean we all want lower prices, but at that point it does not make practical sense...our job is to maybe offer you more services at discount, but not same services for lower....at what point will you pay full retail??? EVER???

 

The other reasons people call like technical issues...there is an algoritm for that as well. but that one says..how often you call, is it for same issue, was it resolved, if not why not, who did or did not do their job, is it just this customer or once around them as well and that one is internal designed to keep people accountable.

 

My only advice is that while we have algorithms for all of this, do not understimate the power of a CSR. Some are clueless and even their sups as well..trust me...but some are really, really good. You get the right one on a right day, build rapport and make small connection and no matter what algorithm is in place you can get what you want...you yell and scream and go off thinking you are entitled to whatever and CSR will shut down and quote policy because they know if you escalate...either a) their supervisor will back them up or b) if CSR gets in trouble they can always point to a policy or what the computer said to do.

 

I get reports sometimes and talk with my leadership team about why so and so on credited this account this much or put this promotion if customer already was on one and so on and all I get back is...well I coached with them and they said customer was really nice and they felt bad and they just made a decision....I hear that about 99%....very rarely I hear "Customer yelled at them and initimidated them and they just gave in"...nope usually it's opposite...they shut down and even if customer was making sense by then because they were verbally abused they just quoted policy like a broken record...YMMV with each rep.

 

And to above poster...NO CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT..LOL.....sorry but with all of the meetings and calls reviewed it seems like our population is changing. Customers these days call in demanding and frankly expecting like company should bend over backwards for everything and they are not willing to pay anything for it and want everything for lowest price and they will yell and scream and threaten to leave...even though they won't. I personally made a decision to disconnect 4 customers just last month based on their behavior on the call and called them to inform them that we will no longer be serving. One of the customers I had security pay them a visit. Before you judge me..LOL..I can tell you that I'm very sympathetic and talk with a lot of customers when most of my peers in other centers look at me and say..that's why we have managers, supervisors and agents...let them deal with it...I don't mind talking with customers and at times I agree with them and sometimes we have a good laugh about why the company does this or that and build rapport...i had cards sent to my office....but if you don't pay your bill, call in bully an agent and yell at them about billing error although there is no error, billing is correct you just did not pay the bill and they try their best to explain that and all of a sudden you get racial words thrown at you and saying I hope you and your children get raped....you need to go to another provider since we choose not to ever service you again...some customers are apologetic afterwards (Sometimes I hang up and shake my head cause they guy I just spoke to was the nicest ever, yet he did all of the cursing and yelling over the phone hour ago....seems like he beats his wife and then delivers flowers next morning)

 

Anyway...got too far carried away...main points are...

 

There are algorithms for internal and external reasons

depending on you and CSR they can be avoided

Customer is not always right.


Yes, they are!! Smiley Very Happy

 

Customers ensure you have a job. I hate dealing with people sometimes but you always have to keep in the back of your head they're keeping my paycheck coming.

 


LOL...Love you posts LS, but I have to disagree with you....Customers ensure I have my job...but that's 50% of what I would call MY BOSS.....Shareholders also ensure that I have my job and that is another 50% of MY BOSS.

Customers are always right is a silly anology that some small mom and pop shop created as a slogan. While most of the customers I deal with are right and we could have done something better whether it's better pricing, better package, better service, reliability...you name it...there is a good 20% that are not right! In-fact they are plainly wrong...THEY WANT WHAT THEY WANT AND FOR HOW MUCH THEY WANT IT FOR AND THEY REFUSE TO BUDGE AND WHAT'S WORSE THEY ALSO REFUSE TO LEAVE OR STOP SERVICE..LOL..

 

You are definitely NOT right trying to get a promotion back to back to back thinking that you are entitled to it and then making a bold threat by saying...YOU WILLING TO LOSE ME AS A CONSUMER AND MY $39.99 A MONTH!!!

 

YES!! BECAUSE IT COSTS MY COMPANY $58 DOLLARS TO KEEP YOU MONTHLY...WE EAT THE 18+ dollars or so per month for first 6 months in hopes that you stay after your promo is over, but whats the point in keeping you if you just want another promo or cancel.....eventually if we give in you would have another promo and then when that one goes to regular rate you leave...so we might as well save some money now and let you go.

 

I fight for customers all the time and bicker back and forth with my VP and Division folks about stupid things we do...but trust me CUSTOMERS ARE NOT ALWAYS RIGHT and I will lose my job faster for poor results and profits because share holders are not happy long before customers are not happy!


(goes to sit in corner)

 

I sowwy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Smiley Sad

 



I actually agree with you both. (come out of that corner LSSmiley Wink) but i can def understnd where Marcin is coming from on the bold red highlighted print. Customers calling in feeling entitled to everything and being obnoxious is just ridiculous! I think it makes it alot harder on the rest of us who actually call with legit issues or requests.



Starting Score: EQ 609, EX 633(Fako), TU 700
Current Score: EQ 699, EX 758, TU 733
Goal Score: 720 across the board
Garden Club Member-GC Challenge: App free since 10/31/12 Smiley Wink
Message 37 of 46
LS2982
Mega Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?

Hey if its gonna save me money i'm trying it!!! Not goign to be rude about it but why am I going to pay for something I know I can get cheaper and just as good!




EQ FICO 548 3/3/16
Message 38 of 46
Sparkz1920
Frequent Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?

I didnt know how customer service worked and how people called in for promo's until i started working for the company that I do in the retention dept.

 

I dont think ive ever called a company begging for anything or threatening. I simply get whatI can afford and thats it.


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Message 39 of 46
jamie123
Valued Contributor

Re: Calling Customer Service Too Much Lowers Your Value?!?

They keep track of EVERYTHING!!!!!

 

They don't just track how many times you call CS, but they track everything you buy with their cards. Not just the amounts, but what is was that you actually purchased.

 

There was an article I read a few months ago about Target (The Store). They track everything that their customers purchase and then tailor their marketing efforts to that individual customer. They actually send each customer coupons and offers that their algorithms deem a good fit for that customer. How good are they at this you ask?

 

One of the Holy Grails to marketing is to catch a customer at a life changing event like a divorce, marriage, new house or pregnancy. All these events cause people to spend a lot of money on "shopping sprees" and they usually become repeat customers to whomever they did their initial shopping spree with.

 

Target was so good at identifying when a woman became pregnant it was scary! They had identified 3 products that a woman bought as soon as she became pregnant. (And no it wasn't a pregnancy test kit.) They never did identify what these 3 products were, just that there were 3 products and it really did work. When a woman bought these products they would send out a huge packet of coupons for all this baby stuff hoping to become her shopping spree store. It worked like magic! It was too good!

 

Sometimes Target knew a woman was pregnant before she told her husband, SO or family members. These baby stuff coupon envelopes actually started conversations between husbands and wives leading to the disclosure that yes she thought she was pregnant. It even had some surprising results. Target sent the coupons to a home somewhere in the bible belt and the father called them to complain about receiving all these baby coupons in the mail. It was only him, his wife and teenage daughter living there and he was sick and tired of receiving all this junk mail. He called back a few weeks later to apologize once he found out his teenage daughter was pregnant.

 

Target has since modified this marketing effort to be not so obvious but still does it. They will mix in really good baby stuff coupons with a few standard coupons and it still works.

 

One of these data miners had even identified a biker bar in Canada where everyone that frequented the establishment had a 90% chance of either had or will file for BK. Would you give them credit?


Starting Score: EQ 653 6/21/12
Current Score: EQ 817 3/10/20 - EX 820 3/13/20 - TU 825 3/03/20
Message 40 of 46
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