topic Re: Am I living on a different planet or something? in Credit Cards

Am I living on a different planet or something?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:26:55 GMT

I've read more and more comments these last few months in this forum about insulting or patronizing or moronic customer service representatives at the ccc's. I've dealt several times with three or four ccc's over the past few years and everyone has been very courteous and professional with me, even when they were uncertain about a policy and had to put me on hold to check and even when I was a tad curt myself.

I'm wondering whether I'm in some sort of alternate universe or if other subscribers to this forum also have generally positive experiences, understanding that some folks on the other end of the phone occasionaly have a bad day.

So what are your experiences?

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

ShootingStar — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:34:15 GMT

I think most people don't comment if a customer rep is nice -- but the people who've had bad experiences, vent about them. There are many positive feedback posts all throughout these boards, but negative comments are going to stick out, of course!

(Oh! And my experiences are generally good as well!)

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

haulingthescoreup — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:34:39 GMT

I've had some clueless CSR's, but I sympathize, because I've worked for employers who didn't train staff worth a flip, and we were pretty lost and confused at times. That's not the CSR's fault.

Otherwise, I've had great service from all lenders, and I make sure to let them know this, too.

Customer service can be a brutal job. They're only human, and they're making like $8-10/ hour in most cases. Sure, they should always be perfectly courteous, but if I had consumers screaming at me all day long, I'd probably snap. My patience is a lot thinner in my old age.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:38:43 GMT

And how old might that be? Hauling (this from someone when used to wear an "I Like Ike" button.)

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

haulingthescoreup — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:40:19 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
And how old might that be? Hauling (this from someone when used to wear an "I Like Ike" button.)

OK, well not that old, I'm afraid! I'm 56.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

DI — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:57:07 GMT

Customer service can be a brutal job. They're only human, and they're making like $8-10/ hour in most cases. Sure, they should always be perfectly courteous, but if I had consumers screaming at me all day long, I'd probably snap. My patience is a lot thinner in my old age.

I worked as a part-time CSR for a utility company. That job really opened my eyes how nasty and mean people can be. During power outages they really get nasty!! The same people will call over and over. It becomes very frustrating. Many times, I just had to hang up on them for acting so stupidly.

We all start off as good CSRs wanting to deliver the utmost cutomer service. But overtime, and on bad days, one's patience can become very thin. Being a CSR is like acting. You jump into character soon as you put on the headset. You also become a rebot.

Most of the time you can tell when you're about to have a bad call. . Many will call in mad with a heavy voice. At that point, they're not hearing anything you telling them. They just vent. Many times when a customer vent, I let them.. I don't say a single word. Then when they see that you're not saying anything, they say "Hello", or " You there".

I bet the same customers who complain about their banking experience with CSRs, complain about the CSRs at their electric and cable company too.

BTW: AMEX CSRs make more than $8-$10/hr.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

barbaralee — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:09:35 GMT

I am a CSR for a ccc, and boy have I some stories. I'm lucky in that most of the members are wonderful and nice, but there have been some real bad apples. I try to be understanding because I try to imagine how I would feel if I am in their shoes and my money was being messed with... but what I have learned is that some people are just (by nature) very, very cruel.

Most just have this horrible entitled attitude, something I have actually seen reflected in forums regarding credit cards. >_>. I had one person tell me that I needed to credit his account $50 because WalMart double charged him and he did not feel like driving 20 minutes back to WalMart for a credit. When I refused he became belligerent. Then I read the notes on his account and saw this was not an isolated incident.

One of my faves was a few weeks back when I was standing next to a coworker and the member was so upset I could hear her screaming: "Put me back in with that woman!!! What's her %$^ing name?! Who does she think she is?!!!?" My coworker was desperately trying to calm her down, and he was yelling over her: "Ma'am! Ma'am! That was the automated system!! She's not real!!"

The nicest ones (to me) are those who are going through financial difficulties. They are usually calling because they are either getting ready to file BK or are working out a payment plan. It's amazing, because most of the time these are people who at one point had great enough credit to qualify for $35,000 cards, but have now maxed out. They are usually wanting someone to tell their story to, and I always love listening. Been there, done that, can very much relate.

But like I said, I am fortunate in that most of the people I speak with are wonderful. There is a Chase call center near us as well, and I hear the customers there are terrible.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

OnTheRebound — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:20:44 GMT

I avoid CSR's like the plague. But the 5 or 6 times in the last 10 or 15 years I did call, they were all kind, courteous and professional, even when my frustration began to show when trying to decipher what one of those non-American reps was trying to say.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:25:09 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I've read more and more comments these last few months in this forum about insulting or patronizing or moronic customer service representatives at the ccc's. I've dealt several times with three or four ccc's over the past few years and everyone has been very courteous and professional with me, even when they were uncertain about a policy and had to put me on hold to check and even when I was a tad curt myself.

I'm wondering whether I'm in some sort of alternate universe or if other subscribers to this forum also have generally positive experiences, understanding that some folks on the other end of the phone occasionaly have a bad day.

So what are your experiences?

I'd have to agree. I cannot remember having a negative CSR experience. Even when they try to sell you junk, at least they are nice about it.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

DI — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:30:21 GMT

Call center jobs are too stressful. One constantly need comfort foods to help deal with the stress. At 6'1, I weighed 163lbs before starting the part-time at the call center. After just 8 months working at the call center, I got up to 180lbs. Right then, I knew that type of job wasn't good for my health. I quit!! I already had a full-time job working in higher education. I worked at the call center to have that experience as a backup. That was in 2008 when I worked that part-time job. It took my mind and body about a year to recover from the stress. I'm just now getting my weight back in the 160s. I'd never work at a call center again!!

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

KIPPIE12 — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:29:56 GMT

@barbaralee wrote:
I am a CSR for a ccc, and boy have I some stories. I'm lucky in that most of the members are wonderful and nice, but there have been some real bad apples. I try to be understanding because I try to imagine how I would feel if I am in their shoes and my money was being messed with... but what I have learned is that some people are just (by nature) very, very cruel.

Most just have this horrible entitled attitude, something I have actually seen reflected in forums regarding credit cards. >_>. I had one person tell me that I needed to credit his account $50 because WalMart double charged him and he did not feel like driving 20 minutes back to WalMart for a credit. When I refused he became belligerent. Then I read the notes on his account and saw this was not an isolated incident.

One of my faves was a few weeks back when I was standing next to a coworker and the member was so upset I could hear her screaming: "Put me back in with that woman!!! What's her %$^ing name?! Who does she think she is?!!!?" My coworker was desperately trying to calm her down, and he was yelling over her: "Ma'am! Ma'am! That was the automated system!! She's not real!!"

The nicest ones (to me) are those who are going through financial difficulties. They are usually calling because they are either getting ready to file BK or are working out a payment plan. It's amazing, because most of the time these are people who at one point had great enough credit to qualify for $35,000 cards, but have now maxed out. They are usually wanting someone to tell their story to, and I always love listening. Been there, done that, can very much relate.

But like I said, I am fortunate in that most of the people I speak with are wonderful. There is a Chase call center near us as well, and I hear the customers there are terrible.

LOL, I know exactly what you're saying! I used to work many years with one of the top 5 issuers as a help gate/supervisor. There were over 1100 csr's in just this one call center, just listening to all the reps going at it with rude and nasty customers was something! I would just walk around with my headset and listen to all the yelling and screaming. It's extremely stressful when you take 200-300 calls PER DAY. I used to work 10 hr shifts, and couldn't wait until the last minute on the fourth night to pull off that headset, to take those 3 days off. But, for the most part, i'd say, people were nice.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

barbaralee — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 03:44:20 GMT

@DI wrote:
Call center jobs are too stressful. One constantly need comfort foods to help deal with the stress. At 6'1, I weighed 163lbs before starting the part-time at the call center. After just 8 months working at the call center, I got up to 180lbs. Right then, I knew that type of job wasn't good for my health. I quit!! I already had a full-time job working in higher education. I worked at the call center to have that experience as a backup. That was in 2008 when I worked that part-time job. It took my mind and body about a year to recover from the stress. I'm just now getting my weight back in the 160s. I'd never work at a call center again!!

I eat far less at work than I do at home. We are only allowed hard candy, so no snack goodies. There is one guy who brings in what looks to be a 50 lbs hand held weight and works his arms while on the phone. Most people pace, pace, pace.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:04:03 GMT

@barbaralee wrote:

@DI wrote:
Call center jobs are too stressful. One constantly need comfort foods to help deal with the stress. At 6'1, I weighed 163lbs before starting the part-time at the call center. After just 8 months working at the call center, I got up to 180lbs. Right then, I knew that type of job wasn't good for my health. I quit!! I already had a full-time job working in higher education. I worked at the call center to have that experience as a backup. That was in 2008 when I worked that part-time job. It took my mind and body about a year to recover from the stress. I'm just now getting my weight back in the 160s. I'd never work at a call center again!!
I eat far less at work than I do at home. We are only allowed hard candy, so no snack goodies. There is one guy who brings in what looks to be a 50 lbs hand held weight and works his arms while on the phone. Most people pace, pace, pace.

I've always wondered what went on inside a USAA call center.

I'd love to spend a day and see what it's like.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

jefftca925 — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:23:04 GMT

Years ago I worked in a Call Center for a well known health insurer and for the most part people are generally pretty nice. There are always a few that are obviously having a bad day and you become their venting target. You just have to learn not to take it personally and disassociate yourself from the experience. But one thing the CSRs always strived for was to provide the best service possible. And when a customer acknowledges your good work with a request to speak to your supervisor, that just makes your day worth it. To this day, each and every time I have an exceptional experience with a CSR I go out of my way to give kudos to them thru their supervisors. It makes their day and reminds them that they do make a difference.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

DI — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:41:39 GMT

@barbaralee wrote:

@DI wrote:
Call center jobs are too stressful. One constantly need comfort foods to help deal with the stress. At 6'1, I weighed 163lbs before starting the part-time at the call center. After just 8 months working at the call center, I got up to 180lbs. Right then, I knew that type of job wasn't good for my health. I quit!! I already had a full-time job working in higher education. I worked at the call center to have that experience as a backup. That was in 2008 when I worked that part-time job. It took my mind and body about a year to recover from the stress. I'm just now getting my weight back in the 160s. I'd never work at a call center again!!
I eat far less at work than I do at home. We are only allowed hard candy, so no snack goodies. There is one guy who brings in what looks to be a 50 lbs hand held weight and works his arms while on the phone. Most people pace, pace, pace.

The utility company I worked for is extremely wealthy. Whenever we went into storm mode(hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storm and etc.) that required us to work 12 hours shifts, they fed everyone from the Linemen to the CSRs 3 times a day. The 8 months I worked there was an active storm season, so I was eating good.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

smc733 — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:11:55 GMT

I work in a University IT department with minimal training... So frustrating when people expect you to know how to use every single software title on the market.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

CS800 — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:45:57 GMT

Although a lot of CSR's are nice, the frustration for me comes when they state crap that is not true .

It's also part of their training script to repeat certain information so in a way i don't blame them. But like I said when they start either acting holier than thou or the know it all type, this drives me through the roof.

Some examples of things I hear that they insist on:

- Sir by law we cannot remove any item from a credit report.

- It's illegal to remove a paid collection

- In my 10 years doing this job, I have never heard of such a thing as a goodwill gesture

- Sir we are credit experts (BoA CSR in the credit card dept) and we are trained in all matters that concerns credit and I know for a fact that we cannot remove a paid collection by law.

- I understand your frustration that it took us 5 months to report the correct balance on your credit report but I can guarantee you that this will be done in the next 30-60 days.......... Are you F4^%$% kidding me???????? another 30-60 days and you said you understood my frustration???????

- Sir what is the FCRA? (Cap One CSR)

- Here's the best one so far from Cap One : Wow sir , you have had an excellent payment history with us, that is great that in 3 years you always paid on time. We really value customers like you, but unfortunately at this time we cannot give you a credit limit increase (I have never had one with Cap One in 3 years).

I can go on................

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

addicted_to_credit — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 16:57:52 GMT

@CS800 wrote:
Although a lot of CSR's are nice, the frustration for me comes when they state crap that is not true .

It's also part of their training script to repeat certain information so in a way i don't blame them. But like I said when they start either acting holier than thou or the know it all type, this drives me through the roof.

Some examples of things I hear that they insist on:

- Sir by law we cannot remove any item from a credit report.
- It's illegal to remove a paid collection
- In my 10 years doing this job, I have never heard of such a thing as a goodwill gesture
- Sir we are credit experts (BoA CSR in the credit card dept) and we are trained in all matters that concerns credit and I know for a fact that we cannot remove a paid collection by law.
- I understand your frustration that it took us 5 months to report the correct balance on your credit report but I can guarantee you that this will be done in the next 30-60 days.......... Are you F4^%$% kidding me???????? another 30-60 days and you said you understood my frustration???????
- Sir what is the FCRA? (Cap One CSR)
- Here's the best one so far from Cap One : Wow sir , you have had an excellent payment history with us, that is great that in 3 years you always paid on time. We really value customers like you, but unfortunately at this time we cannot give you a credit limit increase (I have never had one with Cap One in 3 years).

I can go on................

hahahahahaha I have heard that one a few times as well been with them since 2007 2 accounts NEVER late although I did get an APR reduction from them which doesn't really matter...... they both have 0 bal

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:17:15 GMT

CSR's for my company make almost $15/hr I believe. The majority of our escalated calls for poor customer service or rude reps are one of two things:

1. The customer lying to try and gain leverage to get what they want, typically some sort of credit.

2. Or the customer is just nutty. Unreasonable expectations, unreasonable demands, and when these aren't met, that's what constitutes a rude rep to them. Rep could have had perfect tone and demeanor, but if the customer doesn't hear "yes" to their demands...that rep was rude. This makes up the vast majority of complaints that got escalated to me about how rude our reps were. You wouldn't believe how far some of these people will go. There's one lady that escalates the call every time she gets a male rep. She says they all hate women, said I hated women too...she's a psychologist. She'll only deal with female reps. If she wasn't so nutty, I'd love to be able to explain the irony of it to her.

Most call centers do not tolerate reps being rude to the customers, for any reason.

Re: Am I living on a different planet or something?

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:03:09 GMT

i'll take an apr reduction any day---with or without a balance.