I was lambasted by a customer today.
It was terrible.
Now, my usual practice is to squeeze as many customer-service-y words into my speech as possible. Like 'allow me to assist you' for example. all polite words and courteous and gracious and totally not from the heart kindof words.
But what this customer really challenged me was a verbal argument. Now honestly, I can say nothing has really fazed me. I had a customer scold me fuck you bastard about three times before. And he was yelling for ten minutes before he hung up. That I can get. But what I totally cannot comprehend is the way this customer thinks.
He had accused me, vehemently of not doing my job. And that I was using the wrong words, as I wasn't assisting him, or helping him, but rather that it was my job to fix his problem. I was his job fixer, apparently. (Another title to add to my job portfolio).
His issue was regarding a data roaming charge he had incurred while overseas. His argument was that he had called in regarding the issue. Now it was up to us to fix for him, and to adhere to his demands.
What really struck out at me is that this is supposed to be my job. And not that I was going to assist him, or to aid or to help him, and I simply should not use any selfless words to placate him and just to admit the problem is mine.
Now this is really perplexing, because the way I see it, every problem has to be solved mutually. I liken his argument to say that the job of the police is to protect the citizens and abdicate crime. So, if the city still has crime, it means they aren't doing their job.
Which strikes me as absurd.
So, after I breathe out a little, and let the strong air con at work cool me down, I take a step back and think. Now what's so different about this man? Why does he affect me so?
I come to this conclusion. He was attacking my safety perimeter. I'm proud of my confidence in my language skills. And this dude was attacking it. He was attacking the very heart of my job. Without words, I am unable to perform my job. He was encroaching into my personal verbal space.
Also, he was pushing ALL the blame to me. Seriously, the three telcos should join forces and organize classes at CCs on 'How to turn off data roaming when overseas.'
Lastly, I come to form an impression of him based on his words. He is job-oriented. He knows his limitations of his job, and will not work out of what he is paid to do. He most likely does not display initiative. He is in a managerial level position, where he is accustomed to delegating tasks and that it gets done by whomever he assigns it to. He isn't a perfectionist, though he might think he is. He likes to put others around him down. He is not afraid to speak his mind, which will be to his disadvantage most of the time.
And so, I have unlocked a new type of customer. *drum roll and a cymbal crash*
Oh, and after ranting he hung up on me. What a feelings-cheater. The worst people aren't those that scold and scream at me. It's those that scold and scream and then hang up / run away / zao lor and not allow me to assist, no sorry, to solve their problems. Cowardice isn't very nice.
