vB Easy Archive - I hate CSRs sometimes.

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I hate CSRs sometimes.
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Posted by: Telegraph

Why is it that CSRs have to be so bad sometimes?

Customer drops off a check. I want to HELP the customer and process the payment for them by CALLING IN TO CARE.... CARE REFUSES TO LET ME HELP THE CUSTOMER PAY.

What do you think i'm going to do? Steal the customers banking information that I already have? Security reasons?

Posted by: cingtd

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telegraph

Why is it that CSRs have to be so bad sometimes?

Customer drops off a check. I want to HELP the customer and process the payment for them by CALLING IN TO CARE.... CARE REFUSES TO LET ME HELP THE CUSTOMER PAY.

What do you think i'm going to do? Steal the customers banking information that I already have? Security reasons?

It's called account privacy. Was the customer there with you?? What exactly was said and done to have the CS rep refuse to take the payment.

Posted by: Wiggum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telegraph

Why is it that CSRs have to be so bad sometimes?

Why is it that Sales Reps have to be so bad sometimes?

Really it goes both ways. A lot of a reps calls come from misinformation or lack of information provided at the POS.

Posted by: PhantomFone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiggum

Why is it that Sales Reps have to be so bad sometimes?

Really it goes both ways. A lot of a reps calls come from misinformation or lack of information provided at the POS.

You're right, it does go both ways. But CSRs are so cold most of the time. 9.5 times out of 10 we call Care because we need YOUR help in assisting a customer. We dont call 4 kicks or to sit on hold while new activations & profitable upgrades walk out the door. WE ARE COMMISSION W/ QUOTAS! In we retail we are set up forpoint of sale transactions. Most of the technical stuff we can't process in store anymore. So drop the attitude and assist.

Posted by: Wiggum

well i don't take calls, i'm just speaking from experience as I have worked both for cingular.

maybe if more sales people did a better job those folks would take less calls about crappy sales people and they would be more receptive and understand your plight. see because upset customers impact csr's as well.

Posted by: holaDude

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiggum

well i don't take calls, i'm just speaking from experience as I have worked both for cingular.

maybe if more sales people did a better job those folks would take less calls about crappy sales people and they would be more receptive and understand your plight. see because upset customers impact csr's as well.

I work in CS and help agents that call in when they need help, or direct them to the proper department for assistance. They want the account noted to have an exception or early upgrade? I directed them to C&A as per CSP. Are they a COR store? According to my Supr, the store manager should be able to approve the early upgrade. They get an error when trying to process an upgrade? I check the account and try to correct the issue if I can. I have seen some accounts state an upgrade was in process anywhere from 2 to 4 years ago. I will either complete that upgrade if I can, or delete if I have to have the account status brought up to date.

Some of the really old family plans cannot be changed from the group level and need to be changed at the ban level. Not everyone knows this. I always explain to an agent what I am doing to correct the account so they kno what to do in the future. I even taken hits against talk time to help my fellow team mates with issues if a manager is not around. I don't have an us VS them attitude as far as I am concerned, we are all working for them company. It doesn't matter if it's an indirect or a cor agent, I still consider them a fellow employee.

Keep in mind that CS may ask to speak to the customer, not to be rude to the agent, but just to verify the account. If an agent can verify the account ssn or password, I will take the payment so long as the payment account is in the customers name.

Posted by: VMV702

Quote:

Originally Posted by holaDude

Some of the really old family plans cannot be changed from the group level and need to be changed at the ban level. Not everyone knows this

So true!!! Can you enlighten ME on how to do this? lol....I've had to call in multiple times because of it.

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by cingtd

It's called account privacy. Was the customer there with you?? What exactly was said and done to have the CS rep refuse to take the payment.

It's called dumb. If I can go to a bank and deposit money in someone else's account, why can't I pay off someone's cell phone account.

I'm not saying the CSR is dumb - some are and some are not. What I'm saying is the process is dumb. There is no need to reveal private info in order to take a payment.

Posted by: cingtd

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

Only problem is that we don't actually know what was said between the OP and CS. While I would agree that account privacy may not have been in jeopardy, however corporate mandates what can and cannot be accomplished unless an account can be verified. If the OP was so inclined, he/she could have simply dialed the IVR to make the pmt over the phone. I wonder if they even attempted that.

Posted by: holaDude

Quote:

Originally Posted by VMV702

So true!!! Can you enlighten ME on how to do this? lol....I've had to call in multiple times because of it.

I don't know what system that you have, but in telegence under the feature tab, you select ban instead of group from the actions menu.

Posted by: Jayden0606

I would go into the reasoning why you get responses from CSRs in that manner, but I will refrain from doing so. There are a perfectly good explanation, and if you want the reason behind it, look at all your fellow Sales Reps in the stores.

Posted by: Telegraph

Quote:

Originally Posted by cingtd

Its another Monday.

Ok, so heres the situation. Tell me if i'm wrong.

1. Customer leaves a check at the store to make a payment on her account. Its less than $40.00.
2. I figure, hey, i'll be nice and try and help the customer (i've done it b4 also by the way). So I call in to care and tell them i want to help a customer process a payment. They left a check behind, can we please process the check for them electronically?
3. The rep on the line proceeds to ask the supervisor if this can be done. After about 2 minutes on hold, the CSR states that the supervisor is not allowed to process the payment due to security issues and for the privacy of the account holder.
a) I upgraded the account holders phone (i have all of her personal info)
b) I have the check in front of me with the check number, account number, and routing number (all things needed for an e check)
c) I'm calling CINGULAR to process a PAYMENT for the CUSTOMER who's NAME is also on the CHECK that she provided.
WHAT SECURITY ISSUES ARE THERE? I didn't want GET any info from care. I wanted to GIVE the info TO care.

The main reasoning the rep gave me was that because the customer was not in the store, they could not process the payment. Thats bogus, what about all those third party billers? When THOSE payments are processed, the customers are NOT in the store.
So i call in again the same day, get another rep. 1st. She didn't know what an indirect dealer was. How can you NOT know what an indirect dealer is? Second, she said indirect dealers could not process any type of payments. WRONG, payments can be processed via credit card through POS 2...

Posted by: VMV702

Quote:

Originally Posted by holaDude

I don't know what system that you have, but in telegence under the feature tab, you select ban instead of group from the actions menu.

Well that explains it...I'm in a former Blue store and we use Opus, not telegence..Not able to fix the problems ourselves

Posted by: cingtd

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telegraph

Its another Monday.

The main reasoning the rep gave me was that because the customer was not in the store, they could not process the payment.

If you felt your job might be threatened you might be reluctant to accept the payment as well.

As I said earlier, if you called the IVR you could have made the payment yourself without assistance from a CSR.

Posted by: CA

Quote:

b) I have the check in front of me with the check number, account number, and routing number (all things needed for an e check)

That's a dangerous thing to give someone(you) you could do harm to the customer and start a whole world of hurt for Cingular.

Ex: Here is my Credit card use it when you get time.

And I have to ask..what would you do with the check after you are done using the numbers? Hopefully not throw it in the dumpster like what happens everyday and to Cingular in North Carolina last year.

Posted by: Cingular13

It is nice of you to try and help the customer but why are you taking checks to begin with? This is the cause of the entire problem. How do they get a receipt, confirmation #, or any confirmation from someone employeed by Cingular that their payment was posted to their account.

Next time the customer comes in, dial CSR for them and hand them the phone. If the customer is in such a hurry tell them to call *PAY on their way home. CSR has always been security conscience about customers information, and you know its never consistant from rep to rep. There is a another simple solution to this, tell the customer you do not take 'cash or check' payments.

Posted by: kilowatt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telegraph

was there something wrong with the automated system? you shouldn't have needed to even talk to a CSR.

Posted by: cellconnect

Why not just hit *pay and cut out CSR completely. Then SHRED THE CHECK!!!!

Posted by: Ralph714

Quote:

Originally Posted by cellconnect

Why not just hit *pay and cut out CSR completely. Then SHRED THE CHECK!!!!

CellConnect is right. Sometimes if a customer has already payed with a check or credit card. The automated service will ask the customer if they want to use the credit card ending with Ex. 2451 if yes press 1 if no press 2. Customers that come into my store and want to make payments with credit or debit cards are the easiest one's to get out. 8/10 of them have already payed using their C/D card.

CSR's are cool in my book. I did have this one rude A_SH_LE once. Ever since that encounter, I go threw CSP or Device Tutorial to answer questions.

Posted by: Superpimp

I just want to know who csr think's they're kidding when they "transfer" you and the call get's hung up

Posted by: LadyB

I just don't understand why a store rep calls the centre to get a credit for a cust who's gone over in minutes..really..they've used the minutes legitimatley ( otherwise we would file a case for it ) so it makes no difference if you call or if the customer calls us...... regardless how long they've been with us...we can't just throw credits away...AND why is it that everytime there is a mistake with the rate plan or features that customers never asked for, were added by store reps?? hmmm

Posted by: DonaldMick

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superpimp

I just want to know who csr think's they're kidding when they "transfer" you and the call get's hung up

You've never transferred someone to the dialtone before?

Actually, wait, that's on the last day when I get the screaming customer.

Posted by: iam4161987

I have nothing wrong with the Cingualr CS... I understand sometimes I come off as a B**** too... but i cannot.. repeat CANNOT stand the ATT customer service. rudest people ever.... every one, every time, i swear, has an attitude like im bugging them.. ugh... then im all pissy the rest of the day.
when the merger is complete, if i have to deal with them daily... im going to hang myself with a car charger cord....

Posted by: ivwshane

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam4161987

I have nothing wrong with the Cingualr CS... I understand sometimes I come off as a B**** too... but i cannot.. repeat CANNOT stand the ATT customer service. rudest people ever.... every one, every time, i swear, has an attitude like im bugging them.. ugh... then im all pissy the rest of the day.
when the merger is complete, if i have to deal with them daily... im going to hang myself with a car charger cord....

Sooo sad and sooo true!!

No matter what a call to at&t results in a different answer everytime I call!

My guess is that they make way too much money and have been there in their same position way too long! Some people need to be fired!

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam4161987

That's so odd. In my experience AT&T reps have about double the IQ on average of the Cingular reps.

I've had nothing but good experiences with AT&T reps over the last 6 years or so. My Cingular reps weren't bad, but they were straining mentally to do rather ordinary tasks.

Now I haven't called AT&T in the last 6 months or so, so things could have changed, or they could have been replaced with Cingular reps.

Posted by: ivwshane

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

I know there is no way in the world we are referring to the same at&t reps! Are you talking about att wireless reps or at&t land line reps? I'm referring to the latter and if you are too, please give me the number you call because it's the only place I dread calling.

Oh and I guess I had better clarify exactly who I'm talking about too

I'm referring to SBC customer care (who is now at&t care).

Confused yet?

Posted by: iam4161987

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivwshane

I'm referring to SBC customer care (who is now at&t care).

Confused yet?

I meant the ATT landline people. Calling in for HSI FFP and whatnot... horrible horrible people.. rude, impatient, and uninformed....

I hate calling them.... hate it!!!! i would rather be on with cing. cs for hours then fifteen mins with them

Posted by: ivwshane

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam4161987

Yeah that's who I'm talking about too.

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivwshane

I'm referring to SBC customer care (who is now at&t care).

Confused yet?

Well, now we know what you were talking about. Pacbell/SBC/AT&T reps are an odd lot. They've got lots of "character". I've been dealing with them for years and years, and find them quirky but effective.

SBC/AT&T Long Distance reps seem to be an entirely different bunch of folks, not from California, and they've been pretty good the last couple of years I've used them.

AT&T Long Distance (from the distant past, before SBC was in the picture) were good; MCI Long Distance were horrible in my experience.

Posted by: SoCal91302

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

That's so odd. In my experience AT&T reps have about double the IQ on average of the Cingular reps.

This has been my experience as well. No disrespect to anyone, but I think you do get what you pay for. Same goes for retail reps as well.

Posted by: iam4161987

you know it can be the area you are in, which call center(s) you get connected to. maybe here in the south ATT has an attitude... *shrugs*

Posted by: LadyB

I'm in Canada, we're all nice! :P

Posted by: gammite

the turnover rates in call centers are ridiculous. that is why it it tough to get a knowldgable csr. but when you do get connected to a good one it is a great thing.

csr's need to get paid more. i bet the turnover would go down and more csr's would start gaining experience which would help all involved.

when i first started in sales, i knew how to sell. but it was not until i had gained some experience that i got great at selling. i think the same analogy applies to csr's.

Posted by: Imissmy2160

You are so right dude. I worked in the call center for 8 years ; moved my way up, did the sup thing and help desk as well. You get what you pay for. They cut out all the money and the positions ; and people started dropping like flies. What we have today is a bunch of replacements that are getting paid alot less. Bottom line. Too bad they don't look at the big picture and the multi-tasked employees who can do the job of 3 employees. And COE too ; man was that a blast.

Posted by: Joalesh

In the 4 yrs that I was employed by Cingular as a CSR, I saw the company go downhill as far as treating their employees went. The fastest way to get good customer service is to have happy employees. Treating them like crapola makes them resentful and that translates over the phone to the customer. In those 4 yrs, I went from being a person with a name to a number. =\

Posted by: Trakstar99

Okay, I have never had any reason to complain about the service I get when I have to call Customer Care....I happen to think most of the people are pretty nice if you just act nice to them, however, I do have a point of contention to bring up after what happened today....

Customer comes in and wants to buy a new Treo 680 with NO DATA.....we all were told by not only our managers but also our ARSM's that we are not to sell PDA's without the corrosponding data plans, so going under those orders, I told him that in order to get the phone, as well as the rebate, they had to sign up for the PDA Connect plan (after all, WHY would you bother to get a Treo w/out Data?!?!? Its like getting a HDTV and getting basic cable...)

Anyways, they didnt end up getting the phone, and then today they ended up coming back in and yelled at me and said that I was lying to them about telling them that they had to get a data plan in order to get the phone.....apparently he just had gotten done with talking to Customer Care and they told him he did not have to get data......talk about annoying.

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trakstar99

...
Customer comes in and wants to buy a new Treo 680 with NO DATA.....we all were told by not only our managers but also our ARSM's that we are not to sell PDA's without the corrosponding data plans, so going under those orders, I told him that in order to get the phone, as well as the rebate, they had to sign up for the PDA Connect plan (after all, WHY would you bother to get a Treo w/out Data?!?!? Its like getting a HDTV and getting basic cable...)

Anyways, they didnt end up getting the phone, and then today they ended up coming back in and yelled at me and said that I was lying to them about telling them that they had to get a data plan in order to get the phone.....apparently he just had gotten done with talking to Customer Care and they told him he did not have to get data......talk about annoying.

It might be annoying, but it could be that your sales managers made up this policy to increase sales in your area. It may have nothing to do with Cingular corporate policy. Cingular seems to give their regions wide discretion in setting certain policies, which is not so smart if the CSRs are nationwide. However, if this is true then the CSR would not be to blame.

Anyways, can't you sync a Treo with a PC?

Posted by: Trakstar99

You can sync the device with the PC with the Palm Desktop software (I have a 650), but I just dont get the rationality of getting a PDA without data

Posted by: Superpimp

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

Actually under the T&C's of the rebate it says you must have voice of 39.99 and above plus PDA connect at 39.99 so the OP is correct that csr messed up, cost the rep money and made the company as a whole look bad

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superpimp

Duhhh! That's only if you want the rebate.

I think you are just adding to the confusion, because that doesn't limit one's ability to buy the phone without the rebate. Please don't blame the CSR for your confusion, or for interfering with your desire to confuse the customer.

Posted by: Superpimp

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

What do you mean confusing the customers, there is nothing confusing about the fact that if you want the phone with the rebate they need data, and watch your typing you don't know me or anything about me so back off

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superpimp

What if the customer doesn't want the rebate? The rebate only covers a couple months of data usage anyway, so the whole rebate is eaten up by data the customer doesn't need. A logical customer who didn't want the data wouldn't want the rebate. So forcing data on that customer is not customer friendly, just sales commission friendly.

All I know about you is what you type...

Posted by: Superpimp

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

Again you don't know I tell flat out they won't get the rebate, nobody forces data on anyone however since most people want that rebate they have to get the data simple son

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superpimp

Again you don't know I tell flat out they won't get the rebate, nobody forces data on anyone however since most people want that rebate they have to get the data simple son

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trakstar99

The case we are discussing involved forcing data on the customer. Maybe you didn't read that, and that is why you are disagreeing with my posts and confusing the issue?

Posted by: iam4161987

She/He isn't the only one who is dealing with mixed messages. This isnt their fault. Alot of us are hearing , don't sell this w/o data, dont sell that w/o this, dont sell this retail, this is only for that. And when RSM's and ARSM's cant make it an even rule, and stop making up "house rules" then reps and customers are going to be confused.

Posted by: gregsmith59

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam4161987

She/He isn't the only one who is dealing with mixed messages. This isnt their fault. Alot of us are hearing , don't sell this w/o data, dont sell that w/o this, dont sell this retail, this is only for that. And when RSM's and ARSM's cant make it an even rule, and stop making up "house rules" then reps and customers are going to be confused.

So true... Cingular needs to operate more like a national company with a national policy on these types of issues.

Customers can understand plans based upon where they are located, but putting special restrictions on regional phone sales to boost sales figures is too confusing unless Cingular makes it official. How else can the phone CSRs be expected to be consistent with the stores?

Posted by: Cingular13

CSR should only tell customers about prices and rebate or other policy if they are referring to the Cingular website. They can tell the customer what they know but if referring them to a store they should always be told to 'call the individual store before they stop in' as store prices and policies may vary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregsmith59

Posted by: holaDude

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cingular13

CSR should only tell customers about prices and rebate or other policy if they are referring to the Cingular website. They can tell the customer what they know but if referring them to a store they should always be told to 'call the individual store before they stop in' as store prices and policies may vary.

I never advise a customer to go into a store and they will match the online price, or any price for that matter. I advise and notate the account that CS cannot force a store to sell them a phone at a discounted rate. I also get customers calling wanting me to call a store for them and want me to arrange for phone exchanges so that they don't have to wait in line to be helped.

They apparently don't like it when I also tell them that unless they bought the phone from us and it is within 30 days, that a cor store not be able to assist them. Also, they don't like it when I advise them that as I am unable to verify the condition of the phone, that I cannot guarantee that the store will help them. After the 30 day mark, only our warranty department can assist them, and if they return a damaged phone, they will pay the retail price for the phone. Some of them seem disappointed that I will not notate the account so that they have a certain price at the store or to exchange the phone their.

I do provide them with the nearest cor location and their number and advise to call the store for their policy. And no, I will not transfer them to a store's phone number, they need to call themselves for store policy.

Yes I am rambling along in this post, but it's a little hard to post and play two different online poker games at the same time.

Posted by: CA

Aside from these Cingular branded phones(other manufacturers are more dramatic) this rebate/data plan combos are getting out of hand. The cost of Cingular data, by far, isn't the incentive it should be and sales uses them to sell data plans. This causes 'Local Empires'!

Tying the two together by force isn't policy it just looks like an Empire and those agents and their manager need to go!

Posted by: ChocoDough

You guys want to know why a lot of stores do things that way?

It is because Cingular is imposing such high quotas on their store reps, and recently they went up again.

How are you supposed to maintain your quotas if you are selling PDAs all the time with no data plans? If a customer wants a PDA without data, let them do it on the website where quotas aren't hurting anyone.

Posted by: Trakstar99

I totally agree with you there. I am not sure if this is for all markets, but I just found out that as of 1/1/2007 they are raising the quota here (SNE Market) to 18 Dollars for features. Talk about putting pressure on the sales reps....they must be doing it for all of the new 3G services they are starting to roll out....which is why selling any data enabled/3G device without a corrosponding data plan is pointless to do in the store, because it just ends up hurting me. Customers like that should go through either telesales or the website.

Posted by: iam4161987

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trakstar99

I totally agree with you there. I am not sure if this is for all markets, but I just found out that as of 1/1/2007 they are raising the quota here (SNE Market) to 18 Dollars for features. Talk about putting pressure on the sales reps....they must be doing it for all of the new 3G services they are starting to roll out....which is why selling any data enabled/3G device without a corrosponding data plan is pointless to do in the store, because it just ends up hurting me. Customers like that should go through either telesales or the website.

we are at 20 right now... its gonna get worse for dec. im sure

Posted by: Superpimp

Ah it's so nice our regional manager is here having issues with cs over a customer issse it's nice