Customer service etiquette

[Black Delphinium]

Resurrecting this to mention something I saw the other day- cashiers, please be careful when keeping scented lotions/hand sanitizers to use during your shift.  I understand that hands get dirty and dry, but I was very unhappy that my package of chicken thighs smelled like flowers, even 2 days after I bought them.
Fortunately, the chicken itself did not smell.

[Lady Snowdon]

For legality reasons, we can not, and I emphasize NOT, give out your policy information or make changes on your insurance policy for anyone who did not sign your insurance contract unless they have power of attorney for you AND we have a copy of that.  Otherwise, YOU have to give us permission each and every time someone else calls for that information or to make that change. I do sympathize when you have an 80 year old mother, father, cousin, friend, etc, and they need assistance, or may even be incapacitated,  but legally we can't help you if you did not sign up for the insurance. And yes, that means all refunds will also only go out in your name as well.

If you disagree with this, please contact the department of insurance in your state.

Heather

As a CSR who works in the insurance industry, POD to this!

Double POD to this! 

Also, please don't try and guilt-trip me by mentioning your kids/wife/mother/dog who are slowly starving due to whatever payment you want not being paid out yet.  It makes me feel terrible, especially if there's nothing I can do about what you want.  I've come home and cried from the stories people have told me, and felt terrible about myself because I can't do as they asked. 

For CSR's:
I know by the end of the day or week, it can get tough to pick up the phone one more time.  But answering the phone in a dead, dull, depressed sounding voice is about as encouraging to the person on the other line as finding a dead fish in your shoes.  I have one coworker who constantly answers the phone with a tone implying that she hates the world (think of the perpetually depressed robot in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).  She always seems to be getting complaints about how she handles her clients, and I truly think part of it is that she never sounds happy to talk to anyone!

[Trellia]

This for loans, too! I can't tell you how many times I was insulted for not being able to talk to a spouse who wasn't on the loan. Usually the other spouse was working, and of course had submitted no documents giving us permission to talk to anyone. If I don't have that, I legally can't talk to you and have no way of telling if you're truly their spouse or an outraged stalker or a scammer phishing for information.

[MsApril]

Parent, when I call you regarding one of your children's medical appointments, please step away from the screaming child, don't put me on speaker phone, don't talk to other people/yell at your children/pets. I will be here if now is not a good time for you to take this call. If I am not here, please leave me a voice mail and I will call you back within one business day.

[kareng57]

This for loans, too! I can't tell you how many times I was insulted for not being able to talk to a spouse who wasn't on the loan. Usually the other spouse was working, and of course had submitted no documents giving us permission to talk to anyone. If I don't have that, I legally can't talk to you and have no way of telling if you're truly their spouse or an outraged stalker or a scammer phishing for information.

As an aside to this (I've been on both sides ) - if the CSR asks for additional documentation such as a death certificate, don't start sobbing or screaming at them that they're trying to make your life even more difficult at this sad time.  They're not, they're sympathetic, but business is business.  They can't be expected to just take your word for it that  "my husband has died, please cancel his credit card" - for all they know, you could be an ex out for revenge.

When my Dh died, a handful of CSRs seemed a bit surprised when I said something along the lines of "that's fine, I'll fax it in tomorrow" - they seemed to be prepared to deal with a protest.

[Reika]

As an aside to this (I've been on both sides ) - if the CSR asks for additional documentation such as a death certificate, don't start sobbing or screaming at them that they're trying to make your life even more difficult at this sad time.  They're not, they're sympathetic, but business is business.  They can't be expected to just take your word for it that  "my husband has died, please cancel his credit card" - for all they know, you could be an ex out for revenge.

I actually did get a call a month or so ago from a very confused policyholder wanting to know why we send a letter to his house with our condolences about his death with a claim form for his beneficiary to fill out.

He'd forgotten he had his ex-fiance as the beneficiary, but because the woman wouldn't give the rep who took the call her address, they sent it to the address on the policy. He changed his beneficiary really quickly after that.

[snugglegirl05]

As for giving customers options...the client supervisor at the university I work at as a contract Visitor parking attendant told me not to do that for visitors who do not have a reservation to park in Visitor parking.

Background:The parking office is over Visitor parking. The parking office makes the parking arrangements for guests arriving at the university based on the information that the department or university employee making the request e-mails them. Parking arrangements  *a reserved parking spot* can be made for visitors arriving for a meeting, a job interview, to speak to a class, & so on. For these visitors, their parking is validated by the dept. That information is posted on the Outlook calendar by the Parking office  personnel, & I have access to that calendar.

For visitors who do have a reserved spot, I have to tell them that they have to pay the parking fee. According to the client supervisor, I cannot tell them to ask the dept. for a validated ticket. I have dealt with customers who were surprised that they had to pay for their parking. The reason for this is because visitors who were upset that their parking was not validated complained to the parking office.  There have been visitors who asked the parking office to validate their parking when that happened, but the client supervisor told me that the parking office rarely does this.

[snugglegirl05]

I work at a university as a contract Visitor parking attendant. The cost to park is $5.00. Part of my job is to greet the customer to find out what their needs are. But I cannot determine what your needs are if you do not tell me anything.

So customers...please tell me what your needs are when I greet you.

[camlan]

I work at a university as a contract Visitor parking attendant. The cost to park is $5.00. Part of my job is to greet the customer to find out what their needs are. But I cannot determine what your needs are if you do not tell me anything.

So customers...please tell me what your needs are when I greet you.

If this is a common problem, like half the customers don't tell you what they need, then good customer service would indicate changing your greeting to reflect this.

Some suggestions, which reflect guesses I've made about your job:

"Good morning! Are you looking for reserved or free parking today?"
"Good afternoon! Are you looking for student, faculty or visitor parking?"
"Good morning! Do you have a reserved parking spot today or are you looking for paid or free parking?"

or even just,
"Good day! What type of parking are you looking for today?" (I would hope that the university has provided a sign with a list of the options. If they haven't, that's something you could ask for.)

[emeraldsage85]

Retail Customers:

Don't make stupid jokes like, "It's free!" when something doesn't scan. The cashier hears that joke hundreds of times a day. It gets old after awhile.

Don't accuse the cashier of personally trying to rip you off when something scans at a higher price than it's supposed to.

Don't leave your basket on the end of the belt. Don't leave your cart in a random place. Please put them back where they belong.

Don't leave garbage on the belt.

Don't hide something if you don't want to buy it. Just tell the cashier you don't want it anymore and they'll see that it gets back on the shelf.

If a cashier has put up a closed sign don't ignore it and start putting your things on the belt.

If you're having a spat with your spouse or children don't do it in front of store employees. Go somewhere private.

If you bring reusable bags, make sure they're clean.

When an employee speaks to you, please respond like a human being. Complete silence or grunting is rude.

[White Lotus]

Clueless category: CSR. When a person using an assistive device asks where something is, please don't just hare off in a sprint and make them chase you all over the store. Try, "Would you like me to show you or would you like me to get it for you?" If you can go get me that particular brand and size of hot sauce, it will be so much faster.  If the person says, "I need to see it, thanks," let them set the pace, not you.

Clueless category: CSR.  If I introduce myself as Dr. Lotus, this is a clue by four that, even though I know you will need my given name and I will give it to you, I have made my preferred form of address clear, and it is NOT OK to call me Whitey.  And it is White, not Whitey, anyway.

Clueless category: CSR.  Don't just read your script in a monotone.  At least pretend you are having a real conversation with a real human being.  If you can't do that, the customer will think you aren't very bright and things will go slowly.

Malicious category: corporate.  Making life double difficult for your employees by requiring mandatory charity or credit card solicitations, making "Excellent" the only acceptable feedback -- now that I know this happens, I always ask -- making unreasonable time demands, and otherwise treating them as droids who are out to rob you blind.  Treat them as people. Nice people.

Malicious or maybe clueless category: corporate.  When you are buying those carts for disabled people, ride in them for a while.  They are jerky, bumpy, and don't turn in an aisle (mostly).  Do YOUR shopping from one for a month.  Then decide.  Mobility issues caused by obesity are not the only reasons people need these carts now and again. (Those people aren't as affected by the jerking and bumping, it seems.  No judgment on them.)  The person using an assistive device should always be offered help by passing staff members: nothing I ever want to buy is at eye level.  "Can I reach something for you?" when I am clearly struggling, is something I appreciate.

These are all I can think of right now, but there are more.  Mostly they all have to do with putting one's self in the other's shoes, being polite, and recognizing the limits of the position the person is working in.

Can you tell I had an injury not all that long ago? <g>