4 ms·

Calling the low tier employees scum is really unfair. They either do their job how management mandates it is done or they are fired. The lowly customer service

Calling the low tier employees scum is really unfair. They either do their job how management mandates it is done or they are fired. The lowly customer service rep isn't the reason Comcast is a piece of shit.

scott_karana 12y ago
I dunno. Some employees are sympathetic: other times, people get defensive and toe the company line even when they know it's a bullshit policy. There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." Conversely, there is everything wrong with saying "No, I'm sorry sir, but I can't change that for you" when you know he can, he just won't. (in general; not referring to this case) For reference, I worked in a Cable/ISP/telecom call center doing tech support, and had wildly varying feelings about different coworker's stances. So I'm not just armchairing opining.
- cannonpult 12y ago
  "There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired."" Actually if you want to keep your job, everything is wrong with saying that. I worked at a Verizon Wireless call center for 3 years and there was no way that a statement like that would go ever well with any manager doing a call review. "Conversely, there is everything wrong with saying "No, I'm sorry sir, but I can't change that for you" when you know he can, he just won't. (in general; not referring to this case" Saying this is how you keep your job. There are call quotas that must be met. Calls are timed. Everything is monitored. Saying you can't change something for somebody does not mean that it isn't at all possible. It means, "I can't change this for you or else I would be in trouble with my managers." There is no point in wasting time explaining why something can't be changed when it's company policy it can't be changed. Above all else, these reps are just the messengers. For many of those that I worked with, their stances came from a place of "would I rather get fired or feed my three children?"
- otoburb 12y ago
  >There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." There is no external cost to you, but the customer service representative saying this may bear a personal cost for making this statement. Most customer calls are recorded for quality control. Believe it or not, these types of calls are actually listened to for both quality control and CSR script updates. In general, a CSR will be unlikely to state that and really mean it unless they are willing to run the risk of being corrected or reprimanded by superiors.
- zaphar 12y ago
  There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." Those employees are employed under At Will Termination. Their calls are often recorded for "Quality Assurance Purposes". I don't know that they wouldn't be fired after stating exactly that. They very probably won't have any recourse if they are fired. That's a pretty powerful incentive right there and I don't know that I'd blame them for toeing the company line and getting defensive. It's easy to armchair quarterback when you don't have to work there.
- Igglyboo 12y ago
  > There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." Nothing wrong for you maybe, the CSR could easily get fired for saying that.
- droopybuns 12y ago
  That is some bad advice. Corporate communications teams would box anyone into a dead end or actively campaign for your termination if a story ever leaked where a service rep was recorded saying that. You will have happier customers & employers if you stick to talking about what you can do rather than outlining the consequences of an action that you are unauthorized to perform. I'm not even sure what kind of real customer would give a rip if you were fired for doing something they want. Their objective does not include your sustained employment. It's writing the wrong that they've felt.

scott_karana 12y ago

I dunno. Some employees are sympathetic: other times, people get defensive and toe the company line even when they know it's a bullshit policy. There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." Conversely, there is everything wrong with saying "No, I'm sorry sir, but I can't change that for you" when you know he can, he just won't. (in general; not referring to this case) For reference, I worked in a Cable/ISP/telecom call center doing tech support, and had wildly varying feelings about different coworker's stances. So I'm not just armchairing opining.

cannonpult 12y ago
"There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired."" Actually if you want to keep your job, everything is wrong with saying that. I worked at a Verizon Wireless call center for 3 years and there was no way that a statement like that would go ever well with any manager doing a call review. "Conversely, there is everything wrong with saying "No, I'm sorry sir, but I can't change that for you" when you know he can, he just won't. (in general; not referring to this case" Saying this is how you keep your job. There are call quotas that must be met. Calls are timed. Everything is monitored. Saying you can't change something for somebody does not mean that it isn't at all possible. It means, "I can't change this for you or else I would be in trouble with my managers." There is no point in wasting time explaining why something can't be changed when it's company policy it can't be changed. Above all else, these reps are just the messengers. For many of those that I worked with, their stances came from a place of "would I rather get fired or feed my three children?"
otoburb 12y ago
>There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." There is no external cost to you, but the customer service representative saying this may bear a personal cost for making this statement. Most customer calls are recorded for quality control. Believe it or not, these types of calls are actually listened to for both quality control and CSR script updates. In general, a CSR will be unlikely to state that and really mean it unless they are willing to run the risk of being corrected or reprimanded by superiors.
zaphar 12y ago
There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." Those employees are employed under At Will Termination. Their calls are often recorded for "Quality Assurance Purposes". I don't know that they wouldn't be fired after stating exactly that. They very probably won't have any recourse if they are fired. That's a pretty powerful incentive right there and I don't know that I'd blame them for toeing the company line and getting defensive. It's easy to armchair quarterback when you don't have to work there.
Igglyboo 12y ago
> There is nothing wrong with saying "I'm sorry, if I did this for you I would be fired." Nothing wrong for you maybe, the CSR could easily get fired for saying that.
droopybuns 12y ago
That is some bad advice. Corporate communications teams would box anyone into a dead end or actively campaign for your termination if a story ever leaked where a service rep was recorded saying that. You will have happier customers & employers if you stick to talking about what you can do rather than outlining the consequences of an action that you are unauthorized to perform. I'm not even sure what kind of real customer would give a rip if you were fired for doing something they want. Their objective does not include your sustained employment. It's writing the wrong that they've felt.