Lots of excellent points in your post, lostandconfused! I've only snipped for length..
Quote:
Originally Posted by lostandconfused
*snippy* and it CS at least there is always a supervisor available if you need to speak to one, however a CSA will not transfer you before finding out what the problem is and at least trying to help.
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Assuming that NTL:TW has policies similar to other call centres when it comes to this, I just thought I'd underline that in most cases, the CSA is
not allowed and
will get in trouble for just transferring you/escalating the issue to a supervisor before finding out what the problem is and at least trying to help.
When I was working helpdesk (not for NTL:TW) I would have LOVED to be able to act upon every single request for a supervisor to take the call immediately. Seriously: 1) try to troubleshoot with Mr. Angry Sometimes Profane Unhappy Customer or 2) transfer him so he can yell at your boss instead, and go make yourself a nice cup of tea! LOL
The worst kind of calls are the ones where you know the client doesn't want to talk to YOU, but your job duties oblige you to try to help them before escalating (which often sets you up for abuse). A lot of customers expected us to act like our jobs would be in jeopardy if they mentioned to the boss that we didn't fetch them a manager right away, when the truth of the matter is that we're more liable to run into problems if we DON'T follow the procedures set out by management -- however painful those extra steps might be for customers and CSAs to go through before getting that manager on the line.
I do have to wonder why the ball was dropped with regard to cherylsmith1982's problem, though:
Quote:
Originally Posted by cherylsmith1982
So, after a call to NTL, they have refused to drop the late payment charge because they say that our address is correct on their system. They dont care that we have the letter to hand which IS incorrectly addressed. And also, they said that the bill DOES NOT include a service charge - but yet again, it clearly states on this letter SERVICE CHARGES - 15.00.
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The way I was trained:
1) Check cherylsmith1982's address on our system, and see that it IS correct. (Preemptive strike against the bigger problem of her info being wrong in our files!)
2) Confirm that the bill that cherylsmith1982 is holding in her hand right at this moment is NOT addressed correctly.
3) Make a note that if the bill was generated automatically by our system, the customer's address has got to be wrong in there
somewhere, even if it's not in a part of the file that I have access to.
4) Re: Late Payment Charge -- If this bill was sent to the wrong address, assume that the one the client never got (and therefore, couldn't pay) went to the wrong address as well. Contact supervisor for permission to waive the Late Payment Charge given these circumstances.
5) Even if I don't see a Service Charge on the client's last bill on the system, assume that the client can read and does, actually, see the words Service Charge in front of her on the bill.
6a) Escalate the issue to find out if the £15 'Service Charge' the client sees really means that a service charge has been applied to the account, and if is in ANY WAY related to a delay paying the bill because of the address mixup, get permission from management to waive this charge as well, given the circumstances.
6b) If 'Service Charge' could mean 'It's Not A Service Charge Per Se, But We Like To Use Generic Terms For Things In This Company Just To Mix Things Up A Bit!', find out what the charge is for, in this specific case, and.. if it's in any way related to the address mixup, get permission from management to waive the charge, given the circumstances.
7) Log the details of the call and all steps taken so that if the customer does have to call back, she doesn't need to explain everything all over again.
8) If call logging software allows it, why not follow-up on this ticket in a week or so to make sure that any charges to be refunded were applied, and to see if we've found out yet where that wrong address was hiding in the file. (If it happened to one client, it WILL happen to others, and we should find out where the problem is before it spreads.)
It doesn't seem like rocket surgery (lol!) to me. Hopefully the OP's issue will be resolved soon!