by Brock M. Hunter

Created on: October 19, 2010   Last Updated: October 20, 2010

Having spent eighteen years working in the customer service field in various capacities including an operator, trainer and supervisor, as well as working for various companies ranging from Fortune 500 to smaller family owned businesses and everything in between, I have some unique insights into the inner workings of the customer service industry.

First and foremost, people need to realize that it is the company that makes the rules, not the person who answers the phone.  When that operator is hired and trained, they are given guidelines which they must adhere to if they want to keep their job, just as every other job in every other industry.  Secondly, 99% of the time, people only call customer service if there is a problem, or they feel they have been wronged in some way by the company, and these operators talk to upwards of 30 irate customers an hour for 8 hours a day (one company I worked for required us to take an average of 35 calls per hour or face disciplinary action).  How many of you have tried to resolve a problem you just found out about from somebody who is not being very nice about it in the first place; do it in less than 2 minutes, and do it repeatedly even after suffering multiple verbal attacks for 8 hours straight, all while trying to stay within the guidelines of the company just so you can keep your job?  Please think about that the next time you call customer service.

In the early ‘90’s I worked for a Fortune 500 telecommunications company that provided long distance telephone service.  Their policy regarding customer credit for long distance calling charges was very unforgiving.  Their position was that if the charge is on the bill, the charge is valid.  When the person who owned the account claimed they never made the calls, credit was denied, with varied reasons being anywhere from “somebody made the calls from your phone” or “it’s possible somebody wired into your junction box outside your house and made the calls, however you are still responsible for all activity that occurs on your phone line”.  The firm rule was “no credit”. 

However, as the cliché says, rules are meant to be broken, and this company did provide the operators the freedom, in their own judgment (which often was heavily decided upon by the attitude of the customer), to provide a one-time credit for disputed charges for a small specified amount, with instructions

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