How to lose a sale in 1 call...

[SeerSGB]

...or how to piss off a loyal customer.

Verizon just called. They said since we've only use 1/2 our minutes for the last year, they want us to roll down to a lower plan. No biggie. But since the phone is through my wife's job, I have to make sure it's in compliance (basically, she gets a discount but only on certain plans, certain phones)

I explain this to the "salesman" on the phone. He then keeps babbling on. I explain again, I need to talk to the wife and make sure it's within the guidelines of her company plan.

Babble, babble, limited time offer, babble babble, too good to pass up...babble babble...Free refurbished phone with 1 year contract...babble...babble....

At this point, I'm just slightly annoyed.

Cue killing the sale:

Salesman: So, is there anyone in the house that wears the pants I can talk to or just you?

Me: I told you, I need to talk to my wife and make sure it's in compliance with her company.

Salesman: So she wears the pants then?

Me: Okay, dude, you just lost the sale, I'm calling your super, and as soon as the last line is clear of the contract BS I'm killing the Verizon accounts.

Salesman: What the hell, what'd I say?

~click~

Called to complain, just got a voicemail.

 

[John Picard]

Keep at it and write a letter documenting the time, date, and what was stated in the call. If you caught the twit's name, be certain to put that in your letter. Written letters are taken very, very seriously,. Make certain you send it to someone in charge of sales (VP or above). Hell, send one to everyone in the sales chain of command.

My mother had a friend who had a salesman do the same thing years ago. Wife wanted a car, so she and hubby do some checking and then go to a dealership. Wife is talking to salesman while hubby is quiet. After a while, salesman looks at hubby and asks if he's going to talk or is he "going to have to deal with her" and something about, "don't you wear the pants?" Wife and hubby look at each other, and then hubby says, "The car was for her as I'm not going to drive it. Congrats on losing a sale." Sales manager begged them to come back, but they left.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

What a dickhead thing for any salesman to say. I have Verizon for DSL. It took them forever to get it hooked up (their incompetence knows no bounds) but they've always at least been nice when I had to talk to them.

 

[RoJoHen]

I once told a customer over the phone that he was a douchebag because I mistakenly thought it was one of my co-workers.

Whoops.

 

[O'Dib]

Ah, good memories of call center work. My coworkers would get pissed off at irate customers, go "fuck you!" and hang up, hoping the random machine didn't record that particular one for review.. Mind you, in this workplace all you did was give your first name to the customer, so it's unlikely they'd track you down by complaining, especially if you neglected to summarize the call in the computer system.

 

[snakespeare]

Caller: May I speak with X.
Me: This is X.
Caller: I am calling from YYY (credit card) to tell you about some new features on your card, but first I need to confirm your identity. Can you tell me your mother's maiden name, please?
Me: How do I know you are who you say you are.
Caller: Sir, I'm calling from YYY and all I need is to confirm your identity. How about your high school?
Me: I'm not going to answer those questions. Anybody could call and claim to be YYY and ask me those questions, and then they could reset my password. Do you think I am crazy?
Caller: Sir, I have had this discussion with many people today and none of them complained about this process.
Me: Well, I'm different. I refuse to give personal information on the phone.
Caller: Then how am I supposed to tell you about new features on your account.
Me: My account has an associated email. It also has a built-in mailbox associated with it. Use that information to contact me by email.

etc., until they give up

Problem is, they just have someone else call back.

You know, usually they work from a script. I doubt there's any script that mentions who wears the pants.

But I wouldn't cut my account from Verizon just because one call center has one mouth punk temporarily employed. The guy will probably be back at Temp Services in the morning, and he may not be assigned to Verizon ever again. You probably could have asked to speak to his boss and then mentioned that you were offended by the "who wears the pants" comment.

And for what it's worth, a couple who makes financial decisions together lasts longer than a couple who tries to maintain economic independence from each other. I speak from experience.

 

[Guartho]

If a salesman told me I didn't wear the pants in the family I'd say "nope, I sure don't." Then hang up. Then proceed as TGS has outlined his plans.

If he asked me if I wear the pants in front of my wife I'd say "Nope, sure don't." Then watch my wife tear him a new one for simultaneously disrespecting her husband and all of womankind."

 

[SeerSGB]

hehehe, he tried calling a few minutes ago (same douche) asking to speak with wife and soundling like a whipped pup. I just hung up on him and put that number on call "reject"-- which will dump the calls into voicemail, and sent Verizon customer service a e-mail complaint.

 

[John Picard]

hehehe, he tried calling a few minutes ago (same douche) asking to speak with wife and soundling like a whipped pup. I just hung up on him and put that number on call "reject"-- which will dump the calls into voicemail, and sent Verizon customer service a e-mail complaint.

$20 says his call was being monitored and he received one hell of an ass chewing.

Seriously, I wouldn't e-mail. That could end up in the "bit bucket". Take the time to write up (type up) a letter, sign your name, and send it via snail mail.

You *will* get someone's attention with that.

Been there, done that, and have reaped rewards thereof.

 

[CaptainStoner]

Lately I've been getting the local newspaper calling, which I do sympathize with, but I have no use for piles of newsprint in my life.
What's funny is, I've been fairly polite, but I *don't* allow them to just ramble on without letting me get a word in. I just cut right in and ask to be removed from their call list, and I use their name if I have it. "Yeah, umm, sorry Doug. That's not going to work for me. You can remove me from your list."
And they hang up on me.

 

[Amaris]

hehehe, he tried calling a few minutes ago (same douche) asking to speak with wife and soundling like a whipped pup. I just hung up on him and put that number on call "reject"-- which will dump the calls into voicemail, and sent Verizon customer service a e-mail complaint.

$20 says his call was being monitored and he received one hell of an ass chewing.

Seriously, I wouldn't e-mail. That could end up in the "bit bucket". Take the time to write up (type up) a letter, sign your name, and send it via snail mail.

You *will* get someone's attention with that.

Been there, done that, and have reaped rewards thereof.

Yeah, I can add my own two cents in here and say it does indeed work. Written letters have more weight because they take more time and effort, which means a customer is really upset, not just whining, which is what they interpret it as if you just send an email. Believe on that one!

 

[SeerSGB]

Actually I'm packing a letter with this month's payment. I usually pay online, but I figure this month they'll just have to cash a check.

 

[RobertVA]

I suspect whoever processes snail mail payments will just enter the payment into the computer, send the check to the bank and drop the rest in a trash bin unread.

 

[John Picard]

Actually I'm packing a letter with this month's payment. I usually pay online, but I figure this month they'll just have to cash a check.

I suspect whoever processes snail mail payments will just enter the payment into the computer, send the check to the bank and drop the rest in a trash bin unread.

That is correct. Get online tomorrow and start checking out "Who's Who" of Verizon's sales totem pole. Like I said, send copies of the same letter to VP's, managers, and even the President of Sales. Address each letter individually, and then, in the closing paragraph, mention that you've also sent copies to the following, which is a list of everyone who you will send the letter.

Then, watch what happens.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Absolutely--I second JP's advice. What that rep said was way, WAY out of line.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I've called and talked to people at their corporate HQ in New York City. They take it pretty seriously when someone is pissed enough to call corporate.

 

[Sheep]

Caller: May I speak with X.
Me: This is X.
Caller: I am calling from YYY (credit card) to tell you about some new features on your card, but first I need to confirm your identity. Can you tell me your mother's maiden name, please?
Me: How do I know you are who you say you are.
Caller: Sir, I'm calling from YYY and all I need is to confirm your identity. How about your high school?
Me: I'm not going to answer those questions. Anybody could call and claim to be YYY and ask me those questions, and then they could reset my password. Do you think I am crazy?
Caller: Sir, I have had this discussion with many people today and none of them complained about this process.
Me: Well, I'm different. I refuse to give personal information on the phone.
Caller: Then how am I supposed to tell you about new features on your account.
Me: My account has an associated email. It also has a built-in mailbox associated with it. Use that information to contact me by email.

etc., until they give up

Problem is, they just have someone else call back.

What kind of backwater credit card would call and ask you to provide personal information like that over the phone? Mine's always telling me that they'll never solicit my personal information in that manner. Are you sure that isn't some scammer trying to get your information?

 

[SVD]

Indeed! Uncalled for.

But, no reason to dump verizon over one bad apple in the bunch of employees thy got.

Caller: May I speak with X.
Me: This is X.
Caller: I am calling from YYY (credit card) to tell you about some new features on your card, but first I need to confirm your identity. .....

What kind of backwater credit card would call and ask you to provide personal information like that over the phone? Mine's always telling me that they'll never solicit my personal information in that manner. Are you sure that isn't some scammer trying to get your information?

Dollars to a dozen donuts it is! I've heard news reports of scammers using similar tactics through the souls that fell for it. Good policy, Snake.

And for what it's worth, a couple who makes financial decisions together lasts longer than a couple who tries to maintain economic independence from each other. I speak from experience.

I dont know, but as a third party in a household with 70+ year old grandparents, such does NOT work all the time. Grandma is impulsive, at the shelf/dealer/whatever: "That looks good, I'll buy it!". Grandpa is the methodical money miser. Always shopping around and reading Consumer Reports to find the best whatchamacalit that he's looking for at the best price. They never see eye to eye on matters financial, and operate largely autonomously

 

[sidious618]

I'd have told them that I never wear pants when I'm at home. I like the cool breeze.

 

[jamestyler]

What kind of backwater credit card would call and ask you to provide personal information like that over the phone? Mine's always telling me that they'll never solicit my personal information in that manner. Are you sure that isn't some scammer trying to get your information?

I've never had to work for a credit card company or bank but it's pretty standard for call centre jobs I've had the misfortune of doing - which has been for Sky subscriptions/tech support and an insurance company.

If we didn't confirm who we were talking to, we could end up speaking to anyone in the household or have a wrong number... and then end up taking account details with a random idiot.

I was once that random idiot. I answered the phone when I was seven, the guy on the other end began offering me life insurance on my mothers account. Which is all kinds of stupid on both ends.