We ask you questions and give you information that is, contrary to popular belief, very important to you and beneficial to getting the issue you called in about resolved. Which is why you called in, in the first place, right??
Now, while we do have certain things we have to say to every customer who calls, the rest of it is pertinent information to you and your individual situation. So when we ask a question, please, please, please, please listen to us?
Example:
The customer who calls has one TV that is showing nothing but snow on it.
Me: Okay, Ms. Customer, now... is this the only TV that is experiencing this problem?
Ms. Customer: No, the one in the bedroom's fine!
Ummmm... right.
Breakdowns in communication (i.e. you not listening to us) also lead to customers asking questions about things we've already stated as clearly as humanly possible. So if the baby is crying and the dog is barking, the family is expecting dinner on the table or your favorite show or sports team is on the TV -- STOP and think before you call? We devote our time to you! Sure, it's what we get paid for, but when we have to repeat ourselves or ask if you're still on the other end of the phone-line because you've had to mute us to yell at Bubba or keep the dog who's barking at absolutely nothing from deafening us?? It doesn't help us, which means it's far more difficult for us to help you. Big tip?? Most tech support lines that include such important things as telephone services nationwide should be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call when the kids are in bed, the dog is in the backyard, dinner is finished, and you have the time and attention span to pay attention to US as much as we pay attention to YOU.
Oh... and that call from your cousin or your best bud coming in on the other line?? It can wait!! Seriously!! This is why you have voice-mail... They won't pass out or lose a limb or the ability to see or hear because they've had to leave you a message while you deal with tech support. Asking to put me on hold for "a sec" to answer the other line or ask me to hold on while you answer the "cliche dog bark" on your phone because your sister/uncle/BFF/etc. is calling... only to TELL them you have to call them back because you're talking to tech support?!? This wastes my time as well as yours. When they get voice-mail, it's IMPLIED that you will call them back when you're able to. Hence, the typical message on voice-mail (or an answering machine) states something along the lines of "...unable to answer the phone blah, blah, blah.... leave a message and i'll call you back..."
So next time you're on the phone with an issue that was important enough for you to call me while you make dinner, banging and crashing dishes around and the kids yell and scream in the background... Don't act like I'm asking you to perform miracles when I ask you to walk across the room to look at something that is going to HELP me fix this oh-so-important issue (God forbid the kids can't watch Barney or Dora or you miss American Idol) you've called me for and then expect me not to be inwardly peeved when you ask me to "hang on a sec" so you can answer a call from your mother/son/spouse/significant other only to tell them you can't chit-chat right now because you're talking to tech support.
Cuz I WILL be peeved. You won't know it, but I'll be making faces at you and making rude gestures at my screen if you tick me off too much with stupidity and ignorance. And you other tech support geeks?!? Don't EVEN act like you've never done this, because you have. Maybe not the rude gestures, but you've made that face. You've rolled your eyes or stuck your tongue out at the screen or even done that silent facepalm as you shook your head. I know you have!! It's human nature - you can't stop it.
So the moral of this story is:
You expect us to listen to you, the least you can do is listen to us.
Thanks for tuning in, dear readers... sorry it's been so long between posts, I've been sick. :(
But I'm back!!
Until next time!!
Lis
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