Call centre rant thread: I want to speak to your supervisor

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Call centre rant thread: I want to speak to your supervisor

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SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Fil5000 posted:

"Aspects of my performance which should remain between me and my manager were discussed in open office. Further, the tone of the comments was completely inappropriate and unprofessional."

This sounds good. HR really enjoys when managers screw around with the line and there are witnesses.

Tychtrip posted:

As much as losing your job sucks, I think it might not really be the worst thing that could happen to you, given they'd let you resign... some serious anger there man.

Although after reading that again, I think I'd be super loving angry at that.

Have you worked in a call center? About 4/3 of the people you talk to in semi technical support will make you want to burn things...

Gothmog1065 posted:

Well, I just had my first call where I hung up on a customer in frustration. Probably going to lose my job over this. MVP one quarter, normally near the top in stats, one call.

loving bitch would NOT LISTEN TO ME. What tipped me off is when I was explaining, very calmly (Maybe a bit snarkily, which wasn't helping, whatever) why her internet was going off when she moved it. After I got done, she goes "Oh were you talking?". I literally almost punched my monitor. Oh my god gently caress some of our customers. I had to get up and walk around our mile course thing we have outside. I'm still pissed off, I'm afraid to take another call.

e: Between this, the loving retarded delays on work at home (Why the gently caress cant' they get us started while they do a bid shift for the guy who was fired, nooo, let's delay it ANOTHER loving month) and other stupid outside poo poo, I just want to throw things.

e: Oh yeah. Quit making us loving tier 1.5. WE'ere Advanced Technical support. Stop routing workorder schedule changes and work order verification to us. We're supposed to be helping customer with actual technical problems. I don't mind "helping out" I mind having permanent additions to our work load that actually devalue our services to the company.

You hung up? Pro tip: just hit line 2, or disconnect your headset. I never did this because I could handle my idiots, but a lot of my coworkers did this allll the time!

# ¿ Aug 8, 2013 19:20

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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 16:08

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Tychtrip posted:

I work in a call centre and it's never been that bad. Only been there a few months, I guess it just hasn't got to me yet. I shall bide my time.

Humm. Are you in tech support? I found it horrid at both customer service and tech support. And it wasn't just me - I'd shadow coworkers for a few hours a week and it was pretty par for course.

Oh wait. Based on how you spell center maybe you're not American! We have far dumber people here, and they get really angry when you try to help them. It's a fun time.

Gothmog1065 posted:

I'm sure they can tell if they wanted to, but they normally rely on video which my feed doesn't work. We have softphones, and she was screaming and moving around so it could have been her naturally. I don't think I was reported by her, so if QA doesn't get it, it'll probably just slip through the cracks.

Video feed?! Wow. Softphones meaning an Avaya system or something? Do you have an amp? That's the best way to stealthy disconnect yourself. A couple minutes of silence and the customer disconnects. I didn't do this, but a few of my various friends teammates were fired for it over the course of 15 months. After the 2011 'price change' people just started not caring. And it really picked up after 130-150 people were laid off without notice one day. Gotta love right to work and temps...

# ¿ Aug 8, 2013 21:20

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Gothmog1065 posted:

Yeah we have monitoring software that records our screens to see if we're doing things during calls (like watching videos). It's kind of annoying. Yeah, we have Avaya, but since the Win7 upgrade they've been using Jabra headsets that don't have the amps on them.

Oh thats NUTS! I bet half my old call center watched videos. They gave us dual monitors, and we definitely didn't need them. I used it for web reading, a LOT of people used it for watching our product on the screen (Netflix!)

RICHUNCLEPENNYBAGS posted:

You can't make it very long without doing this, can you?

Honestly I have no idea. I know one dude got fired for it but he was being actively monitored and the line went dead on his end... Sup came by, and no agent! I know a lot of people who did it SUPER rarely, and never got fired, over a year of time I worked with them. Depending on the center, they definitely may audit the key codes more actively. The center I was at didn't do it too much, but we also didn't record calls or have QA. Just supervisor (and higher) live monitors. I am not really sure if hanging up is worse than line2'ing - One of my best friend's (outside of callcenterhell) was fired for legit hang up's due to dead air calls or disconnection that the system couldn't pick up on.

100 HOGS AGREE posted:

Yeah bro just keep your head down and let management get away with acting like unprofessional shitheels.

What's the point of having Human Resources if you aren't actually going to, you know, exercise your rights as an employee. Not every company is OK with people acting like jerks. Even if that person is your supervisor holy poo poo.

Because the manager person won't get in trouble, and then you'll get fired. Now, me, I would be going straight to HR without a doubt.

ratbert90 posted:

While that may be true, his manager doesn't need to be a massive shitheel about it. His coming in late is NOT an excuse for his manager to be a complete dick, and your attitude is what perpetuates that kind of lovely behavior.

Absolutely agreed. If the late is a problem, the goon should be taken aside and talked to about it. Maybe given some form of written warning. Or be fired. NOT be called out by a supervisor on the floor, and NOT be insulted about it. I feel like professionalism is a dead thing here in 'Merika.

# ¿ Aug 9, 2013 06:00

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Fil5000 posted:

Further, it wasn't even cuntvalet's manager, it was the operations manager. Whatever performance issues there are it's a) not appropriate to bring it up in the middle of the office and b) not appropriate for this guy to do it in a mocking manner.

Cuntvalet, I'd raise it with your line manager first, and if you get further issues with the ops manager then go to hr with it.

What do you think the line manager will do? I don't know the terminology used at most call centers, mine had Sup (1-3, based on team size and pay but they all 'ranked' the same; Sup1's got fired first though!), Team Manager, TM2, Center Director. I feel like HR is the right track, but I am the squeaky wheel that gets fixed, not greased

I had my stand desk within a month, it took most people 6mo+. One poor girl wasn't issued one until enough people were fired. Not me. And on days where there were staffing issues, I got paid time off phones if a standing desk wasn't available vs sitting at a desk.

In all honesty, I can't believe all call center desks aren't around the 42-44" mark. Humans aren't made to sit!! Pacing around a cube is so much better for you.

Tychtrip posted:

Nah, just customer service. And hey now, don't be silly. We have our fair share of morons (we never use this word).

Let me clarify, I don't love it, it's pretty mindnumbing. But I pretty much never get worked up over it.

It must be an American thing

You give an American a cheap product, with product support, and they expect you to support their personal devices, internet connections, etc...!!! Hell is other people for sure, especially depending on who that other person is! Some contracts have better customers I think, which makes a massive difference. And your IVR type. Ours was based on the callers number vs prior numbers that had called in and been flagged on an account, or numbers customers punched into accounts (optional, most didn't have em), and then due to the type of problem that account may be having. You could have days that were absolutely smooth and fantastic, or days where EVERY caller was on crack about $7.99 and needing an extension for payment! Gah!!

# ¿ Aug 9, 2013 07:24

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Fil5000 posted:

Don't know what the line manager will do - if they've got any balls and give a poo poo about their team then they'll go to the ops manager and tell them not to bring up performance/attendance issues with one of their staff. If they haven't then nothing, but cuntvalet will be able to say she's tried the proper channels before going to HR.

Can't speak for where cuntvalet is but I know where I am the official guidelines are to first go to the person causing the problem and try to resolve it. If that doesn't work or you don't feel you can then you go to your manager. If you don't think you can do that or it doesn't work then you keep going up the chain. Going direct to HR isn't WRONG, it's just probably better to try to have your manager onside.

I probably misunderstood the hierarchy cuntvalet is dealing with. Filing a complaint with your boss against his boss seems a bit frivolous. I would want that on the ops managers HR record, especially with a witness. Maybe go to your direct manager (line manager apparently? Good to know) and tell them you want to file a formal complaint with HR... I would absolutely NOT let it slide. A scumbag call center manager should not be allowed to effectively insult you publicly. IMO. (And that action reaffirms the scumbagness.)

# ¿ Aug 9, 2013 10:10

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

cuntvalet posted:

Oh god are you talking about me? That sounds like it could be me. I do it because I consider my desk mates all as friends and we bitch about customers to eachother. I hope it's not me.

Also the wifi at my office is super lovely too.

The only difference is I don't think I'm cool or quippy. I just say what I wish I could say when venting with my neighbors.

At the two centers I worked at, griping about customers was 100% normal. We also would tell each other to STFU if we didn't want to hear it. No one had a problem with that either!

Loving Life Partner posted:

I know this is a silly thing to say in this thread particularly, but my co-worker is a call reenactor and it drives me batshit.

Like somehow our 15 minute breaks are kinda synched, so I'll be sitting here letting the first barrage of calls ooze out of my brain and reading bullshit threads or posting about video games or Magic and she'll turn around and start in,

"You wouldn't believe this call, so he beeps in, and he's PISSED and saying to me "

And I'm just like

It's almost like I don't even get a break, because she goes through every step of the call and all the things SHE said that were SO COOL AND QUIPPY and how she's not gonna take none of that and blah blah blah.

The hell do you do? "I don't care stop talking to me" and then I'm the rear end in a top hat of the floor or something. I might start taking my break away from the PC and using my phone to unwind, but the WiFi here is dogshit and the internet is the only thing that salves the wounds.

Taking your break away from your work station would definitely be good for you. I usually ate an apple and walked about a half mile per break. It barely kept me same. And if your coworker won't shut up, you do have a voice. "Hey Bob, I really need a few min of no customer thoughts right now, kthx?"

The 'do me a favor' thing is definitely a good suggestion.

# ¿ Aug 10, 2013 09:51

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Loving Life Partner posted:

Ugh. Boss sent me this bullshit "survey", I put it in quotation marks because it's obviously some "think about ways you could better sacrifice your time and sanity to help our bottom line" bullshit.

I wish I could just answer "I don't care about any of the above nonsense, I just get paid to answer phones for you and this time next year I'm moving to a new state where I'll hopefully never talk on a phone again for as long as I live and nobody but middle management lifer assholes cares about this horse poo poo."

I mean maybe one out of 15 or 20 reps I meet actually feels like there's a career here, and you can see them gunning to move up the ladder with everything they do, but most people here? HAH.

That IS how I answered those surveys. My call centers knew I was a full time student and my tenure was short lived. Its always fun keeping your managers on edge about when you're not going to come back, especially if the center isn't hitting your service commitment goal (wasn't that what its called? Where you have X calls answered in Y seconds.)

Also, if you dress like you DGAF (PJ's! Works like a charm) and then wear really expensive suits, your managers may/may not pull you aside and talk about how you like the job and promotion possibilities. May was my case, and it was super funny.You think $0.50/hr is enough for me to want MORE responsibility and no less phone time? Huh?!

legsarerequired posted:

Good news! I have a job offer at a not-call-center! They're over-nighting an offer to me, and now I'm waiting for my drug test results/background check to go through. I've just been trying to leave for so long that I'm really paranoid something will fall through at the last minute. I almost can't believe this is happening.

I'm going to miss working at home, but I honestly can't do this anymore.

The WFH call centers always sounded better, but also horrid. If you had a separate home office (from your relaxing on the internet / studying / doing stuff you like home office) maybe it would be okay. I don't like feeling stress when I sit down on my computer, and I felt that way when I walked into my old daily hells.

Congrats on getting out!!

SiGmA_X fucked around with this message at 04:52 on Aug 13, 2013

# ¿ Aug 13, 2013 04:49

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

As long as the WAH winds up with you finding a new job, FTW! Get out while you can. Call centers aren't career jobs, even for supervisors. Well, they can be, but -most- supervisors are either bottom feeders or could be making a buttload more if they found real jobs.

# ¿ Aug 17, 2013 18:23

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

TODAY marks one year since I was released from hell! Happy times!

# ¿ Aug 21, 2013 00:51

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

liz posted:

After reading this thread a bit, I'm a little afraid to post this... But anyways, I had an interview earlier this week for what is essentially an inbound call center dealing with FMLA benefits. I have never worked in a call center before, and am honestly just trying to better my financial situation and earn more money. The benefits and pay are already better than my current job (along with better hours M-F 830-5) so on paper it looks good, but basically how hosed am I? Am I going to completely hate this? There's no guarantee I'd even get the job, but its hard to say no to something that is seemingly better than my current position (Teller).

Call centers are dead end positions. The 'good' ones pay you just enough to make you quit any job with possibilities of advancement and be their slave. Keep looking, IMO.

WFH would be the only type of call center work I would consider again, and it pays too low, in general/all that I've seen ads for.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2013 19:41

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

100 HOGS AGREE posted:

Just don't get complacent and stop looking for work if you feel you are qualified to work elsewhere for better pay.

This is the problem where I was last. 37k a year for CSR1's, and 2/3+ of the CSR's had bachelors degrees from reputable colleges!! I'd go so far as to say more CSR's vs supes had degrees %wise. And those CSR's all hated it and knew they were losing career opportunities with their degrees, but couldn't turn down the money... Especially in Oregon's economy.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2013 04:54

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Gothmog1065 posted:

Ugh, I wish I could hear something from the other two jobs I applied for. I'm really, really really beginning to hate my customers.

( That and I'm not getting the answers I want on swapping my car for a truck)

Hating the customers happens. Get out. Get out now.

And keep the car until its paid off and you have cash for a truck. You work at a call center, you don't want a drat loan! What happens when you randomly get fired?!

Lol that said there were a buttton of new cars @ Netflix and you just knew no one paid cash for them. Lol.

# ¿ Sep 10, 2013 03:20

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

That call is fantastic! Wow! That rep really sucks, but yeah, customers are nuts.

# ¿ Sep 13, 2013 00:33

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

rolleyes posted:

So I'm assuming the answer here is "Ahahahahahahaha. No."

Wtf? I should hope not. My insurance company allows me to start and stop whenever I want. If they didn't I wouldn't use them.

Now IRT the claim, thats different. Obviously it would be denied.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2013 16:40

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Colonel J posted:

That's weird. At my place you never get bad points for taking the opportunities for time off because it's actually good for the company.

Same with my old company. It was a positive on your performance review at a friends old company.

Depending on just how slow it was, I loved sitting around not taking calls. Then again, we were allowed to surf the net, text, chat with friends, etc... Some nights I would take it RIGHT AWAY because I had better things to do, but not always.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2013 08:06

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

martyrdumb posted:

At my last call center, we could take PTO and leave early if it was slow... at first. They did it all the time when I was hired. After a couple years, though, they started bringing in other lines of business (insurance) to increase our occupancy time, and also outsourced our inquiry calls to the Philippines. I never once got sent home in the last 2 years of the nearly 5 I worked there. Man, did that place turn into a total shitshow.

Where I work now, we never go home early. But our department is only 5 people, so it's a big difference.

5 years at a cell center! You're insane!

# ¿ Dec 4, 2013 23:16

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

I use to abuse my medical condition caused sick days a TON at my last call center. I haven't been sick once in my new job, that I actually like. I legitimately am more healthy by not hating my job, its fantastic. And I enjoy going to work daily, OT and all...

QUIT THE CALL CENTER!

Tychtrip posted:

I'm still young and naive, this is my second job (I'm 21) but first in a call centre, and despite only being here since April, I'm slowly learning that trying to be a decent employee by being punctual and never taking sick days really gets people nowhere here.

Its a call center, there is no where to go.

SiGmA_X fucked around with this message at 05:28 on Jan 22, 2014

# ¿ Jan 22, 2014 05:26

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Magnetic North posted:

I applied to work at a call center (bad idea probably, but I just have to get out of my current job because I am pretty sure I am getting fired), and in the interview they said something that sounded weird to me.

It's a service industry call center that said that how they process incoming calls, order, and tickets will change rapidly based on volume. So one time they'll says, "Do it XXX and give them an estimated time of arrival" then five minutes later they will say, "Do it YYY and don't quote a time." That seems really odd to me. Is that a red flag, outside of it being probably a terrible job anyway?

Doesn't seem that weird to me. My primary callcenter experience had me never give time estimates, and be vague as gently caress unless needed.

gently caress call centers BTW

# ¿ Jan 29, 2014 03:55

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

blackmet posted:

New position requires only 4 hours a day on the phone. So far, I like it, and even the phone portion isn't too bad. Except for on thing...

Each day, we get an email stating who met productivity standards and who did not, written in a dickish tone, by a senior manager who's not even in our center. I had the day off yesterday (got a new dog, wanted to get him acclimated to his new home). Came in today to this email:

Hello, you were on the phones for 0% of the time you were scheduled. Please provide your manager an explanation as to why.

I shot back an email to him and copied in my manager stating:

Hello,

Please refer to the vacation calendar screenshot listed below. I was approved for this day off. I will be on the phones at my scheduled time today. If you have any further questions, contact my manager. Thank you!

This apparently pissed him off...but it got results! Email was later sent to the entire team from my manager stating "we will be handling this differently starting tomorrow. However, if you have to email him or anyone else, please be positive and professional."

Provided I don't get a write up (99% chance of not) I won!

You sounded positive and professional to me. I would give you high marks.

martyrdumb posted:

There is literally no need for this type of communication to be coming straight from a higher-up to an employee. That's why bullshit middle managers exist, to make sure that you aren't bothered by this poo poo. You should only be discussing your metrics in a weekly/monthly meeting with YOUR manager. Hopefully dumbass gets a slap on the wrist from above, because he was going about it all wrong in the first place.

I agree regarding direct manager should handle this. However, my direct manager at both callcenters I was out published public metric data daily. I now am in accounting, and my department (but not me, I do real work or no work) have metrics, and they are published publicly within the department on a daily basis. I see no problem with daily metric review, I review my personal goals daily too...

# ¿ Apr 11, 2014 02:42

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

sbaldrick posted:

So people are bitching that they have to work regular office hours, the horror.

The irony, everyone at the cesspools I worked at wanted to have those hours!

# ¿ Apr 28, 2014 17:25

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

g0lbez posted:

what on earth is the point of sick pay if you still get penalized?

Sales tactics for getting new hires?

# ¿ May 27, 2014 05:13

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

The one great thing about my last call center (Netflix, direct not outsourced) was we had the corp policy of unlimited time off. Limited paid time off, unlimited time off. So as long as your metrics were solid, no worries.

Compared to the place I worked at before for 5wks (ACS/XEROX, outsourced for HughesNet omg ftl), and they were going to fire me for a third call out. I called out the third day to quit, and the manager thanked me for letting her know and said if I had called out again I'd be canned regardless of a doctors note! (I didn't tell her I quit to work at netfucks, but rather that I was sick, had a doctors note, and pretty sure the job was causing the sickness lol.) Definitely not in the polices, but that's at-will employment for ya!

Escape call centers, y'all. Don't piss your lives away!

# ¿ Jun 4, 2014 20:59

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

CountOfNowhere posted:

I feel like I should have known that - Makes me want a job there or someplace like it... Holy poo poo, dream perk right there.

I swear we discussed it! I've heard mixed reviews (from Google, Glassdoor, and NPR/other news reports) on if you can actually take the time off in the real biz. At the call center, it was NBD as long as metrics/volumes were kosher and supe was kosher. I think it depends on how you function, if you can get poo poo knocked out in a lot faster fashion than coworkers, or if you need to put in more time to get the work done. Slash if you convince yourself that you shouldn't take PTO - Not something I could manage!

I imagine the *real* business vs call center will have a limited amount of PTO (call center did too, I forget if it was 2 or 3 weeks, accrued based on hours worked or days worked for supes, who were salary) but unlimited vacation days. Probably a legit WFH policy too, providing you do work.

gently caress call centers!! I'm glad I had a lot of time off the phones while I was doing that BS. And I have to say, it was a great life experience and taught me what I will never, ever do again.

# ¿ Jun 5, 2014 02:00

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

CountOfNowhere posted:

I know how YOU got unlimited unpaid time off, but I didn't know that was a thing that you could do, like, as a regular person. You're not talking about VTO are you? 'Cause I knew about VTO.

Nope, not VTO. Unlimited time off! This article re states it. If you look at articles from 2012 or prior, Netflix executives are quoted saying "unlimited time off". http://www.danieljacobson.com/blog/285

# ¿ Jun 6, 2014 23:53

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

140 at progressive!? That's insane. We did around 100/8hr at Netfucks. 80-110 depending on call type, some folks were a little higher but had car higher call back rate. They started tracking that right before my final release.

# ¿ Jun 7, 2014 06:53

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Ghostnuke posted:

Real talk. I just recently got fired for needing a shoulder surgery. I talked to a lawyer and he said I had no case.

What was the reason you got fired for.

# ¿ Jul 16, 2014 01:07

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Peven Stan posted:

How common is it for call centers to time people's bathroom breaks? I say this because our floor got a bunch of refugees from the service center and one guy told me that the new management had began pushing metrics where for the past few years there had been none, and one of them was a scheduled/timed bathroom break.

Both that I worked at timed aux time. We had a metric, but if you weren't aux'ing a ton and you were legitimately using the bathroom, no supe cared.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2014 02:53

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Esroc posted:

At mine the "supervisors" only job was to monitor a row of 10-12 people. It was the most coveted position because you were paid 33k a year to basically be "Lord of Cubicle Row Four". All they did all day was listen in on calls, go over the stats of their assigned employees, and dish out the punishment when one of us stepped out of line.

Same. Except my company paid 2-3x that figure. Then again, CSR1's were paid 40k.

Stanos posted:

You should have claimed diabetes but then again I'm sure there'd be an excuse for that too.

And it's not like that would be a far fetched claim in a lot of call centers.

(I gained 15 lbs in my stint at one. )

Ftl! I lost 10 at mine. Looking at all the obese people was encouragement enough to walk around the campus a few laps every break and at lunch, watch what I ate, and walk circles around my desk - I had a standing station. I also took a weight lifting class and started lifting toward the end of my time served.

Gotta look out for # 1.

# ¿ Jul 20, 2014 10:04

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

sbaldrick posted:

I've never understood why call centres need that kind of supervision, I've seen my boss in person once in the past 5 months for my review and about 90% of that time was shooting the poo poo and gossiping about the stupid poo poo people here do.

My three metrics were dsat (dissatisfied rate), AHT, and %AUX. We worked on getting DSAT down while keeping AHT low. It was fun, cuz IDGAF about DSAT. Lol. Some of my coworkers were always stressed, it was super stress free for me tho. It was the definition of a j-o-b (that paid 40k) so I couldn't care less if they got upset with me for doubling the metrics.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2014 00:26

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Effexxor posted:

Remember when a guy went to a Social Security call center with a shot gun and went on a little mini rampage? After that, the US government got really serious about safety with their call centers. If someone threatens to kill a federal employee or federally contracted employee at their job, that is considered to be a terroristic threat and they are charged accordingly. Granted, they have to be specific threats, i.e. 'What city are you in? I'm going to come kill you', but that's still enough to get charged with a terroristic threat against a federal employee.

As for this specific case, I don't know if she officially got charged but I do know that they did have to evacuate the floor, call in the police and a team to test to see what the powder was, so I'm pretty sure she had to get charged with something. Not to mention the legal issues with transporting human remains through the US postal service.

It's not illegal to ship cremated remains. Research it...

quote:

Effective December 26, 2013, the Postal Service revised its Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 601.12 to require mailers to use only Priority Mail Express service when shipping cremated remains.

The revision to the manual reads as follows:

12.9.3 Cremated Remains

***Mail pieces sent to domestic addresses must be sent using Priority Mail Express service.

http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2013/pb22379/html/updt_002.htm

SiGmA_X fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Jul 24, 2014

# ¿ Jul 24, 2014 20:15

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

3 years in a call center!!?! Omg. I did 16 months between two, I can never do another day. That poo poo is hell. Get out now.

Coming up on 2yrs of phone freedom in 2wks!

# ¿ Jul 25, 2014 06:13

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Most managers at the two call centers I had the pleasure of working at were rather funny looking. Not all, but a lot. *Shocking* what a crap diet and sitting on your rear end for 9hr a day plus all evening does for someone.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2014 02:14

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Pharmaskittle posted:

I don't know if this is the thread for this, but I figure you guys will know since you probably deal with this a lot.

I've been getting overcharged by my internet company for eighteen months, for a total of $360. I've gotten to a local supervisor, who has offered me discounts on future bills totaling $80. I really need to get reimbursed that money. I've been very polite and assured everyone I've talked to that I understand they're limited in what they can offer me, but I'm having trouble breaking through to the next level of management to get an actual refund.

Would it be quicker to just contact their corporate offices, or should I keep asking supervisors to kick me up to whatever the next level is? I'm willing to keep at this for as long as it takes, but I'm not even sure what their structure is like and I don't want to be a dick and just go, "let me talk to whoever's in charge of you."

You likely are screwed, you waited way too long to have this fixed. Its quite possible they aren't even liable for the overages anymore as per your contract because you didn't contact within 90 days of statement or similar. Maybe 4 months, based on the 4 month discount they offered you.

I think a lot of the public facing corporate numbers and mailing addresses...auto route to the call center. Mail is reforwarded, etc. Its cool.

Pharmaskittle posted:

They lowered the price of my service without telling me, and continued to charge me the old rate. If it had been like, a month or two before they fixed it, I'd be happy with a small discount, but we're talking about almost a month's rent for me that I've been overcharged. I'm happy to pursue this for as long as it takes, since I really need that money.

Sounds more like they lowered the price of the service for new customers, not for you. You agreed to a price and have been paying it. For 18 months, none the less. Don't get me wrong, I think its wrong and a bad business practice, but I believe you aren't obligated to the refund like you think you are. I would take a 1.33 month credit and move on. But see how far up you can take it, maybe it'll go somewhere. Please do post back in this thread about it.

mllaneza posted:

Take it to Twitter. Be sure and include any ticket or reference number you may have; if you don't have, get one."@example.com You overcharged me, I want a refund for my $360. See reference # ############. You're still likely to only get a credit, but at least you won't have to pay your bill for a few months. If you can reasonably switch services, retention might be able to get a check cut. And if you do switch, credit won't help so you should be able to get a check without taking it to small claims. If it DOES go to small claims, literally any reasonable expense related to the collection

I've had to resort to Twitter to get callbacks on week-old tickets with an ISP. it should work splendidly in a refund situation.

I *have* heard elsewhere that this works. It should be worth a shot.

# ¿ Nov 27, 2014 05:48

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

mllaneza posted:

Well that is true. But porting the number to another carrier should absolutely remove it from the billing database.

I imagine that is not at all how the termination agreement in your contract works, which you agreed to. Just a guess.

# ¿ Nov 30, 2014 18:43

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Effexxor posted:

I ope not for his sake. I've heard horror stories about that place. I had to call into them once with a borrower and basically had to save the poor kid on the other line when he clearly did not have enough training.

I worked for ACS on a satellite internet contract. Minimum wage ($8/hr? I forget), supervisors made $12/hr and there was a requirement to have meth mouth to move up. One week of REALLY bad training and off we went, totally unprepared, with minimal support. Our computers were HORRIDLY old and slow, and a few of them had viruses constantly, even though we had zero internet access.

This same center had Apple contracts too. The people there were no happier, but at least had <2yo Mac's so they didn't complain about slow systems.

God that was horrid. I was only there 6 weeks I believe, and I was fired for being sick 3 days in a row. Even though the attendance policy allowed sick days. Granted, I had a new job before I called in sick...

SiGmA_X fucked around with this message at 04:42 on Dec 2, 2014

# ¿ Dec 2, 2014 04:39

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

legsarerequired posted:

I am so sorry that all of you are going through all of this. I've escaped call center work for about a year now (thanks to another goon funny enough) but I still remember how sad I constantly felt.

Try to remember that anything you do to make it through to the next day is the most important thing. Learning new skills made me feel better, although I probably drank and ate more than I needed to. Try to fill your evenings/off-days with hobbies that give you a sense of accomplishment to cheer yourself up, even small things like reading threads on the forums.

I think I was one of the few at Netfucks who didn't straight up hate their job. Why? Because I didn't give two fucks. The job got me to start working out (I didn't want to become a whale like my coworkers) and watch my diet (I didn't want to become a whale like my coworkers) and stop eating fast food at lunch (I didn't want to become a whale like my coworkers), and it encouraged me to double down on my degree and get that poo poo wrapped up.

You have to make the most of your life. Being a callcenter drone is great for some people, but its not the best most people can do.

I really suggest a gym membership (mine was free - school had an amazing one!) and honing in your skills so you can launch a career vs have a job.

# ¿ Dec 8, 2014 22:30

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

Aerofallosov posted:

The closest I got was a woman who called on a Friday at like, 4:55PM. She was screaming at us to come fix her internet. Okay, we go through troubleshooting. It's a no sync, a tech is gonna have to come out. I explain this, that they will likely come out Monday at the earliest and needed some details (address, best times, blah blah blah). She promptly freaks out, and goes on and on about OH MY GOD! What are her kids going to do all weekend!? She had her KIDS this weekend. Her CHILDREN NEED the internet! WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!? This goes on for about 15 minutes. I somehow pried out her details in the midst of it all. So then she pointedly asks me what she's going to do this weekend? What can she do about her kids?!

... It was this surreal moment like when you spill something important and watch it splatter all over in front of you. And there's not a drat thing you can do about it. But you watch intently, in horror as it all unfolds in front of you. Training to hold yourself steady, to hold your tongue and check your pride as a human being (and dignity! We are not slaves!) all go out the window in that one moment.

I quietly replied, "Why not pay attention to them?" I really didn't even sound mean. It just sort of fell out. The line went DEAD SILENT. Then a click. I felt this sense of horror, dread and relief. Hey, if I got fired... I wouldn't have to do this anymore. If I didn't, well. Then I noticed the supervisor down at the end of the stations looking at me strangely. I got an IM on pidgin that he was sympathetic and tempted to say the same thing, but don't do that again.

This happened ALL THE TIME at Netflix. It was freaking amazing. Most of us would say something along the lines of "well back in my day, and surely yours, we didn't have internet as kids... So our parents did activities with us and we read and went outdoors!" or something like that. It was always pretty funny.

*Some people were huge pushovers and went on about how their own kids couldn't manage without the Netfucks either, and blah.

gently caress call centers. I'm glad you told her how you feel!

# ¿ Dec 14, 2014 07:08

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

forbidden lesbian posted:

Haha, glad I found out about this thread on the day i'm probably gonna get fired for cussing out my supe, lol

That's good! Now go forth and find a non-call-center job!

# ¿ Dec 30, 2014 05:00

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

jassi007 posted:

There is that. However I find I'm irrational when on the phone. things that just shouldn't bother a person drive me insane. Its because i don't want to be doing what I'm doing, but like when I say hi, you say your my blah blah is broken, I wait 10 seconds after you stop speaking to make sure you are done, start to talk and you cut me off, gently caress you. go die in a fire. If you repeat what your problem is more than once, gently caress you, I was paying attention you dumb gently caress do you think I'm stupid? And so on and so on. I really don't want to talk to customers so I prefer they say my problem is X and then shut up unless I ask them a question, which is unreasonable but hey, thats what I wish my job was like

Why don't you get another job? Call centers loving suck, and you clearly hate it.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2015 05:46

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# ¿ Apr 26, 2024 16:08

SiGmA_X: May 3, 2004; SiGmA_X

jassi007 posted:

Sometimes things aren't that simple. Jobs that pays what I make aren't plentiful. It's an awful job with a decent salary.

It should be that simple, over the long haul. Get marketable skills -> Do something else. I only stayed at a call center to pay for life while I earned my degree. The call center paid 38k, my first in-career job (hold currently) was a 30% raise and a 200% life improvement. Get some skills and get out.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2015 19:22

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Call centre rant thread: I want to speak to your supervisor

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