Your thoughts: Recording Crappy Tele-Customer Service Calls

[sonnik]

Over the past 10 days, I've had to make some phone calls over various issues.

It seems as though, only a small percentage of the time, there's someone on the other line that actually gives a damn if your questions get answered.

I'm not difficult with the person I speak to or anything, I know that many of them are typically not empowered to actually give you any results if it isn't within their scripts. However, if they have to conclude a conversation with something like "Hmm that's strange... well, sorry sir everything in our system is showing..." - to me that's just unreasonable. Sure, I can take my business elsewhere - but that's the easy way out.

My plan: Record the phone calls, and place them on YouTube.

I've read up on some legalities. It seems as though, if I respect the laws of the state with the more restrictive requirements (IE, I call a state where both parties need to be informed of recording as opposed to one party) - I shouldn't have an issue.

I figure that if a company's automated machine states "Your call may be recorded..." I'm covered. Note they never specify which party is doing the recording. I'll ask "what state am I calling?" or even "do you mind if I record this phone call?"

I'd of course bleep out any personal information.

I know of the recent issue with the guy trying to cancel AOL. I'm sure we've all been victim of equally bad phone service, and wish we had it on tape.

I feel I make completely reasonable requests... I'm just tired of being viewed as a "drop in the bucket" for the bottom line of huge companies.

Your thoughts?

[walters]

I never thought of it, but that message can be interpreted two ways:

"Your call may be recorded..."

1) We might or might not be recording your call.
2) You are allowed to record your call.

:D

[sonnik]

I never thought of it, but that message can be interpreted two ways:

"Your call may be recorded..."

Exactly.

Like when you were a kid...

"You may have a cookie."

They probably want to say "We might record your call..." but "Your call may be recorded" is actually a whole different meaning.

[jami]

While I agree that it would feel good, what do you think would come from it? How long do you think it would take to get back to the powers that be? Would it be the most efficient way? My guess is probably not.

I've been in the customer service/call center industry for (gasp!) 16 years - in all capacities: as a grunt on the phone, a supervisor, a trainer, a program manager, a consultant, an analyst... I've just about done it all. I'm also a very involved consumer. When I receive shoddy service, I write letters. And, I write GOOD letters. The thing about being on the other side is that I know how to complain to get results.

Getting your complaint to the appropriate person is key. Make a few calls, find a name and address/phone number. I've received many refunds and comps for wording my complaint in a calm way and offering it as a way for them to improve their business. When you say, "I'm sure you don't want other customers to go through what I have", they can't disagree.

I assure you that you'll get a better solution to your problem than by your proposed method.

[pseudonym]

I have no idea if it's legal, but I'm pretty sure any such recordings would be ignored on YouTube. The novelty of this concept has worn off since the AOL recording, and who wants to sit through the same long boring phone calls that we all already have to waste our own time already?

[sonnik]

I have no idea if it's legal, but I'm pretty sure any such recordings would be ignored on YouTube.

People will watch anything on YouTube. My most unwatched video was 81 views, and that's just a method for reporting a bug I used. My most watched video was 53,135 views.

I have a modest 15 subscribers, with 2,148 channel views in the past month.

So, if anything is compelling enough - people will watch it.

When I receive shoddy service, I write letters. And, I write GOOD letters. The thing about being on the other side is that I know how to complain to get results.

Getting your complaint to the appropriate person is key.

I assure you that you'll get a better solution to your problem than by your proposed method.

I shouldn't have to write letters when a company offers a phone number.

I too have worked in this field. You'll know as well as I do - that there are people who just want to call up and argue hell's wrath, just for arguing's sake. I'm not one of those people.

You'll undoubtedly acknowledge that there are companies out there who don't give a rat's ass who they have answering their calls - or what they tell their customers.

Here are just two examples:

1) I'd received a "add a line" automated call from Sprint on my cell. It gave you an option to "press 6" if you're not interested. Once I pressed "6" - it concluded the call with a note that if I should change my mind - call back at a certain number.

Now, almost daily - I receive the same phone call from Sprint. Almost like clockwork. I've tried pressing "6" again, ignoring it, not pressing anything, not answering. The calls just keep coming in - daily.

I've called Sprint - and the only thing they can offer is "Everything is showing you shouldn't be receiving these calls." I've even had one say, "We'll, I'm sorry - there is nothing else I can do for you at this number." I reply... "Well, who else can I talk with?" - the answer is "No one."

The whole "Can I speak with your manager?" thing works only to an extent. Companies now put anyone with a pulse on the other end of a phone, just to save a few bucks. Why give them a free ride at my expense?

2) I called Cox earlier today about a High Def question. Cable companies offer local HD for free (more or less), though they set the systems up in such a way you're pressured into getting cable boxes or whatever.

I mentioned this to a guy on the phone from Cox and he stated you needed the box. I explained that's not correct, and when he finally acknowledged the error he had an attitude because he looked stupid. His response was "Well I guess you have everything figured out then already."

I'm nothing but reasonable with these people, and there's no point in raising your voice or acting like an idiot when you're dealing with an idiot on the phone.

[jami]

The "idiot on the phone" is usually not going to be able to resolve your problem. If you don't want to write (which in my current company, seems to get better resolution), then you keep escalating on the phone. But, it sounds like your trust in who you're talking to is suspect, so I think in your case, writing WOULD be a better solution. Do the research - find the highest name that you can. Our "Office of the President" letters are answered by a team of 8-9 specialists and each one HAS to have a resolution. They can't ignore them.

[bsnelson]

The "idiot on the phone" is usually not going to be able to resolve your problem. If you don't want to write (which in my current company, seems to get better resolution), then you keep escalating on the phone. But, it sounds like your trust in who you're talking to is suspect, so I think in your case, writing WOULD be a better solution. Do the research - find the highest name that you can. Our "Office of the President" letters are answered by a team of 8-9 specialists and each one HAS to have a resolution. They can't ignore them./me takes notes for the next time I need to contact my content provider. :)

Brad

[sonnik]

The "idiot on the phone" is usually not going to be able to resolve your problem.

...

Our "Office of the President" letters are answered by a team of 8-9 specialists and each one HAS to have a resolution. They can't ignore them.

The question is, WHY can't the other person on the end of the phone accomplish a certain task...?

And I've dealt with that "Office of the President" before. Actually a "supervisor" at first level told me there was no one else in the company who would do anything different than what he had done, nor was there anyone else to talk to.
After that first level guy, I called the corporate offices, and the receptionist actually gave me a phone number for "Office of the President." They actually resolved the problem. The problem is, it took me about 60 minutes of hold time and discussing it with a first level chump and then tracking down the "Office of the President" number.

How do the majority of people even find out that the "Office of the President" even exists? I don't think your first level reps will even reveal that number unless asked for it by name.

So why even have that first line of people there doing nothing but making customers more frustrated?

Even with mail, some companies will stick to form letters, not even acknowledging the problem. It depends on how much of a resource a company will put on mail. For example, if you have an issue with a mail-order retailer - you're not going to get proper response via mail during the holidays.

[bsnelson]

sonnik, perhaps you need to try the StanSimmons method (sorry if I'm stealing your thunder here, Stan):

On the initial call, tell the first drone you get: "Please put your supervisor on the line; you don't get paid enough to take what I'm about to dish out."

:D

Brad

[jami]

/me takes notes for the next time I need to contact my content provider. :)

Brad

No, I have a special employee hotline for escalating my "friends and family" issues. It has a 1 day response time (usually), vs the weeks it takes through the office of the president.

[jami]

The question is, WHY can't the other person on the end of the phone accomplish a certain task...?

Why? Because they're paying a person a crappy wage of maybe $10/hr to listen to complaints all day long, who are pressured to not waste a moment of their day on anything non-customer related except for their assigned breaks and lunch and oh, BTW, these are the first people a company's customers talk to - you'd think that the management would care more. I really feel sorry for folks doing phone work. There often very unrealistic expectations put on them for their adherence to phone time, talk time, scripts, etc. These poor people are paid to NOT think. They are often not allowed the leeway to problem solve.

That's how many companies function. It's sad, because if they took a different approach in empowering the front line agents, giving them the power to fix the problem instead of following a policy, they'd have happier customers.

[miramarguy]

If you want to record calls to companies you might try: http://www.321calllog.com (http://www.321calllog.com/)

I just got granted access to their beta two days ago and really havent had time to play around with it yet. I did, however, get an account a mere three days after registering on their site. If anyone signs up and for some reason doesnt get invited I have five invitations that they included with my account, just PM me for one.

[Warren]

when I worked for AOL Tech support we where told that if someone says they are recording the call we had to tell then to stop recording or we would end the call. Don't tell them. If you do they might act "better" since they know they are people recorded

[JohnJr]

You catch a whole lot more flies with honey.

-John

[sonnik]

Just for an example, here's a call I made (http://www.sonnik.com/garbage/cox-call.mp3) to Cox (the one from a few weeks ago mentioned above). It's about 8 minutes, if you want to hear.

For context, see this thread (http://www.mainsquare.org/showthread.php?t=999).

Basically, either through poor training or plain lying, here's an example of misinformation that a number of people are likely experieincing.

Some upgrading to HDTV may be forced into paying for stuff they don't want, because of misinformation like in the call.

It's a fact, Cox offers your locals in HD for free; but they'll never tell you that - no matter how clearly you explain the question.