Business to business inbound Abusive Customers

[Citigirl]

Jurisdiction

Arizona

I work in an inbound call center for a business to business internet based company. I take phone calls from people who are supposed to be professionals, and sometimes they are abusive. I was recently told that I am not allowed to ask a customer to stop yelling at me. I had taken a call from an angry customer who's problem had already been solved, but wanted to yell at me because another inbound rep they had spoke with earlier that day, did not respond fast enough to an email. No matter what I asked or offered to try to address the (already resolved) issue and show them the result, the customer kept yelling at me, and would not hear anything I tried to tell them. There was not a supervisor available to take the call from me. (At my job, there is often a lack of leadership available to intercede with angry customers) I told the customer that yelling at me wasn't going to change anything and that I would be happy to help them, but I needed them to stop yelling. This went on for quite some time. I got the distinct impression that they wanted to just yell, and no matter what I did, it would not have been right.

The call was monitored by our QA department, and I was called to my boss' office a few days later. I was told that I cannot ask customers to stop yelling. At what point does being required to sit through being yelled at, being called names, and being insulted for me to take such something that is no fault of my own as an individual or as a representative of my employer does this become a hostile work environment? Does my employer have the right to force me to endure that kind of abuse without reacting at all, as the human being that I am?

I realize that we are going to encounter angry people, and that it is my job to help them the best I can. However, other customer service jobs have an "out" where the employee can walk away, get a manager or call security. Over the phone, people feel a little more entitled to scream at you, knowing that you are captive. We are not allowed to hang up on them, and my company also has a policy that we cannot place the customer on hold without asking their permission. Sometimes you can get the customer to calm down, and hold your own composure if you can get them to hold for a couple of minutes. There are those, though, who you ask to hold, and they start yelling louder and becoming more abusive. Is my employer really allowed to require me to take the abuse and insults with no recourse or the natural human emotion that comes with taking it?

I feel like my job is to help the (let's not forget these are supposed to be professional) customers, not to be abused by them. Am I wrong?

 

[KatDini]

Seems like your company is one of those that considers the customer to be of highest importance and never wrong. I'd start looking for another job.

 

[army judge]

I've learned to daydream when people start ranting.
I don't hear their insults.
I'm thinking of so many pleasant things that I've enjoyed throughout my life.
Eventually the screaming, angry loudmouth calms down, or hangs up.
What do you care what anyone says if you've tuned them out?
Trust me, it's so easy, even I've mastered it.

 

[adjusterjack]

At what point does being required to sit through being yelled at, being called names, and being insulted for me to take such something that is no fault of my own as an individual or as a representative of my employer does this become a hostile work environment?

It doesn't. That's not the legal definition of hostile work environment. You can google the phrase.

Does my employer have the right to force me to endure that kind of abuse

Yes, he does.

He has the right to tell you to perform your job standing on your head and the right to fire you if you disobey.

I feel like my job is to help the (let's not forget these are supposed to be professional) customers, not to be abused by them. Am I wrong?

No. But you need to think outside the box. I spent a lot of years on the phone to my customers and got my share of abuse. I've even hung up on a few but all that did was get me called on the carpet.

After a few of those, I learned to just stop talking when somebody got abusive. I know, it's not easy to stop talking when every human being's basic instinct is to defend oneself. It gets easier after you do it a couple of times and it's really satisfying. Just let them rant and rave until they run out of steam. The only things that allow them to continue ranting and raving are your responses. Understand that and the abusive rants will get shorter and shorter if you just don't say anything.

I have to tell you, if Army Judge can master that technique, so can you.

 

[Betty3]

Your employer should have a procedure in place to follow when a customer gets abusive but seems they don't. I agree with maybe looking for another job.

 

[army judge]

I have to tell you, if Army Judge can master that technique, so can you.

Ain't that the truth. I don't know how or why it works, it just flat out works. Silence just works, it magically calms and mutes the offender.

You really want a laugh, suddenly and profusely apologize. That puzzles 'em.

On occasions, crying, no sobbing or weeping, just crying, will cause the offender to apologize to you.

It's just a harmless game that some call acting.