In dealing with customer service reps from CRAs to creditors, it helps to understand what it's like to be on the other end of that phone call, what the lives of those people are like. The following website is pretty funny. Having spent my entire working life in jobs that involve a lot of contact with the public, I identified with a lot of the stories I found there. http://www.customerssuck.com/main.shtml
Neat web site Actually you'd be surprised to know how many of the participants here do work in customer service-related fields. Doc
Cute site...those working in an industry that relies heavily on CS can appreciate the forum. BUT, I do not really view the "customer service" reps of the CRA as truly customer service reps. Their employers, the CRA's don't view us as valued customers which deserve exceptional service. Rather, we are viewed as "consumers", and annoyingly pesty ones at that, particuluarly when we dispute. The CRA's merely put up with us and halfheartedly investigate our disputes because they are required by the FCRA. Which they do a lousy job of doing. The idea these CRA's train their emplyoyees with a focus on customer service is a joke, their train their employees to the bare minimum in relation to customer service. Let me write a letter to EXP and tell them how rude so and so was to me on the phone, so and so will probably be reprimanded with a full paid trip to Tahiti.
Good point. In fact, we're not really their customers at all; rather, we (or at least our credit histories) are the raw material for their "product," and the creditors, CAs, etc. are their customers. They get the customer service...we get the muzak and, on occasion, some hapless rep's wildly and laughably inaccurate interpretation of the FCRA. wajaba
Absolutely - and I think that many here would also agree that it's the fact that we have worked in customer service oriented fields that we are so critical of poor treatment by CSRs - we know better. It's a great site and I can completely relate. I worked retail for 12 years and have had my fair share of nightmare customers. But, that was my job - I wasn't paid well - but nontheless, I got paid to deal with the nasty ones just as much as the pleasant ones. And I can honestly say I've never lost my temper to a customer's face (or ear) - I've definitely lost my temper at times, but I've waited until I could get myself out of sight or earshot before I screamed. I'm quite sensitive to the plight of the retail worker and other related careers - I hardly ever enter a store after 8:30pm, unless I know what I want and don't have to try it on or unfold every single sweater on the disply table to get at it and typically, I'm painfully polite because I know what that can mean to someone whose been dealing w/ a**holes all day - but, I also do not tolerate bad service, period. I do understand that CSRs have a very tough job, I can certainly sympathize, but that doesn't justify bad behavior and would guess that most of us have been on the receiving end of some very bad behavior from a CSR at one time or another. And, as a customer, when I have been about ready to blow my top, all it took was one pleasant person who acted like they were listening to my problem and wanted to try to solve it. Simple, really. I do think sites like this are valuable because they can provide a safe place for "venting" instead of taking it out on me!! And, as cinderella and wajaba pointed out, we're not really customers to the CRAs and CAs.
as cinderella and wajaba pointed out, we're not really customers to the CRAs and CAs. ~teebee~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That's right we're victims not customers THE END ** *** ** LB 59
With 7000+ members, it doesn't surprise me at all. I'm sure just about every job imaginable is represented here.
