I don’t like calling customer service. As much as I am a representative, I don’t like talking to other representatives. And it was to my chagrin when I had to call Globe Customer Service to complain about a missing load because of an unwanted subscription. Basically I was calling to ask for a refund for a game and a polytone I didn’t subscribed to but the suddenly billed me. To think that I seldom load credits in my cellphone, and the only time I ever loaded some, I get billed erroneously.
I hung up in my first attempt. I was too intimidated and I felt too stupid because I didn’t know how to express myself. So I calmed down my anger, composed my statement then tried again. This time I had better luck, although I can still sense the frustration in my voice and my sentences were usually left hanging. I still didn’t knew how to phrase my concern but I was able to somehow express it. Good thing the agent understood me. She was really patient and she kept apologizing – it was really sort of irritating but I dismissed it. I know how this things work. Usually they are automatic statements for a rep.
Well I was glad my issue was resolved. She promised to make a report out of it and she promised that within the day I will have my credits back. Well I did and for that I am pleased. And I was amazed by their system, out of curiousity I wanted to ask how their system worked but I restrained myself. She must have an AHT also and I must be eating it up already. I even asked if I get some sort of survey but then I guess they have their own different way of doing things.
The positive result of the experience was that I knew what it felt like to be a customer. Somehow I became more understanding of my own customers and in my shift today, I was a bit more patient than usual. I could really symphatize with them. And I did my best not to sound too robotic although the issues were, as usual, the same.
I guess we all are customers at one point in our lives and if you are a customer service representative, then you should better understand customers and their perspectives.
If we could only understand that they cannot understand, then we would be understanding.
–personal mantra at work-
