Call Centre - the stress continues. The axe murderess surfaces - another BFH

I will give a warning - I am SO wound up after speaking to some lowlife bit of rim scum on the phone today that I am thinking of switching jobs to anywhere where I don't have to deal with the shittier side of society.

Before I rant this out of my head (and it's going to happen) I have to say most people I speak with are lovely.  Really, of the 30 or so people I speak to every day I would say on average I am forced to communicate with, up their own arse people only very rarely; on average once every three or four months or so.  Sadly these lowlife bits of rim-scum are likely to come through at the end of a day or worse at the end of  a week or worse still just before a holiday.  This is bad because the last call always sets the mood for the trip home and sometimes the weekend as well.

How lovely to speak to a lovely, smashing, wonderful person at the end of the day who restores your faith in mankind. - Typically "Good bye Mr Jones thank you for calling us today, you take care and have a lovely day. Bye now'.  Yes folks that is me on a normal day with a normal customer - professional, friendly, happy. Both parties leave with a good feeling.  Whether or not that customer called with a query, a complaint, a request, whatever.  I know I have given them the very best it is possible for me to give, hopefully have given them a good customer experience, had a little chat whilst remaining professional and sorted out the reason for their call.  Many say 'Thank you, you have been very helpful' and they wish me a lovely day.

Not this time though. Today I spoke to the Bitch From Hell.  BFH came through with attitude.  She wanted it all and she wanted it yesterday.  I was friendly, explained her time frames were somewhat unrealistic but I would certainly do my very best for her and ... "EXCUSE ME' says BFH 'I am you customer and it is YOUR job to give me what I want.'  I explained I would do what I could but she needed to speak with the right department and for that she would have to wait. 'BUT', said BFH 'I am telling you I DON'T WANT TO WAIT. I want it done now, I am a busy person (like BFH is the only one who has ever been busy and perhaps assuming this would enable me to treat her differently) and I am NOT prepared to wait.'

I started to explain other customers also wanted what she wanted and they had to wait as well but they had booked a slot like everybody else. 'EXCUSE ME' says BFH this is RIDICULOUS'. What is your name?' This was actually a demand - said as if asking for my name was a threat in itself which of course, it was. I told her my name knowing with 100% certainty the instant I did this she would turn it against me. Predictably she did exactly that. All her toys came hurling out of the pram 'Right Izabelle Winter, I am not happy speaking to you as we are obviously not making any progress WHATSOEVER. I want your MANAGER!'

What I would have liked to say was 'So you want my manager because you can't have what you want and you want him to tell you exactly what I have just told you.' but because I am paid to be professional, I didn't.  I got my manager.

As soon as he got on the phone BFH went through a miraculous personality transformation worthy of an Oscar and put on her other face - she was as sweet as pie.  Hell! personality disorder or what.  This is very often a trait of the BFH - many if not all have this psycho personality. It makes me mad ~ The manager then wonders what all the fuss was about.  As is usually the case the manager told her EXACTLY what I had told her.  BFH accepted this and sweetly thanked him for sorting it out for her.

COW!  I hope she gets a large dose of Karma.

It's now over three hours since I spoke to BFH.  I'm still seething.  It's not so much the complaint but the condescending attitude, talking over me, demanding my name, speaking to me as if I were an amoeba's droppings and the loud 'Excuse Me's together with the refusal to let me finish a sentence. She has contributed towards the beginnings of a stomach ulcer.  It kills me not to be able to tell those type of rim scrapings what I really think of them.  Not sure if today is a full moon - traditionally evil, slimey creatures emerge from swamps on Full Moons.

 I conclude it must be a Full Moon.

Rant over.  I feel marginally better now.  Just a quick call to a friend of mine who owns a 'stress' pin cushion - some people would call it a voodoo doll but I dispute this.  Hers is just a pincushion shaped like a person.  I shall ask her to stamp on its head and stab it in the eye on my behalf.

I feel better already :)