Do we have any rights in customer service industry?

Question

Does anyone work in a call center or in customer service too?

Are we entitled to any rights at all?

I work in a call center answering general enquiries, and my manager wants us to "be professional" by allowing customer to scold us, yell at us, curse, threaten, they can basically say anything to us and we just have to accept it.

A customer used tons of profanities on me, i'm have to tolerate 'cos if i interrupt, try to explain or stop him then i'll be blamed by my manager for being "unprofessional" by disrupting the customer. Then the customer starting cursing at my parents!!! I kept my cool n firmly told her "please do not say that about my parents" n she YELL at the top of her voice "HOW DARE YOU BE SO RUDE TO ME, I'M A CUSTOMER, YOU STUPID!!! YOU ARE SO STUPID!!

One of my collegue was told "WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE YOU'RE COMPLETE USELESS "...!!! I mean.. we're people too, i do understand in customer service we deal with difficult people but isn't there a bottom line?

Answer 1

Call centers are the sweatshops of the 21st Century.

There are some people who just LOVE to abuse call center employees, people who take advantage of the "Customer Is Always Right" mantra.

I worked a temp job that lasted two horrible months. It was a call center for a company that handles Payroll and other human resource business for companies that have outsourced theri HR departments. Oh gawd! The ABUSE I suffered there.
I'd rather flip burgers than work in a call center.

My sympathies.

Answer 2

I don't know what they're paying you, but it's not enough. Unfortunately, I don't know where the line is, but the person who told your colleague to die definately crossed it. I have to admit that I have lost my temper once or twice with someone in a call center. And I wasn't mad at the person on the other end of the phone, but with the idiot who came up with the policy I was complaining about and I'm afraid I took it out on the call center person. To us, unfortunately, you are not people, you are THE MAN, the company that is screwing us out of something, etc. I would rather live on the streets and/or starve than have your job. You have my undying admiration!

Answer 3

Abuse is abuse. If your employer subjects you to abuse in the workplace you should file a suit against them.
However if your formal job description says that part of your job (ie what you are paid for) is to be verbally abused, then you can't hold yopur employer responsible. However, if the abuse becomes assuault (Not to be confused with a battery which involves physical contact) you have a complaint against the customer.
Talk to your state employment office.
You're probably S.O.L. either way because your employer could care less and they probably have more resources to fight with.
The Good ole American way has a few "issues".
BTW Telemarketers require abuse to breathe. So give those guys hell

Answer 4

Yes, there is a bottom line. I taught Customer Service and verbal abuse was not tolerated and the rep gave them a warning and they continued then the call would be disconnected.

Answer 5

once a male senior citizen told me, after i explained the company's policy, that i 'should get back on welfare'.

i started laughing. i couldn't help it. he called back and filed a complaint about me, but fortunately the one-in-four calls recorded was not that one. when questioned about the call i told what he said, but as for my part--- i denied, denied, denied.

i felt bad later about laughing. what a miserable old man.
i actually said a prayer for him.

what is going on in the life of that abusive person that makes them think that they have the right to treat any human being so disrespectfully? i pity them.

Answer 6

no one should be treated that way but all professions have issues like this...try being a nurse,people think you are their personal servant,people complain about what is ailing them and when told they need to mention it to the doc when he is there they do not and get pissy with you for not being able to give them an aspirin cause they didnt tell doc they wanted one..and do not even think about saying anything back to a patient other then i'll try again,and do not think about raising your voice

Answer 7

yeah, i know what you mean. i got a call, and was told i was a "f*cking dumb C*nt then they hung up on me. but i have to take it. oh well i guess i'm getting paid.

Answer 8

there is a sign that the government must be posted by the time clocks that read you your right.

Answer 9

i don't know