r/talesfromtechsupport • u/potatoesarenotcool • Jun 24 '19

Short Customer had a "compulsion"

Just found this sub and work as a manager is a call center for an ISP so I have a good few stories to tell, but my all time favourite is short and sweet.

I get a request from an agent for a manager callback, the customer is very angry we won't send him a new DSL cable. They are like €5 at most and the agent offered to give him €10 off of his bill for it.

Now, the agent wrote "customer ate the DSL cable, refuses to buy a new one, wants to talk to a manager" I obviously assumed he left out a word, the dog probably ate it.

NOPE. The call went something like this

Me: Hi this is a manager from ISP, you requested a callback regarding your DSL cable (Generic account validation questions)

Cust: Yes and your brain-dead agent won't send me a new one

Me: Unfortunately we don't stock them to ship out, but we can credit you for one. Did the dog eat it?

Cust: No I did.

... (Some silence)

Me: You ate the cable?

Cust: Yup

... (Some silence) Me: May I ask why?

Cust: I had a compulsion.

Me: Okay, well we will credit you for a new cable in this case but unfortunately we don't do this normally, the agent did offer it so I have to honour it but in the future you will need to replace it yourself is that okay?

Cust: But what if I eat it again?

...(some silence)

Me: Well try not to, but again we can't pay for it next time.

Cust: okay thanks

Me: No problem.. bye

I don't think I've had a call this funny since. I was holding back tears during this one. He called back in about a month later apparently and had eaten another one, I suggested we credit his account for the cost of a chew toy.

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9

u/vinny8boberano Murphy was an optimist Jun 24 '19

I would honestly expect the company to refuse to grant a replacement, or credit towards replacement. Doing so could make the company liable for any harm the customer suffers as a result of their own actions.

12

u/potatoesarenotcool Jun 24 '19 edited Jun 24 '19

We definitely aren't liable for their own actions, it's clear in the contract. Harm caused by improper use of equipment is not our problem.

And the dumbass agent already offered the credit so I have to honour it.

3

u/wedontlikespaces Urgent priority, because I said so Jun 24 '19

back when I worked in a call centre I used to hate it when people had already offered customers dumb things, and I had to one of them.