Hi I work from home as a customer service agent.

Anonymous

September 15,2022 at 5:25PM UTC

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Hi I work from home as a customer service agent. When we need help we have to reach out to leadership via chat.

I’ve been at this job for a year I’m literally completely helpless at times.

I’m great on the phone. I’m polite I don’t chat much in the chat unless I really need some help.

protocol is if a customer is irate or is very escalated we are to asked for a supervisor so the call can be transferred.

for some reason when I have a call that is escalated I’m told by management there’s nothing they can do while others simply write in the chat and say I have a irate customer and then management swiftly swoops in the chat and gives an extension for the call to be transferred.

I’m at my wits end no supervisors will help me when I have escalated caller I have brought this up to my manager and he keeps apologizing but still nothing changes I watch the chat and see how the protocol does not apply to me.

am I supposed to be superwoman or something does the protocol not apply to me. do they not like me so they just leave me to the wolves.

Others will say hey I have an escalated caller and swiftly get help while I am told this does not need to be escalated.

it’s almost like I’m being gaslit and when I ask why am I not getting help like others I’m told oh I know it can be frustrating but no one will help I’m following all the steps and have gotten to the point that I just transfer the call I’ll never want to be mean and hang up on the caller or put them on hold while they are yelling or I will get in trouble.

Today, I feel like I’m doing so much for a company that just doesn’t care maybe they have favorites idk. This is the like 5th time I’ve wrote in the chat my msg sits there or someone says there is nothing we can do for you.

I feel like shipping my computer back to the company and walking away. I told my manager I give so much but can’t get help when I need it. He just keeps apologizing.

what would you do?

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Regina BrownSeptember 15,2022 at 6:13PM UTC
Get the customer's name, number and a possible email address. Send via email to your supervisor (s), noting in the email that you asked for help in chat with no response.
AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 1:04PM UTC
Hi there, I don’t think I was quick enough but what I did do was when I was rejected and told this does not need to be escalated and I’m on the line with the customer sir I’m sorry you will have to wait then he is throwing the f word around I just put in the extension for the escalation line and sent him there and dealt with consequences. Of course a manager reached out to me and scolds me I had no choice it was either hang up on the man, put him on hold and walk away from the computer or let him speak with another human to D escalate him and get him to help he needs. I do have screenshots of people getting help in the chat and sups giving out there extension to de escalate callers. I think even though I have all the evidence if I quit not sure if I’ll be able to get any compensation with unemployment but I’m also not sure how I’m able to complete my job with no help from managers.
Crystal HowellSeptember 15,2022 at 7:00PM UTC
I would start documenting the calls, screen shot showing you asked for help, and no response. screen shot when others have an irate caller, take a pic of the swift response. Gather a folder email them to your direct report and escalate to his boss. If nothing changes, in 30-45 days walk. Get a recruiter now to start prepping you, you do have bills to pay...........hang in there!
AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 1:07PM UTC
Hi there I’m getting a few hits on my resume I’ve had a few virtual interviews gettin g my feet wet. I think I’ve been asking for help a little to long at this job. I shouldn’t be nervous to write in a chat and feel embarrassed when my chat is looked over. But you all have given really good advice makes me feel a little better.
AnonymousSeptember 15,2022 at 7:32PM UTC
As another poster said, take screen shots and have documentation showing this happening over a period of time. I would start with your manager and maybe have your HRBP present to discuss how not having this support is impacting you performing your job. Ask if there are situations when a manager will not take an escalation and what tools they have to help you in those situations. I have managed a support team for many years and that does not sound right at all. It is very stressful to have an irate caller and no one to support you. Good luck!
AnonymousSeptember 15,2022 at 8:18PM UTC
The hr is always out of office omg! I’ve written her so many times and get a ooo msg and she never gets back with me.
I feel like I haven’t said something about how I’m being treated it’s even making me self conscious about asking for help because it feels like I’m just getting the middle finger. Just looking at my chat asking for help and watch other sups answer other peoples questions idk why they are I’m being ignored or told I can handle escalated calls like I’m a sup.
I’m super quiet and just do my work and go home and I help them with different vendor calls no help all across the board no matter what chat I write in.
AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 12:32PM UTC
Wow! Though I will admit I'm on month 11 at my current company and have never met or spoken with my HRBP. During my first month I had a meeting scheduled and they never showed up or replied to my email. So, I get it, I actually stopped asking for help or support or anything in my role and I'm fairly miserable. This place sounds toxic and maybe it's time to find a new opportunity. There is absolutely no excuse for your manager or colleagues or HR team to not support you or single you out. I am not sure how big this organization is, but it sounds like they have issues that you may not be able to resolve. Good luck, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I wish I could help you!
AnonymousSeptember 16,2022 at 12:58PM UTC
Thank you I can relate I don’t ask for help on anything anymore. I may put a customer in hold or even have a longer after call to finish up my work but I literally cringe if I have to write in the chat or a customer says I need a manager now! But I know they won’t help me. And my supervisor misses all our 1 on 1 coachings. I literally have to chat him and say hi are we still meeting then he reschedules. Thank you though I have tons of skills and feel I could be treated better else where but don’t want to make any swift moves until I know I have something secured but whew! I’m on my last leg with this company.
AnonymousSeptember 15,2022 at 7:43PM UTC
Thank you everyone I have screen shots and emails literally after I got a side chat about sending the call directly to the sup I was told this did not need to be escalated I disagreed and pointed out how someone was just given a extension to transfer a escalated call and she read it and said nothing I know I’m not crazy here lol. You all have said exactly what I have started to do document. Unfortunately I’ve been dealing with this for a year. Some sups will say there is nothing we can do and try to walk me through the call I’ve returned back to a caller 4 times before and he was like do you have a SUP! Why are you not getting me what I asked for? And honestly it’s because the sups what take my call I guess only the people they like I don’t want to make assumptions but I feel like I have no support and I make 90% and up on all my calls customer send in letters about how thankful they are of my going above and beyond. I do have bills that’s the only thing keeping me
AnonymousSeptember 15,2022 at 9:18PM UTC
I genuinely feel for you. I had a customer service rep job not too long ago. On the one hand we were told to bring it to the supervisor's attention if the customer became inconsolable. But, at the same time, the person who trained me said to never escalate it to the supervisor.
Basically, if I did try to escalate it, the supervisor would give me advice, but never actually take the call. It was extremely trying at times.
Maybe if you asked for some specific guidelines as to what kinds of calls should be escalated and how to treat certain scenarios that are not to be escalated.
For instance, when a customer's order hadn't been shipped yet, it was behind schedule and the customer paid extra for 2 day delivery - this would be escalated to the supervisor. She did not speak to the customer, but she was able to guarantee it would sent out right way and get to them in time.
Not sure if that helps. If you do not get a reasonable response from your supervisor/manager or HR person, I would start looking for a new position. At a certain point, if you have to work that hard just to get a helpful response, most likely nothing is going to change. Better to put your effort into finding a new position working for a company that treats their employees with more respect.
I hope you don't have to do that. I wish you the best of luck!
AnonymousSeptember 15,2022 at 9:37PM UTC
Hi there! Thank you so much for writing back. So, I’ve been working for the company for 1 year 6 months I’ve had about maybe 6 calls where I just could not help them and we should have sent them payments and we failed on our part and the customer is like you all are holding my money I’m contacting my attorney. At that point in the hand guide it says please escalate call if customer starts to speak about calling attorney or lawyer. I start to follow the steps and then crickets. My manager just wrote back and apologized again and stated he will be having a meeting with other sups. I think I should start sending my resume out.
I remember a few days ago I had a guy that kept calling and hanging up and some how I kept getting the call lol I told the supervisors I have someone calling me out my name and will not let me assist him. They wouldn’t take the call I was told to put him make in the call que so someone else would get the call. And guess what he got someone else and was like I want to speak with the girl I had before he was literally harassing me and no sups took the call UNTIL someone else asked for a sup and it was mysterious super Important that the sups took the call I was like wow! It literally had me in tears. I’m holding on but will probably never take another customer service job or maybe I’m at the wrong company.
AnonymousSeptember 15,2022 at 10:24PM UTC
Customer Service jobs are HARD. Guaranteed stress, guaranteed you are going to be yelled at. Ugh. So, give yourself allot of credit for handling what you have been dealing with.
(Funny, I remember getting the same customer over and over...he was incredibly long-winded and expected allot of attention. I realized, at some point that he called in ALLOT, which meant the odds of me getting him were high :-( )
It may be something to do with "office politics"...you may never know. I'm sorry you're having to deal with it. I highly recommend trying a different kind of job. The good thing is, customer service oriented skills are transferable to other types of positions (where you won't be on the phone all day getting yelled at).