Thanks for calling ChatStu, How can I help you?

I have been around the block when it comes to speaking with customer care representatives because of a service or product dispute. From Verizon to Amazon, I have been in many different scenarios that required me to talk to various account representatives. Some of these conversations were pleasant and ended with delight; others made me wonder why the company even had a hotline to call.

I was also on the other side, working a brief stint of time for a cable company. It was a very enlightening experience, which allowed me to learn a lot from it in the short time. I learned to appreciate what the job entailed and understand what representatives were dealing with on a daily basis. The fact that as soon as I said, Thank you for calling [Cable Company], how can I assist today, they hated me was pretty funny. I was public enemy number one!

Talking to customer care can be challenging at times and getting what you want can make storming Normandy during WWII seem like a game of Candyland. The bottom line is most of the companies out there believe in their customers and want to do right. It’s just a matter of taking the right approach. Below I have put together some of my best tips, when trying to state your claim with the people on the other side of the call:

1. Make sure you take a “no”, from someone who has the authority to say “yes”. The one thing if you get nothing else out of this posting is make sure you get the answer from the right person. I once called a mobile provider to ask them for a replacement phone at the subsidized discount price (early upgrade). I had lost mine and I had no other way to get back on my plan because my older phone was phased out. I kept hearing the same thing, “I am sorry sir, but I am unable to allow you to buy the phone at the discount. I wish I could help”. This was a problem – key word being “unable”. You see, even if the representative wanted to help, they did not have the authority to do so – they were “unable”. So in essence, discussing this issue any further with them was useless. At that point, I immediately asked them to put someone on the phone that had the authority to say “yes”.

   If I am going to hear “no”, let me hear it from someone who actually has the authority to say “yes”. Then at least a choice will be made, unlike the representative that had no choice, but to say “no”! Eventually, I received my new phone at the discount.

2. Clearly define the issue at hand – too many times people ramble on about how mad they are but never clearly define what they are upset about. Define the issue and provide possible ways it could have been better.
3. Know what you want – ever tell someone you are upset with the service that was provided and the company needed to do something about it? Well, 4 out of 5 times what they do is not going to be what you wanted. Why? Because most people don’t express what they want in return for the bad service or issue. If you provide what you want, you will have a better chance of getting it.
4. Be reasonable – okay, your cable was out for a couple of hours. The cable company is likely going to divide the time it was out with your monthly bill and give you a rebate – many times this is pennies! I agree – this is not going to cover the agony of staring at a blank screen on your only day off during the year. At the same time, asking for 6 free years of cable is not reasonable. Make sure the retribution fits the crime. I recently purchased a digital camera for $50 more than I expected at a retailer. The extra $50 was the result of an online policy that was unclear to me. I paid the extra $50, but immediately contacted customer care, explained the issue and specifically asked for a $50 credit to the store. It was specific and to me, reasonable. Within an hour, I was forwarded a $50 gift card.
5. Be respectful – the representative on the phone likely didn’t directly cause your issue. Yes, they represent the company and they are expected to deal with issues, but they are people that deserve respect. Don’t berate them or get personal. You will likely get more with honey than vinegar. During my time as an account rep, people would yell at me because their bill was late. One person actually said they were going to come down to the payment office and tell the desk “Stu sent me!” Okay, that’s fine, but really, I didn’t do anything wrong. You can be angry and stern, but respect the person like a professional.
6. Calling will get you further than e-mail – I am not sure if entry level positions get to respond to the e-mails, but they are usually canned responses and less flexible. It’s also easier to tell someone “no” over e-mail. Use the phone if it is an option.
7. Know when to throw in the towel – sometimes you just aren’t going to get your point across. Maybe you were asking for too much? Maybe you were just giving it a shot and knew the odds were against you? Maybe you were adamant about your claim and it is time to move onto a different company – blog about your experience? You’ll know when enough is enough – again be respectful.
8. Don’t assume overseas is a pointless call – I know people that won’t call certain companies because they know the call is going overseas. Don’t assume you won’t be helped. I have had success with representatives overseas. If you don’t make the call, you only have yourself to blame.
9. Think through the call or read over the e-mail and make sure everything is logical. Think about how the representative will respond, and think about how you will respond back. The last thing you want to do is be a babbling idiot because you will lose creditability during the call.
10. Use your leverage – if you are a customer that has been with a company for 15 years, make sure they know it. Chances are, if they are trained correctly, they will already be aware. It is harder to let a customer go when they have been loyal. Loyal customers are hard to find these days and there are associated costs with bringing in new customers. It’s sometimes less expensive to just let the loyal customer have what they want, then risk them walking away. Again – be reasonable!