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diskdocx
join:2005-09-26
Burlington, ON

2 edits

diskdocx to dillyhammer

Member

to dillyhammer

Re: [PHONE] Are Cogeco tech's this vindictive!!

said by dillyhammer:

said by diskdocx:

Sorry, but as much as Cogeco frustrates me, I could not disagree more this attitude. The typical 'entitled me' approach.

The techs are people, working and earning a living. I know some personally, and they are good guys. I have many Cogeco employees that I deal with, and a lot do not agree with the way the company operates.

The tech in the OP is clearly a douche. He came to the site with a chip, and I can't accept Urbanriot's opinion that he 'just wasn't good at his job'. If that truly is the case, he should be looking for another job.

But back to your post. Is it because these guys are 'free labor' that they should be rearranging furnature? Have you done customer service in a client's house? Some people are complete slobs, and I don't think it's unreasonable to expect some preparation ahead of time. If you are calling in any other trade, paying upwards of $100/hour, I bet you'd not want them wasting your money moving crap around.

Obviously some jobs are going to be more complex, and that may require access to areas not initially anticipated, and a bit of flexibility, as zed and datguy have displayed, would work most of the time.

But sometimes, just sometimes, the customer is really an unreasonable asshat, and nothing you can do is going to satisfy them. We just don't hear about that, but believe me, it is becoming increasingly common. They treat the service people like shit, but cry foul if someone says 'boo' to them. It really is an powerless feeling. Unfortunately, if you've been burned a few times, you start to get jaded, and ultimately the good clients suffer.

For that, I can sympathize with those working in customer service.

I think you should go back and reread my post, paying particular attention to the first few sentences.

Here, I'll save you the trouble.
said by dillyhammer:

Yup, ditto, some awesome Cogeco techs over the years. Just awesome. Online too.

I never did get the chance to meet any of the wankers.

But the fact remains, out of every XX number of Cogeco techs, there's bound to be a fucknuts that doesn't deserve to be employed at all.

I've never had the privilege.

OP has, as is plain to see.

And I certainly hope you're not in the customer service business. If you are, you're fired, get out.

Mike

Perhaps you too should go back and re-read your own post. Don't just highlight the snippet you choose - I clearly agreed with you that the behaviour shown by the tech referenced by the OP is unacceptable.

This however, I don't agree with
said by dillyhammer:

I never did get the chance to meet any of the wankers.

You know, the ones that grumble about ever little thing like:

1. Not having a clear path to every fucking thing in the house because, you know, people live in it,

2. Unwilling to do anything over and above pulling cable and crimping connectors, because

a. they're worried about breaking stuff
b. they're worried they'll be sued
c. squarely focused on a "not my job" mentality
d. takes a whole 5 seconds to, you know, actually do it
e. just plain lazy

Courtesy works both ways. This tech was bad. Brutal. Should he be fired? Probably.

Based on my experience, like yours, most techs have been good. Some better than others, but never have I come across one like this.

What about the other side? You know, the brutal customer? Don't tell me you don't believe that there are some of those out there. Customers can be vindicitive. Customers can be abusive. Probably there are more major 'wanker' customers, than workers. People feel that their subscription/order/business entitles them to treat another human like dirt. There's no recourse for the worker other than to do the best they can, but can you not sympathize at all?

Get beaten enough and people do start to focus on 'not my job'. Obviously you aren't in customer service, or you would appreciate that the more you do, the more complaints you'll get, and most likely when you try to go above and beyond, especially if it isn't in the job description, that's when you'll lose your job. Sad reality, but true.

We'll never agree on this. But good luck 'firing' me. I quite suspect that I wouldn't want to 'work' for you anyway. Customer service is NOT customer servitude.
MrPink
join:2003-08-15
Peterborough, ON

1 edit

MrPink

Member

1. Cogeco CSR sees this post and gives their CSR supervisor a heads up first thing Monday morning.
2. CSR supervisor lets operations manager know about it at morning briefing.
3. It gets discussed.
4. CSR supervisor calls or emails OP says someone will be in contact later today.
5. Operations manager talks to Tech Super. "find out what happened"
6. Tech supervisor talks to tech. today. now.
7. If tech comes clean an says "yeah, i had a shitty day" then ok. follow up with him as too why? listen. if because of overwork/rushing etc. tech supervisor finds solution.
8. If the tech says "yeah so what" then a written should be given. if tech is a dick then he gets a sit down with the operations manager.
9. Operations manager explains it. "your actions are costing this company money and customers." 2 strikes and you're out.
10. Operations manager calls CSR and instructs compensation too customer.
11. CSR supervisor calls/emails customer. Apologize. Comp next months bill. all services.
12. Customer acts reasonable. accepts. says it was still a shitty thing to happen.
13. CSR supervisor apologizes, again.
14. Conversation ends amicably.
15. OP states here that he considers the matter closed and requests Mod lock thread.
16. Mod locks thread
17. Everyone is chill.
Kraftyy
join:2010-06-19
Burlington, ON

Kraftyy

Member

This does happen from time to time, I hear it at least once a day where a tech goes in and does this type of thing to the customer then chows to the next job. Causes the customer frustration then they end up yelling at me which is fine I can understand just irritating knowing techs do this to people.

urbanriot
Premium Member
join:2004-10-18
Canada

urbanriot

Premium Member

said by Kraftyy:

This does happen from time to time, I hear it at least once a day where a tech goes in and does this type of thing to the customer then chows to the next job.

Where do you hear this once a day?

datguy11
@verizon.net

datguy11

Anon

What about the customers who try to use you as "free labor"??

I got scammed by some rich assh*le who wanted me to check the outlet behind the bed... the heavy bed frame made of solid wood

(remember rich folk usually have expensive nice furniture, not the cheap stuff that weighs nothing)

So i move the damn heavy bed out to "check" it and of course all they wanted to do was to clean the dust behind there! The outlet was never any concern and they werent even using it.

So b/c of assh*les like that, future customers suffer

I even had customers so lazy that they would not remove TOWELS from the closet (that I needed to access for connections)

One lady actually picked up the intercom and called down to the housekeeper who was in the basement laundry room to come up and move the towels out of the way.

I could have easily done it, but it was principle of it.. Too many people just assume that its your job to move things.

You know what, I get paid to do a specific job, not to re arrange your furniture..

Its the attitude that gets me, when you show me no respect and walk away from a full closet and just expect that I clean it out and put it back, thats when you get nothing

xbell
@cgocable.net

xbell

Anon

said by datguy11 :

Its the attitude that gets me, when you show me no respect and walk away from a full closet and just expect that I clean it out and put it back, thats when you get nothing

I've cleaned out too many closets to count. The result is disarray like a tornado and them trying to put it all back in. The discovery of items they forgot in closets, under beds and in floor joists brings some fun.

"Hello miss I found this dildo/handgun/money stash of yours." Or I leave it out in the open to watch their reaction.

nohup
@cgocable.net

nohup to datguy11

Anon

to datguy11
said by datguy11 :

What about the customers who try to use you as "free labor"??

I got scammed by some rich assh*le who wanted me to check the outlet behind the bed... the heavy bed frame made of solid wood

(remember rich folk usually have expensive nice furniture, not the cheap stuff that weighs nothing)

So i move the damn heavy bed out to "check" it and of course all they wanted to do was to clean the dust behind there! The outlet was never any concern and they werent even using it.

So b/c of assh*les like that, future customers suffer

I even had customers so lazy that they would not remove TOWELS from the closet (that I needed to access for connections)

One lady actually picked up the intercom and called down to the housekeeper who was in the basement laundry room to come up and move the towels out of the way.

I could have easily done it, but it was principle of it.. Too many people just assume that its your job to move things.

You know what, I get paid to do a specific job, not to re arrange your furniture..

Its the attitude that gets me, when you show me no respect and walk away from a full closet and just expect that I clean it out and put it back, thats when you get nothing

I feel sorry for you guys that have to go to residences and repair things. I don't think I would have the ability. I repair machines all day for various companies and that's bad enough, especially with my limited social skills. When customers are difficult, all I can tell you is try not to be rude. I'm always polite....... but will usually make a joke out of it if customers are difficult. I've found in my past 15 or so years, it's best to leave the customers with them not able to complain about you, but at the same time to find you deeply disturbing. It's a special skill that keeps us all amused.