Customer Service on the Phone

Have you ever made a call, gone through menu after menu which includes entering your account #, to finally get a person and they ask...FOR THE ACCOUNT#? Arrh! That annoys me still, but not as much it did before I worked in a call center.

There are sooo many things that can affect whether the person gets the info you entered or not. From the company not using all of the technology correctly, to a major outage from their phone provider, to short wrap up times between calls. So if the person doesn't answer the phone & say "Hello Ms. Remnants, how may I help you?" Then usually ask them what do they need to help me. Sometimes the account #, or maybe the reason for my call. The call can go smoother if they can go through their own menus and ask you for the info as they get to it.

One thing that I didn't know before I worked in a call center is that if the company has the right technology a call center an be a great place for blind or visually impaired people to work. I am soo in aww of the blind people that I worked with, because they have to listen to the computer in one ear & the customer in the other. They have to remember how many times to tab to certain places to enter info & just memorize so much that I just depend on my sight to do. But they pretty much had to meet the same goals that those of us that could see did.

I know I've called somewhere & there was a rude person on the phone, especially in those companies that once they have you locked into a contract they don't have to work to keep loyal customers. Can you say Cable Companies, Ricky? But I guess I try to be pleasant even when I have a major issue, like waiting during that half day window & the technician hasn't called or come.

I could probably go another 10 paragraphs on scenarios & situations, but I'm off to see a movie.

I do have to say again that I am in aww of my blind coworkers. Because they used to deal with some of the same rude people that I would talk to. I had a hard time concentrating when a person just talked & talked while I tried to complete some of the more difficult requests. So that listening to different things in each ear just wouldn't work for me a deeply dependent on my vision with my glasses or contacts person that I am.

Movies, Movies, Movies!

Over the past 2 weeks I have gone to the movies to see. a) Everybody's Fine, b) Up in the Air, c) Did you here about the Morgans? & d) Armored.

Why these movies? There really are quite a few more that I want to see. I guess they each had an actor I like for one reason or another, well, one of the movies...I just really needed to see black people after those choices. LOL Actually, I knew about Armored before the others, but I saw trailers and added them to my list. I didn't realize that Sam Elliott was in 2 movies until I saw them. He's another actor that I enjoy seeing.

If it wasn't for the $5 matinee before noon...I wouldn't go so much. But I need to make sure that when I go to another theater that isn't my normal stop. I should know the matinee price & hours. Also theaters don't advertise when they change prices or times for the bargain matinee so I guess I should check often.
a) I liked the trailers & and I am a fan of R. De Niro. The movie was ok. It's your normal holiday family with issues movie. Just the kind of mix that I like funny moments, serious moments & happy moments. The entertainment that I needed.

b) Another movie that after seeing the trailers & the lead actor, I just had to watch. I thought that the fact that some of the people used in the firing scenes had actually been fired recently was interesting. It also doesn't totally follow the “Hollywood” formula. I enjoyed it, it won't be a classic in my book. I am sure that there is someone more deserving of an award for best actor, but I'm not voting so what I think doesn't matter.

c) c)Well, obviously Mr. Grant is in this one...I must have wanted to see a romantic comedy. Guy does something stupid, guy loses girl, girl & guy work it out, guy gets girl in the end. No, I didn't ruin the ending for you. You know the formula...But I liked the movie. And Sarah outside of New York city was funny.

d) Diversity in the cast. Oh boy! I don't think that it was entirely believable but it was entertaining and a good movie overall. Bad guys never prosper & the hero does. :-)

Randomness again

I have started quite a few posts. It's the finishing part that hasn't happened, so I'll just be random.

The weekend of Dec. 5th I had a great birthday & attended another friend's surprise party. I was in my home state of Texas. I stayed with one of my best friends that I have known since Jr. High. So we were celebrating birthdays for those of us OVER 45.

I didn't realize how much I missed seeing burnt orange & white for the Real UT, the University of Texas; because here in GA I don't see many people in Texas jerseys; hats etc., it's always the other UT.

I waited until the last minute take my car for its emissions test & it didn't pass. Can't get my tags until it does. The parts cost more than I can afford right now. Ugh...

Sometimes I feel like I have stepped so far backwards in my life.

My landlord is a lunatic...not just my opinion. I live in a duplex & my neighbor says our landlord is the devil.

Maybe my next post will be more coherent.