Your Day

Trollheart · 03-21-2013, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePhanastasio

Most depressing day at work ever. A few weeks ago, I had a customer who was really upset that we didn't have time available for a payment arrangement. She was tearfully distraught, and said she needed phone to contact her family because she has cancer, and it wasn't looking good.

Now, we get claims of illness all the time, but for this one, she sounded so weak, and you could hear machines beeping in the background. Against what I'm supposed to do, I gave her an extra week on her payment arrangement, which would have ended up bringing the arrangement to tomorrow.

I got a call today of someone wanting to cancel service. It was a user on the account, but I couldn't cancel - and if the account's not suspended, I can't cancel from my department anyway. Well, anywho, I was reviewing the memos, and saw the memo I put in a few weeks previous on this same account...and the man was also tearfully distraught and said, "I have to put my mother in the ground tomorrow. Can't you please just close out this service for me?"

It was the same woman. I seriously hit not ready after that call and put in a good half hour of downtime to compose myself. One of the things in my job is we can't get too invested or we'd never be able to complete our job, but I remembered the exact call, setting the arrangement longer because I would have felt horrible not doing it...

God, that has me all kinds of distraught, still.

You need to get out of that job. It can't pay well enough to be allowing it to suck your soul out like that.

djchameleon · 03-21-2013, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Can I just say that, unless you really didn't understand (which I'm assuming you're smart enough to) that was a really tasteless remark, uncalled for and making light of what is obviously a serious concern to at least three people.

Shame on you, Freebase. I wouldn't have believed you capable of such callous insensitivity, I really wouldn't.

Come on now! Poking a little fun at a typo isn't the same as making fun of someone with a serious condition. You're making a mountain out of a molehill again.

Plankton · 03-21-2013, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

Do you live close by and is visiting and spending time together an easy thing to do?

About 2 hrs away. Not close enough to get over every day, but close enough to get there on the weekends. We've already discussed some possible in between meeting places. Lifes good right now.

anticipation · 03-22-2013, 12:07 AM

I'm having relationship problems.

Engine · 03-22-2013, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anticipation

I'm having relationship problems.

I thought you knew better than to get into relationships, playa

Unknown Soldier · 03-22-2013, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

Come on now! Poking a little fun at a typo isn't the same as making fun of someone with a serious condition. You're making a mountain out of a molehill again.

Trollheart was quite right with his comment towards Freebase, but for my part I never took any offence with his remark, I can't speak for the other two people on here though.

**Goofle** · 03-22-2013, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anticipation

I'm having relationship problems.

Tell me more about this.

Mojo · 03-22-2013, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePhanastasio

Most depressing day at work ever. A few weeks ago, I had a customer who was really upset that we didn't have time available for a payment arrangement. She was tearfully distraught, and said she needed phone to contact her family because she has cancer, and it wasn't looking good.

Now, we get claims of illness all the time, but for this one, she sounded so weak, and you could hear machines beeping in the background. Against what I'm supposed to do, I gave her an extra week on her payment arrangement, which would have ended up bringing the arrangement to tomorrow.

I got a call today of someone wanting to cancel service. It was a user on the account, but I couldn't cancel - and if the account's not suspended, I can't cancel from my department anyway. Well, anywho, I was reviewing the memos, and saw the memo I put in a few weeks previous on this same account...and the man was also tearfully distraught and said, "I have to put my mother in the ground tomorrow. Can't you please just close out this service for me?"

It was the same woman. I seriously hit not ready after that call and put in a good half hour of downtime to compose myself. One of the things in my job is we can't get too invested or we'd never be able to complete our job, but I remembered the exact call, setting the arrangement longer because I would have felt horrible not doing it...

God, that has me all kinds of distraught, still.

I've never done the exact kind of work that you do, as in debt collections or anything like that. I've only ever done customer service. Still, I do feel for you with this. A lot of people may not understand how that would affect YOU, someone who never knew this woman and seemingly should have no attachment. It doesn't quite work that way though, does it? As someone who has worked in customer service contact centre roles before, happily (well, that may be pushing it) getting on with my job, answering pretty generic questions and performing generic tasks over and over again all day long, every day, to suddenly answer that next call in a long line and have it be a man calling to inform his wife has died, or a mother that her child has died, it really stops you dead in your tracks, especially as the person you are speaking to is still clearly an emotional wreck. To have had the previous contact with that person you did to boot, it must be an upsetting experience.

FETCHER. · 03-22-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

Come on now! Poking a little fun at a typo isn't the same as making fun of someone with a serious condition. You're making a mountain out of a molehill again.

In all honesty I thought it was tasteless considering the context of Unknowns post I just didn't say anything because there's no real point.

Trollheart · 03-22-2013, 12:00 PM

I wasn't going to say anything. In fact I moved off the subforum but then it played on my mind and I thought I had to say something.

DJ. it's not just a joke about a typo. When you consider the fragile state of mind or heart the three of them may have been in (US says it didn't upset him; fair enough but that does not excuse it) it's a badly-chosen moment to make any flippant remark. I know if I came on here and said for instance I or someone I knew had cancer, AIDS or anything I would not expect a smart comment that made light of the message being posted.

I don't agree that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill: I think it was an incredibly insensitive thing to do, given the tone of the post, and I personally if it were me I would be insulted. If no-one is then that's fine, but my opinion of Freebase just took a serious dive.

There's a time and place for joshing and scoring points off people; when they announce serious, possibly life-changing/threatening news is not, to my mind, that time.

03-22-2013, 12:00 PM	#22530 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	I wasn't going to say anything. In fact I moved off the subforum but then it played on my mind and I thought I had to say something. DJ. it's not just a joke about a typo. When you consider the fragile state of mind or heart the three of them may have been in (US says it didn't upset him; fair enough but that does not excuse it) it's a badly-chosen moment to make any flippant remark. I know if I came on here and said for instance I or someone I knew had cancer, AIDS or anything I would not expect a smart comment that made light of the message being posted. I don't agree that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill: I think it was an incredibly insensitive thing to do, given the tone of the post, and I personally if it were me I would be insulted. If no-one is then that's fine, but my opinion of Freebase just took a serious dive. There's a time and place for joshing and scoring points off people; when they announce serious, possibly life-changing/threatening news is not, to my mind, that time. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

03-22-2013, 12:07 AM	#22524 (permalink)
anticipation Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 3,565	I'm having relationship problems.