There's a fine line between telling the customer that you don't know the answer to their question and telling them that your company is stupid. It's a line that gets crossed frequently, and only one way. Some reps may as well say, "I decline to answer that question on the grounds that I might tend to incriminate me." Call center agents are not paid to make their company look stupid.At my first call center job, senior representatives lied all the time. In her introductory speech in our company Toastmasters club, one agent even thanked her first supervisor (now a manager) for teaching her how to lie effectively. Or for teaching her the importance of lying effectively. Or why lying is necessary. Something like that. I was stirred by the speech, but not for the reason she expected.
To keep their customer's confidence level up, or to keep from sounding stupid, some agents have standard lies they tell customers. Some say, "Your refund will be processed in 30-60 days." They usually don't know enough about refunds and who processes them to say for sure.
My philosophy is that honesty is really the best policy. Studies actually show that the customer whose problem has been resolved to their satisfaction is more loyal than a customer who never had a problem. Often I've been told by customers, "You're the only one who ever explained that to me."
Further reading: What is the Value of Customer Service?
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