Devoted to the call center industry, the agents on the phones, and their managers

You may have seen that excellent blog Customers Rock, but there is another blog called Customers Suck. Employees post their worst, sarcastic customer service stories.

I've had my share of mentally and emotionally challenged callers, but somehow I never acquired the attitude that customers suck. We're all customers sometimes. We all suck sometimes. It's interesting how many customer service agents, when they're off the phones, become as annoying and demanding as their worst customers. I admit I've found that happening to me. I've learned how to get things done on the phone, and sometimes being nice doesn't help. Polite maybe, but not passive.

I approach my job with the firm attitude that customers need help. That's why they call me. Some of them need more help than others. The poor, trembling widows who don't know what to do with their phone bills: it's easy to realize that they need help. But inside, maybe we are all poor trembling widows. 

Telling stories about "my worst customer ever" is a popular pastime for call center agents. And we need to have another Worst Customer Contest soon. But the satisfaction it gives is not lasting. It's not healthy. What good does it do to constantly tell yourself how bad your job is?

Try this: when a co-worker starts telling you horror stories about their callers, don't add to the fire. Move into customer service mode yourself. Treat your co-worker as your customer, in need of help. What can you do to reassure them and console them?