Why Should Customer Service Companies Hire Assholes?
Visited 585 Times Published by Rico November 20th, 2007 in Rico's Ramblings and Why.
I know for a fact that, when it comes to documentation, the call center industry is second to none. The fact is that real-time interactions with people who are annoyed or disappointed can be very unpredictable, and so much literature has been written to account for most possibilities.
But nothing compares to someone actually screaming their head off at you. I’m really thinking that if companies really want to improve the way their customer service handles complaints, inquiries, or whatever concern, they should hire bona fide assholes—and set them loose on unsuspecting trainees. These assholes-for-hire will be asked to make life extremely hard for the poor person at the other end of the line.
This will hit two birds with one stone. First, such exposure will prepare call center agents for real-life assholes as they come along. If a call center agent breaks down the first time, they can simply study the conversation, see where they went wrong, and adjust their approach. If a trainee can’t seem to adapt, then it’s perhaps a clear sign that they’re not cut out for the service industry.
Second, the pretend assholes get to be as obnoxious as possible. More meanness means better development for their training “partners.” And by expressing their inner jerk in a controlled setting, these assholes get to indulge their mean side as much as they want to—without pissing off someone who can really hurt them.
It’s a win-win for everyone involved, especially for the customer service companies’ clients, whether they’re Mother Teresa or the prototypical soap opera bitch.
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But call centers already have assholes and bitches! Look at me!
Kidding aside. Role-play is always done during training and is a vital part of coaching of the reps who are on their production phase. I usually take part on certifying trainees and part of of a certifier’s responsibility is to expose the trainees to the most difficult and unpredictable situations.
My sarcasm had never been so useful.
And yes, I have made people cry.
Rico, I just saw your name on the IIDC 2 speaker tab sheet. You were once a debater?! COOL! :p
LJ: Now I’m wondering how you’ll be if you’re actually angry!
Benj: OMG Benj, yes I was one back in College, participating in parliamentary style debates. Where’d you see the sheet? Point sir!
Edit: I’ve participated in two NDCs and two IIDCs. Did a lot better in the NDC though. 
Ayos ah. According to the NDC 2002 tab, you guys were the last breaking team! :p Must’ve been a thrilling wait for the announcements.hehe
Ateneo de Naga ka pala.
NDC 2007 is my second NDC - my team made it to the quarterfinals and I made the stand-up comedy - err… public speaking finals. haha
Not thrilling, but ulcer-inducing! At least I ranked higher (the second to the last breaking team) the next year. Never made it to the octofinals unfortunately. Hehe…
Nice Benj, you did a whole lot better than I did! Who did you eventually lose to sa eliminations?
We broke 21st (yuck!) haha. But we beat ADMU D (5th!) and MSU in the octofinals. THe motion was the criminalization of children who neglect their elderly parents (I blogged about it). Haha. We advanced with UPD C (eventual finalists). We lost in the octos to ADMU B and UPD C.
We kinda had a bad time in the quarterfinals. We didn’t strategize well. Hehe. Ok narin, best major tournament of my career. Hehe.