...I had tonight's customer. Not that I want my blog to be a bitchfest, and really I planned my next post to be about the fabulous murder mystery party we attended on Saturday night (thrown by my brilliant friend Peter), but I have some things to get off my chest. I should probably wait until tomorrow since it's 3am, but whatever.
So I've now been a customer service supervisor at work for over 6 months now. At this point, I've heard a LOT. I joke that my soul is dead...I'm pretty damn calloused, and while I still get yelled at on mostly a daily basis, it rarely phases me or even upsets me any more. I guess that's my bad for thinking I'd heard it all. Because tonight...wow, I've never had anyone speak to me the way this guy did.
To keep a long story (relatively) short, the guy was pissed b/c he thought our sales rep had taken advantage of his parents. Yes, he's not even a freaking customer, his parents are. We do get these calls from time to time, with children trying to stick up for their parents...who apparently shouldn't be held responsible for their actions even though they're adults. His parents had been given a standard deal as far as our systems go--their contract length was the standard 5 years and they were even given the discount price. But this guy apparently has a system of his own, where his contract is supposedly much shorter and the montly rate half of what we charge. His demand was to either cancel their account or lower their rate, neither of which we do after the contract is signed (this is why you should read contracts before you sign them!). I'd like to point out that it's not like his parents called, were told they can't cancel and he called in response to that. We haven't heard from his parents. There is no indication they're unhappy w/their system.
But the thing that made this call different from the other escalated calls I take--well, there are several things actually. I've been told "You don't care," I've been told "I can't understand how you sleep at night"--but this guy literally told me I'm a horrible person, and that I'm dead inside. He told me I have no conscience. He asked if I'm religious, and when I told him I wasn't going to answer that, he told me that God thinks I'm a bad person. He told me I must hate my parents and grandparents. He told me he hoped that after we got off the phone that I had a really good cry because if I didn't, I'd know that I have no soul. Basically he verbally assaulted me for 20 minutes. Every time I tried to say something, he cut me off. And when I managed to get something out, he twisted my words and tried to (unsuccessfully) use them against me. Until finally, I kinda lost it with him. I told him I know I'm a good person, that I definitely have a conscience, and just because I wasn't telling him what he wanted to hear was NOT justification for disrespecting me like that. He asked if I'd be upset if my parents were "conned" into signing up for the rip off that is our system, I said I'd be upset if my parents signed a legal document without reading it first, and that it is not my problem or the company's problem if his parents signed it before reading it. He asked if I agreed with the policies of the company, I said whether or not I agreed with them is irrelevant because they are printed on the contract in black and white and if his parents didn't like them, they shouldn't have signed it. And as he continued to interrupt me to remind me what a horrible person I am, I told him I was sick of him putting words in my mouth and treating me like crap and if he didn't stop right that moment I was hanging up on him.
And then...he pulled this "I'm a Christian, I'm going to pray for your soul because you're a bad person" shit. Tell me people, what is Christian about spending a good chunk of your evening trying to break someone down and make them feel horrible...for something they didn't even have any part of?? Last time I checked, that was not the method Jesus used, EVER. The hypocrisy KILLS me, it really does. So I guess that people are gonna say what they're gonna say. But I'd like to point out that God is not a weapon. And that is what I told this guy. He said he wasn't using Him as one. YEAH RIGHT.
Anyway...well, I don't really have a good conclusion for this. I guess I really did need to vent. So thanks for listening, I guess.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
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5 comments:
Images of Mandy Moore flinging bibles.
Its really no wonder people like us are turned off by religion. Because you're absolutely right, what he was doing had nothing to do with the moral principles Christ taught.
I think the teachings aren't a bad thing- but organized religion has been hijacked by extremists who miss the point entirely as they desperately cling to a system that takes advantage of them and breeds hypocritical loose cannons.
Christianity isn't very Christ-like these days.
Oh, and wasn't the party good? :)
What a fool. We can just know that he is really the bad person. or at least in that moment he was. People are freaks. but i love you.
Most of the oh so religious people who bring up being "Christian" all the time are the least like Christ. They use God and religion to manipulate other people and they like to have reasons to condescend to other people and make themselves look better than everyone else. Well, if that's how you get to heaven, roll out the carpet for hell, cause, damn, at least I'll be with friends.
You are a good person - one of the best I know because I can be utterly myself around you and it's okay. (I'm sending you a hug with this comment, by the way.)
I'm glad I didn't transfer that one to you, or I'd feel really guilty
Happy belated birthday to you, and please post about the fun party!
When I was in California, I came across a lot of people much like your "Christian" friend there. The funny thing is that one of the most Christ-like people I came across claimed to be a devil worshiper. Oh well, that's life.
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