by Pam Brittain
Member since:
July 16, 2011

SatWE, Saturday Writing Essentials, 6/16/12, LacAfee

June 20, 2012 06:31 PM UTC
views: 0 | 10 people recommend this | comments: 44

Challenge: Write about a positive or negative customer service you have had. [Prose or poetry; fiction, nonfiction, or essay.]

*****

"I just brought in a horrible virus on my computer and your virus protector didn't catch it.  I need help."

"One moment.  I'll transfer you to a technician."  That customer service person was definitely an American.  She transferred me to (you probably guessed) someone in another country.

"Hello.  MayIhave yourname?"

"Excuse me?"

"MayIhave yourname?"  For the next 1/2 hour I continued to ask this person to speak slower because I was having difficulty understanding him due to his accent.  During this painful process and other conversations, lasting over 8 hours and running my phone battery down, I learned that I would have to pay $75.00 for technical service.

"Howwouldyou liketopay?"

"What?  I just renewed with you for a year."

"That wasforthesoftware whichweare veryproud of."

"It didn't protect me and now I need your help."

"Iunderstand.  Howwould youlike topay?"

I'll save you from the details and pain of reading a book, but he did transfer me to his supervisor.

"Yournameplease."  Another 1/2 hour and patience lost.

"Could you please transfer me to a technician residing in America?"

"No.  TherearenotechniciansinArizona."

"You have a strong accent and I can't understand what you're saying."

"I understand."  BTW, she spoke this quite clearly.  "You only speak English.  I on the other hand speak 10 languages."

I hung up before I uttered, "Gull durned arrogant ..."



Comments: 44

Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 6:32pm UTC
I'm not at all sure about this format. I was trying to lead in to characters without actually describing them. I'd like your opinions.
Len Maxwell Jun 22, 2012, 6:17pm UTC
I liked the way you did it. When I first started reading I thought you forgot to put in a space and then realized what you were doing. It was very effective.
Pam Brittain Jun 22, 2012, 6:59pm UTC
Blush, thanks, Len.
Sam Henderson Jun 20, 2012, 6:46pm UTC
My opinion: Don't Change A Thing!
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 6:47pm UTC
Thanks, Sam. Your opinion means a great deal to me. I have learned so much here and plan on continuing to experiment and learn.
Sam Henderson Jun 20, 2012, 6:50pm UTC
Your name, to me, is synonymous with great humor. Keep 'em coming!
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 6:58pm UTC
I blush and bow in humble thanks.
Debbie W. Jun 20, 2012, 7:06pm UTC
I would laugh, but it is so true and it makes me so mad!
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 7:28pm UTC
Debbie, please go ahead and laugh. I didn't mean to get you steamed up. Plus, I wrote this reply before and Gather ate my entire post (temporarily). Wonder where those technicians are located?
JOHN BECK Jun 20, 2012, 7:09pm UTC
Doesn't sound like your problem was resolved.
JOHN BECK Jun 20, 2012, 7:09pm UTC
But then again, this is fiction, and well done at that.
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 7:31pm UTC
Glad to know the format is okay and well done. Actually, this was a problem and I fired you know who, paid for a technician that destroyed all my drivers and lots of business stuff, put me off of Gather for months and .....
Angela A. Jun 20, 2012, 9:06pm UTC
Ha, ha
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 9:22pm UTC
Thanks, Angela.
Brett C. Jun 20, 2012, 9:35pm UTC
Well written and well-envisioned!...

And, as a Gather friend says, "I am especially fond of" the fusion of words.

Excellent way to depict Fast Talking...

If I had a dollar bill for everytime I've asked a CSR to jabber a bit more slowly, I could easily afford to fly to New Delhi to talk to him in person.

[Although in the interest of making it look as if I'm placating the politically correct crowd, I usually converse with fast-talking American CSRs, much, much more often]
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 9:59pm UTC
Thank you, Brett. I'm not sure what a CSR is, but I do think we could make some serious dollar bills.
Brett C. Jun 21, 2012, 2:16am UTC
Sorry--

I came across as a wise-guy elitist....

CSR=Customer Service Representative
Pam Brittain Jun 21, 2012, 2:16pm UTC
Not to worry, Brett. It took me forever to figure out what POV means. Maybe I should write a challenge that requires the non-use of acronyms and ban all from comments. LOL.!
Janet "Jax" B. Jun 20, 2012, 11:16pm UTC
I have had that same conversation with ATT....LOL
Pam Brittain Jun 20, 2012, 11:31pm UTC
I hope you never have to talk to a teckie again. Last time (I forgot who it was), sent me to someone speaking in Spanish.

Cabela's, however, doesn't outsource - yippee. Great VISA card, plus I use it for daily use, pay it off every month, pay no interest and gain points that I can use towards a Cabela's purchase.

Can't anyone else get a clue?
Janet "Jax" B. Jun 20, 2012, 11:50pm UTC
We don't have a Cabela's here.

It took me 3 phone calls and speaking to 5 people to get my ATT internet fixed....so frustrating. I just withhold pay until they fixed it.
Diane Huizenga Jun 21, 2012, 12:04am UTC
No kidding

Thanks for sharing with Surreal Circus
Pam Brittain Jun 21, 2012, 12:13am UTC
Nope. True condense story (which you already knew).
Richard Lynn Livesay Jun 21, 2012, 7:46am UTC
Featured on Surreal Circus
William Dotani Jun 21, 2012, 2:19am UTC
That's sad. I know this type of experience here. In Japan the company's care about honor in their service.
Pam Brittain Jun 21, 2012, 2:17pm UTC
I'd love it if the companies would switch to Japan. I've love it better if they'd bring the jobs back home to the US.
William Dotani Jun 25, 2012, 2:21am UTC
I love it if we didn't have such an anti-Democracy direction in all 3 branches of our current government.
Richard Thuss Jun 21, 2012, 9:28am UTC
I'm smiling, but I should not be
Pam Brittain Jun 21, 2012, 2:18pm UTC
Why? Smiles make my day and, Richard, you make me smile.
Len Maxwell Jun 22, 2012, 6:20pm UTC
I think all of us are both smiling at your discomfort and commiserating with your trials.

Thanks for taking the SatWE challenge.
Pam Brittain Jun 22, 2012, 7:01pm UTC
Thank you for offering it.
Len Maxwell Jun 23, 2012, 4:22pm UTC
Saturday is always a neat day for me -- I can feature work such as this on Gather Writing Essential.
William Dotani Jun 23, 2012, 5:18am UTC
I bet this phone person learned Bayou English through Rosetta Stone.
Pam Brittain Jun 23, 2012, 6:15pm UTC
Bet you're right.
August Lady Jun 23, 2012, 4:58pm UTC
I'm hearing impaired, and sometimes have to ask to be transferred to English speaking & they do (hint), but it's extremely frustrating~that def came thru on this post!
Pam Brittain Jun 23, 2012, 6:18pm UTC
English speaking doesn't work - they have excellent grammar. Too bad their accent makes them impossible to understand. I never hesitate to ask if the person I'm speaking to is in the United States. Sometimes they'll transfer me, but usually not. They've even complied with my request and posted our conversation for me to refer to later. That's when I learn that they aren't really telling the truth - they post that my problem was resolved.

Okay, I'm ranting - sorry August Lady.
Ugh....X_x
Pam Brittain Jun 24, 2012, 1:18pm UTC
I couldn't agree more;)
Terry M. Jun 24, 2012, 12:01am UTC
I had problems with one service my. Then I found a free one and it works great.
Pam Brittain Jun 24, 2012, 1:19pm UTC
I'm using Microsoft's virus protector on this computer - so far - so good. Knock on wood.
Patricia J. Jun 24, 2012, 11:00am UTC
Great rant, Pam, you depicted exactly what has everyone up in arms!!
Pam Brittain Jun 24, 2012, 1:20pm UTC
Everyone's gotta rant sometimes. Thanks, Patricia.
Sheila Deeth Jun 27, 2012, 2:15pm UTC
I like the way you wrote this. Easy to read and easy to hear. (Though not easy to hear on the phone I suppose. Ouch!)
Pam Brittain Jun 27, 2012, 2:33pm UTC
Thanks, Sheila. This prompt gave me a chance to justify a rant of sorts.

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