Insurance Claims and Cingular Policy
Insurance claims are supposed to be handled solely through our insurance agent, Lockline. Technically, a customer should never have to step foot into a store to file or complete a claim. Lockline has an 800 number that's open at all times to handle claims. Lockline is also supposed to send a phone to the customer to complete the claim. On those rare occasions when a customer is sent to a store to complete a claim and get another phone, we can already assume the person has pitched a fit to insurance for them to make an exception, so we tread lightly with these customers.
With that said, when a store completes the insurance claim, we give the customer a phone in a box that has a sticker explaining the return/exchange policy for new purcha...
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With that said, when a store completes the insurance claim, we give the customer a phone in a box that has a sticker explaining the return/exchange policy for new purcha...
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NO DON'T CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE! Why do store reps insist on telling customers to call customer service when they don't want to deal with something? Like you said, the issue is with LOCKLINE not with CINGULAR. Sending them to customer service will solve nothing.
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I had already told the guy to call Lockline. The reason I said to call customer service is because he refused to go through Lockline and there was nothing at store level that I could do for him. It isn't like sales reps just pawn people off to customer service for no reason. We send them to customer service when there is no other hope for help in the store. Even if you have to tell them the same thing we did, customers tend to believe customer service more than us. And PLEASE don't act like reps are the devils since customer service send people to the stores all the time when they already know there isn't a darn thing we can do for the customer at store level!
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The moral of this story is that there are worthless employees in customer service, company-owned retail stores, and agent stores. None of us are perfect. Hopefully the lousy ones get weeded out, or get trained up to standards.
Another point I'd like to make.. as a store manager, I've told my team that under no circumstances are they required to tolerate abusive language from customers. If they encounter abuse, they are to ask the customer to keep the conversation on a professional, adult level. If the abuse persists, they are to ask the customer to leave. If the customer wont leave, they are authorized to call the police. None of us get paid enough to deal with that kind of crap.
Another point I'd like to make.. as a store manager, I've told my team that under no circumstances are they required to tolerate abusive language from customers. If they encounter abuse, they are to ask the customer to keep the conversation on a professional, adult level. If the abuse persists, they are to ask the customer to leave. If the customer wont leave, they are authorized to call the police. None of us get paid enough to deal with that kind of crap.
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I was trying to keep the story PG rated, but I did end up dealing with a lot of guff from that particular customer and did have to end up calling the police.
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Well and that's the point too. As a sales rep you do not have to take the verbal abuse. You can call security or the police. Telling them to call customer care when you KNOW that they will not be helped is stupid seeing as how we cannot release the call and have to put up with it.
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I'm thinking we need to agree to disagree here, Amy55. Part of my point was that customer service constantly sends people to the store to get them off the phone since the call cannot be released despite the fact that there is not a thing the store can do except have a sales rep call customer service and deal with someone who will actually do something for the customer on their end as it should have been done originally. The whole problem with our entire customer service team (call centers and reps included) is that Cingular boasts and beats into us the need to address and fix customer issues in one shot, but that never ever seems to be the case. Not to mention, just for your particular knowledge, I ONLY send people to call customer servic...
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I just think Cingular needs to get something that is the same right across the board. Get rid of the "market" crap and train the representatives so that people are getting the same answer regardless if they talk to customer care or the stores. I also do not think that ANY representative should have to tolerate verbal abuse. I could go on all day if I could but I'm too tired right now. Back to studying.
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Because that is what Cingular training requires. Everyone one from the Director level on down has alwaysa said you trainin your reps to have customer service deal with issues such as billing, XBM, etc.
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Well if it was the store rep that screwed the billing issue up then they should correct it. Also, Lockline is not a billing issue. And I was in customer care and I have no idea what XBM is. Maybe something Orange? Anyways, store reps are there for commission. Not all, but the one's I have dealt with sure are.
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You can say that all you want but the matter at hand called for customer service. Escalation protocols (right out if Cingular U) say you state the options and if the customer is unhappy you offer to let them talk to customer care but that the options offered are the best available.
That way the options offered and the expecations set are universal across the board. Consistency will yield the best customer service results.
That way the options offered and the expecations set are universal across the board. Consistency will yield the best customer service results.
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Might need to be a little bit more specific. There are at least 5 protocol training courses. I need to see this for myself.
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Actually, I wonder if I won't even have this in my Cingular U because I was in customer care. Are they different for each job?
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They should be the same and I don't remember which protocol training discussed this procedure. Which ever one handles escalations.
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Well I'm too lazy to sift through them. And I was done last week. I still have access to Cingular U from home though. I'm sure once I get over my bitterness of the company I won't be on this site anymore.
Cheers,
Amy
Cheers,
Amy
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urg said:
Insurance claims are supposed to be handled solely through our insurance agent, Lockline. Technically, a customer should never have to step foot into a store to file or complete a claim. Lockline has an 800 number that's open at all times to handle claims. Lockline is also supposed to send a phone to the customer to complete the claim. On those rare occasions when a customer is sent to a store to complete a claim and get another phone, we can already assume the person has pitched a fit to insurance for them to make an exception, so we tread lightly with these customers.
Customers are not able to complain and get sent to a store. That's not an option we have. The system itself is the only wa...
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