Caitríona Redmond: What about the people on the receiving end of our complaints and queries?

Helpline and call centre staff are a bunch of hardworking people who often get abused by customers, writes Caitríona Redmond

Customer service staff deal with a high volume of queries and complaints — so remember that respectful communication is more likely to be taken seriously and lead to a better outcome. File photo

Hot on the heels of the most wonderful time of the year, it is now the most stressful time of the year. Well, it certainly feels that way as we deal with the aftermath of potentially spending a little bit over budget during Christmas and adapt to a long gap between paydays.

From delayed deliveries to frustrations with service providers, the first thing you will probably do is either email or pick up the phone and call a business you’re unhappy with. If you do become frustrated with customer care and need to complain, it’s time to check yourself before dialling that number or clicking send in anger. You never know what the person at the other end is dealing with.

How you deal with the person at the receiving end of your query or complaint can really make the difference. Customer service teams have high levels of emotional labour, and burnout, and can easily burn out from dealing with high levels of negative feedback.

Still, staff are expected to remain calm, not react to emotional triggers, and be polite, and professional at all times, regardless of the volume of complaints.

It’s been many years since I first started working fresh out of school, and I have been lucky enough to have held a wide range of roles in my working life. Yes, that also includes dealing with complaints.

With the advent of social media, some social norms and conventions have been eroded. We see this on social media platforms such as Facebook, where people are more prone to making comments that they would never say face-to-face, in real life. The acceptance of bad behaviour online emboldens others and people become accustomed to using bad language when typing out a message. Then a customer service agent gets a nasty email that they don’t deserve to get.

Being frustrated with a service or a product is never an excuse to curse or be abusive with customer service reps. Unfortunately, some people do this on a regular basis. I can only imagine how stressful it is to have to deal with irate and abusive customers every day.

Even as a passive onlooker, I see it online frequently as people offer an opinion on a product they don’t like or a service they’re unhappy with. “This business is disgraceful” and “Your product is (curseword)”. 

It must be very disheartening to see people comment with abandon and not engage with the business directly to try to resolve their issues.

Online, it’s very visible when people who have never even visited a particular restaurant for example, pile on a hospitality establishment when they don’t like their policy on gendered toilets. I’ve also seen it happen several times to Irish butchers, where people on a plant-based diet have given them negative reviews online. This type of behaviour can have a serious impact on a business and the jobs they provide in the community.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the person you contact to complain is very rarely the source of your issue. It is highly unlikely that they have caused my problem.

Remember, courtesy goes an awful long way when dealing with any business. Customer service staff don’t set prices or design service policies. If you’re unhappy with something, you can absolutely express your dissatisfaction — but please don’t take it out on helpless staff.

Most representatives have little control over what they can tell you and can rarely resolve a complaint on the spot. They will have a ‘script’, policies, and regulations they must stick to when speaking to a customer. This also applies to the manager, so in many cases, asking to speak to the manager won’t help.

Caitríona Redmond: 'I recently came across Tesco soffritto in the freezer section, which is mixture of finely diced onion, carrots and celery. It’s become my new favourite life hack for making soups and stew bases in a hurry.'

The service team is the frontline defence for most companies when it comes to dealing with complaints. They’re the first and last person customers speak to when they dial. They’ve the power to change customers’ perception of a business and leave them with a positive impression by the time they hang up the phone.

Looking at income surveys of customer service representatives in Ireland, it seems that the average pay can start from barely over minimum wage at €30,000 per year. Remember, minimum wage recently rose to €14.15 an hour which is around €28,696 annually, for a 40-hour working week.

It certainly seems to me that they should be paid more for the incredibly difficult job they do. After all, if a business values their staff, there’s a trickle-down effect to their customers and their experience. That also means that a business should have enough people to staff their phones and answer customer queries and not place undue pressure on those who are in place already.

Remember that respectful communication is more likely to be taken seriously and lead to a better outcome. Putting a complaint in writing is a great place to start.

Complaining with courtesy is a conscious choice that we can easily make. Think about how you would feel to be on the other end of a spiteful complaint.

Redmond recommends

It already feels like we are entering the seventh week of January and my grocery budget is becoming increasingly tight. We’re into the 'hungry gap' and that means that seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables are less abundant than in summertime. 

To fill the gap, I’ve been using frozen vegetables instead which, in some cases, can contain even better nutrients than fresh.

I recently came across Tesco soffritto in the freezer section, which is mixture of finely diced onion, carrots and celery. It’s become my new favourite life hack for making soups and stew bases in a hurry. 1kg costs €2.50 which is great value considering how much time it saves me.