Firing companies needs to be easier

[Stretch]

I just spent 20 minutes trying to cancel my auto insurance policy with GEICO. About 10 minutes in, I wanted to slam my head into a brick wall, and not just because she was butchering my name. This was harder than canceling AOL free trials back in the day.

The conversion went something like this -

Customer Service Rep (henceforth CSR): <account confirmation spiel>

Me: I'd like to cancel my auto insurance policy, please.

CSR: I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Nih-goo-yen. May I ask why?

Me: I was able to quadruple my coverage, add in comprehensive renter's insurance, and reduce my premium by 25% with another insurance provider.

CSR: I see that you have been a valued GEICO customer for three years. Are you aware that you may qualify for discounts the longer you stay with us?

Me: ...yes, but I was able to significantly increase my coverage and get a large discount on top of what I have been getting from your company.

CSR: Your rate is scheduled to drop by 15% when you turn 25 later this year.

Me: ...but I can save 25% now. And the liability coverage I currently have is extremely low.

CSR: I understand that Mr. Nih-goo-yen, but you might be going to a company that will increase your rates when your first policy expires.

Me: That's a risk I'm willing to take. In addition, the company I am switching to has received extremely positive reviews and feedback.

CSR: GEICO's customer satisfaction rate is 97%

Me: I never had a problem with the customer service, but I can get more coverage for less money elsewhere.

CSR: I understand that saving money is important in this economy, but I also want you to be sure that you know all the benefits of staying with GEICO.

Me: I WILL REACH THROUGH THIS F*CKING PHONE RECEIVER AND STAB YOU IN THE EYE IF YOU DON'T LET ME CANCEL MY GOD DAMN POLICY AND LET ME GET BACK TO MY DINNER.

The last part may or may not have happened.

[Gan]

I had the same thing happen to me when I cancelled my progressive auto policy... and I had them for almost 7 years. I thought the CSR was going to cry before our convo ended.

[Ignot]

She was trying to save an account, I don't see whats wrong with that.

[Gan]

She was trying to save an account, I don't see whats wrong with that.

There's a fine line between trying to save an account and being fucking pushy.

A cancellation phonecall is usually way past the appropriate time to save an account.

[Kitsun]

Cancelling Verizon was a goddamn nightmare. They wouldn't let us get through to speak with an actual person. We were chaining the responsibility of holding on the line for like 2-3 hours. Finally got the brilliant idea of going through the "We're moving" section to get them to stop service.

[Deathravin]

Your problem was that you kept giving her openings.

"I need to cancel my insurance"
"may I ask why?"
"No you may not, please cancel my insurance"
"Were you unhappy with anything"
"Cancel my insurance, please"
"okay, it's been canceled"

[Tisket]

Cancelling Verizon was a goddamn nightmare.

QFMFT. I simply tried to reduce service once. I became so frustrated with having to repeat my issue over and over and over again because I kept getting switched to different customer service reps that I ended up cancelling all services with them.

Now whenever I see their fucking commercials I want to throw something at the TV. I almost didn't let a truck merge onto the freeway soon afterward because it was a motherfucking Verizon truck. Bastards.

No, I don't carry grudges at all...

[Tolwynn]

As bad as Verizon is, AT&T is 1000 times worse. I literally had to spend two hours on the phone one time getting my landline service cancelled, and that wasn't including the number of drops, disconnects, and bumbled pass-offs that ended the nine call attempts preceding it.

[Ignot]

There's a fine line between trying to save an account and being fucking pushy.


True. I don't think she was pushy though.



A cancellation phonecall is usually way past the appropriate time to save an account.

I disagree and I think it's a great time.

[diethx]

Your problem was that you kept giving her openings.

"I need to cancel my insurance"
"may I ask why?"
"No you may not, please cancel my insurance"
"Were you unhappy with anything"
"Cancel my insurance, please"
"okay, it's been canceled"

I agree with this totally, and the above is how my conversations usually go. Although sometimes I find that if you give the CSR enough rope to hang themselves, they will. I called up an old credit card company one time because they had raised my yearly membership fee from like $25 to $100 with no notice, nothing. So I called to complain and get my fee dropped back down to $25. The moron rep I spoke with tried to convince me that I was wrong, and that my yearly fee was $100 ever since I opened the account. I was so offended by her balls that I decided to cancel the card. I made sure to do it via supervisor, so hopefully she got in trouble for single-handedly losing an account.


AT&T is 1000 times worse

AT&T has the worst customer service i've EVER experienced. Just thinking about it makes me agitated.

[Parkbandit]

I must be the only one that begins conversations like this with

"I am making this call to cancel my {insert service here} with you and I am not interested in your attempts to keep me as a customer. I have made my informed decision already and would like this call to go as quickly as possible and your help in making this happen would be greatly appreciated."

[Gan]

I disagree and I think it's a great time.

Its completely reactionary and in no way fixes what drove the customer to quit the service to begin with.

[Keller]

Its completely reactionary and in no way fixes what drove the customer to quit the service to begin with.

But assuming you save 1 in 10 accounts, it's a great time to try to save the account.

To be sure, there are better times.

[Skeeter]

I agree with this totally, and the above is how my conversations usually go. Although sometimes I find that if you give the CSR enough rope to hang themselves, they will. I called up an old credit card company one time because they had raised my yearly membership fee from like $25 to $100 with no notice, nothing. So I called to complain and get my fee dropped back down to $25. The moron rep I spoke with tried to convince me that I was wrong, and that my yearly fee was $100 ever since I opened the account. I was so offended by her balls that I decided to cancel the card. I made sure to do it via supervisor, so hopefully she got in trouble for single-handedly losing an account.



AT&T has the worst customer service i've EVER experienced. Just thinking about it makes me agitated.

Why would you pay a membership fee on a credit card?

[Bobmuhthol]

Poor credit. Some cards also give you a lower APR if you take an annual fee.

[diethx]

I don't have poor credit, and a couple of my cards have a small annual fee. I also don't have excellent credit, though. My credit score was around 700 before Christmas and before I had to shell out a bunch of cash to pay for J's shit when he and his dad were getting no work for a few months, so now it's definitely in the "fair" range because I have higher balances. Good thing I don't want any new credit right now, lol.

[Parkbandit]

Poor credit. Some cards also give you a lower APR if you take an annual fee.


American Express is an example of you being 100% wrong.

[Bobmuhthol]

I'm sorry for giving a specific example; I guess that means nothing I said was right for some reason. Let me rephrase: "Some cards also give you some sort of benefit if you take an annual fee." A lot of American Express cards have no annual fee.

[Parkbandit]

I'm sorry for giving a specific example; I guess that means nothing I said was right for some reason. Let me rephrase: "Some cards also give you some sort of benefit if you take an annual fee." A lot of American Express cards have no annual fee.

A simple "I'll know more when I'm old enough to get my very first credit card" will suffice.

[Back]

I spent 10 minutes on the phone with some guy in India trying to cancel my AOL account. Never had any other “quitting” experiences that difficult other than breaking up with a girlfriend.

[Drakefang]

I spent 10 minutes on the phone with some guy in India trying to cancel my AOL account. Never had any other “quitting” experiences that difficult other than breaking up with a girlfriend.

Yeah, now try calling that guy back and getting Windows Vista Service Pack 1 tech supported so the fucker would actually install right. I STILL don't have service pack 1 on my goddamn computer.

I've tried four times, and twice with their loud ass confusing Indian call center tech support....and it's never been able to install properly. I think something happened with a previous install, but hell if I know for sure.

I finally told the tech support genius that obviously I wasn't meant to get the service pack since Microsoft is now an Indian corporation and my version is American.

[diethx]

I actually used to like AOL's relentlessness. Years ago when I was still using AOL to connect to the net, there was a period of time when I was about 18 or 19 where I was pretty broke and couldn't afford it anymore. So i'd call up AOL and tell them, and they'd give me a free month of service. I'd call again the next month shortly before my billing cycle date, and i'd get another month free. I did this for more than six months straight with zero problems whatsoever, and once I had better cash flow again, I started paying again. It was pretty sweet.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<A simple "I'll know more when I'm old enough to get my very first credit card" will suffice.>>

lol, okay. My FICO score is already better than half the country's.

[Alfster]

Every time I've had to call Charter for something I've ended up raging and swearing at someone.

[Celephais]

Mr "nah... nah ... nah en.... Well, Nah gonna work here anymore"

(Nah En Na nJad)

[Gan]

Why would you pay a membership fee on a credit card?

To obtain perks and benefits otherwise unobtainable.

Americal Express platinum for instance, which has a pretty hefty yearly fee, will allow you to gain access to almost any airline's president's club without having to be a member.

Spend a lot of time in airports, and thats worth its weight in gold (platinum).

[Kyra231]

Every time I've had to call Charter for something I've ended up raging and swearing at someone.

Holy good goddamn that's the truth. If I'd call after 5 p.m.(which was always when their service shit out), I'd get transferred to India, disconnected several times & hear the idiot I was asking to not transfer me for the 14th time snickering in the background before the click of disconnect showed up.

By the time I actually got a person who 1. Didn't have to transfer me & 2. was supposedly the person I needed to talk to..I was so angry it was almost impossible to not flip out when they would proceed to try & 'fix' whatever was wrong using the same techniques I'd already tried.

[Clove]

Your problem was that you kept giving her openings.

"I need to cancel my insurance"
"may I ask why?"
"No you may not, please cancel my insurance"
"Were you unhappy with anything"
"Cancel my insurance, please"
"okay, it's been canceled"QFT. Never get into a dialogue with them, it just ends in tears. They prey on social conventions in order to waste your time.

[Fallen]

I had a guy from Best Buy who literally wouldn't let me off the phone until I got some protection plan for an item in case I was fired. I didn't want to hang up on him because I was waiting for a confirmation that previous business was concluded, but after a certain point I just said fuck it and hung up anyway.

Those guys are pushy as fuck. Maybe next time I will just pretend I am equally as foreign so we can't have a conversation anyway.

[Parkbandit]

<<A simple "I'll know more when I'm old enough to get my very first credit card" will suffice.>>

lol, okay. My FICO score is already better than half the country's.


Not sure how you have a good FICO score.. since half of the score is based upon payment history (you have very little) and length of credit history (which again, you would have very little if any). The other half of your score is based upon amount owed and type of different credit you have.

I would say it's unlikely you have a better FICO score than half of the population of the US.. since you are only 18 and 18 is the first year you can legally gain credit as an adult. You would have zero credit history and zero payment history.

[Skeeter]

To obtain perks and benefits otherwise unobtainable.

Americal Express platinum for instance, which has a pretty hefty yearly fee, will allow you to gain access to almost any airline's president's club without having to be a member.

Spend a lot of time in airports, and thats worth its weight in gold (platinum).

I had no idea.

[Clove]

Those guys are pushy as fuck. Maybe next time I will just pretend I am equally as foreign so we can't have a conversation anyway.Actually I've found that the sure-fire way to end a conversation with a pushy account rep is to just start hitting on them. This works even better they are the same sex:

Brad: No, I'm not interested in your road-side assistance plan, I just want to cancel my credit insurance plan.
Sales-Rep Ike: You know our road-side assistance plan only costs eight dollars a month. The cost of just one tow can easily run over a hundred dollars. So you can see how this plan can REALLY pay for itself. So, shall I sign you up now?
Brad: Hold on a minute Ike, before we talk about that- can I ask you what you're wearing right now?
Ike: Uh, excuse me? Uh about our road-side assistance plan...
Brad: You wouldn't be based in the Denver area would you Ike? Because I can tell by your voice that you're my kind of man.
Ike: Oh... uh... I'm sorry our offices are in Illinois but if I could just tell you a little more about our road-side...
Brad: Yeah, you tell me about anything you like baby... you don't mind if I take my pants off do you?
Ike: Dial-tone.............................................

[Belnia]

LOLOLOL at Nih-goo-yen. I had an ex with that last name. I got smacked the first time I tried pronouncing it, and failed miserably.

[Gan]

To obtain perks and benefits otherwise unobtainable.

Americal Express platinum for instance, which has a pretty hefty yearly fee, will allow you to gain access to almost any airline's president's club without having to be a member.

Spend a lot of time in airports, and thats worth its weight in gold (platinum).
To add:

My debit card also has a yearly fee (Chase) because I chose the Continental option for the mileage addition.

http://www.continental.com/CMS/en-US/Marketing/CustComm/Promotions/Pages/CreditPartners.aspx

[Tsa`ah]

Not sure how you have a good FICO score.. since half of the score is based upon payment history (you have very little) and length of credit history (which again, you would have very little if any). The other half of your score is based upon amount owed and type of different credit you have.

I would say it's unlikely you have a better FICO score than half of the population of the US.. since you are only 18 and 18 is the first year you can legally gain credit as an adult. You would have zero credit history and zero payment history.

You may want to re-think that.

I had, by the end of my freshman year in college, a FICO of 735. Considering the current national average (Experian) is below 700 ... it is entirely possible that Bob does indeed have a better FICO score than half the nation.

[LMingrone]

I just switched from Geico to Progressive. Took about ten minutes. Just tell the rep you already signed on with another provider for hundreds less a year. Even if it's not true. They tell me they're sending me a new policy offer, at a lower cost. I've been bouncing back and forth from car/renter's/health insurance constantly. These times I'm not getting as big of a savings with each bounce, but it's still saving money.

Same thing with mortgages and credit cards. If you get really smart and play them like a game, you can game the system. This is coming from someone who doesn't even have a bank account or a credit card. I play games. It works.

[Gan]

How can you do the same with mortgages and not have a bank account?

I'm genuinely curious.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<I would say it's unlikely you have a better FICO score than half of the population of the US.. since you are only 18 and 18 is the first year you can legally gain credit as an adult. You would have zero credit history and zero payment history.>>

I have a 730, thanks.

<<Considering the current national average (Experian) is below 700 ... it is entirely possible that Bob does indeed have a better FICO score than half the nation.>>

The average is below 700, but the median is something like 723. More people have credit scores way lower than the median than way higher, skewing the distribution to the left.

Also, Charter customer service has extremes on both ends. I tried to get my box reset when it was locked from inactivity and the rep had no idea what I was talking about, but someone I talked to took about 3 seconds to tell me "the last person did this totally wrong, I'll fix it" without an issue another time.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Your problem was that you kept giving her openings.

"I need to cancel my insurance"
"may I ask why?"
"No you may not, please cancel my insurance"
"Were you unhappy with anything"
"Cancel my insurance, please"
"okay, it's been canceled"

This is what I do-- I don't explain unless I'm going to try and get them to lower fees or whatever and don't really want to cancel.

Comcast has had the worst customer service that I've experienced. I had internet through them and after two service calls, it still wasn't functioning properly.

So I call and start talking to a rep, and they tell me that I can "troubleshoot it on my own using the online guide" and hangs up on me.. thank you, I'll just use the internet connection that is currently NOT WORKING to check the internet and fix the problem. Fuckers.

[Ignot]

Just realize that these people are in a call center some where getting their calls graded for their monthly scores. They probably get penalized if they don't try to save the account. I'm quite sure that woman on the phone doesn't really care if you stay or leave. That's why I try to be nice to those people, their jobs suck balls.

[diethx]

That's why I try to be nice to those people, their jobs suck balls.

Kinda silly to be nice to someone who's job is to piss you off and make you miserable.

[Kyra231]

Just realize that these people are in a call center some where getting their calls graded for their monthly scores. They probably get penalized if they don't try to save the account. I'm quite sure that woman on the phone doesn't really care if you stay or leave. That's why I try to be nice to those people, their jobs suck balls.

That's like being nice to the fucking bill collector who keeps calling my house for Ja'quira who apparently thought my phone number would be good to hand out as a bogus one while she bailed on paying her bills.

I can't imagine they expect too much in a shit job position.

[Proxy]

all the stuff in the first post

Legally speaking, after the third no(Cancel MY muther f'n g-d damn piece of sh't stained lizard pushing camel piss soaked policy) from you the activities of that agent became a Fine-able offense. Report them, and if I'm remembering the numbers correctly, Gieco will 1) of lost your business & 2) received a $5,000 fine. So all in all, Win/Win :> F' the Gecko, any auto insurance co. that uses someone credit score to determine their rates should eat ass tar and die in a fire.

[Tisket]

Legally speaking, after the third no(Cancel MY muther f'n g-d damn piece of sh't stained lizard pushing camel piss soaked policy) from you the activities of that agent became a Fine-able offense. Report them, and if I'm remembering the numbers correctly, Gieco will 1) of lost your business & 2) received a $5,000 fine.

How about a source on that? Or are you also just pulling dollar amounts and legal advice out of your own ass?

[Stanley Burrell]

How about a source on that? Or are you also just pulling dollar amounts and legal advice out of your own ass?

That would be an awesome party trick.

I summon Benjamin Franklin from the depths of my colon to amuse the masses.

I totally do talk about my bowels way too much. I need therapy. Halp.

[AestheticDeath]

You don't talk about your bowels or the movements therein nearly as much as someone I work with.

[Stanley Burrell]

That is some crazy shit.

[Proxy]

How about a source on that? Or are you also just pulling dollar amounts and legal advice out of your own ass?

the depths of your devotion to blind ignorance is freaking amazing tisket. I salute you. :clap: and how is this legal advice? I simply point out the fact that companies that push past the third No in an attempt to retain, sale, or up sale are liable to be fined by the state and Federal government for those actions.(note the period).

As for the how to get the ball rolling, not sure, try googling it. As for ref. Me being forced to firing half of my sales team 3 years ago because they were pushing past the third no(per my instructions), and having the reason behind it drilled into my skull for two months after-wards, work?

[Tisket]

It's "blind ignorance" to request a source?

You know jackfuck about anything but you can't seem to stop yourself from posting like you do. It's funny.

[Tisket]

and how is this legal advice?

Because you started your first post: "Legally speaking"?

[Proxy]

It's "blind ignorance" to request a source?

You know jackfuck about anything but you can't seem to stop yourself from posting like you do. It's funny.


obviously its never stop you? so if this being the case, Biggot much?

[Tisket]

obviously its never stop you? so if this being the case, Biggot much?

Now you aren't even making sense. More in keeping with your intelligence anyway.

[Ignot]

Kinda silly to be nice to someone who's job is to piss you off and make you miserable.


That's like being nice to the fucking bill collector who keeps calling my house for Ja'quira who apparently thought my phone number would be good to hand out as a bogus one while she bailed on paying her bills.

I can't imagine they expect too much in a shit job position.



That's to bad that you look at it that way. I guess I'm just not as bitter and mean when it comes to that sort of stuff.

[Methais]

CSR: I understand that Mr. Nih-goo-yen,

I used to think that's how Nguyen was pronounced until I went and saw a doctor named Nguyen and he was like "Hi I'm Dr. Win." I was like :wtf:


Your problem was that you kept giving her openings.

"I need to cancel my insurance"
"may I ask why?"
"No you may not, please cancel my insurance"
"Were you unhappy with anything"
"Cancel my insurance, please"
"okay, it's been canceled"

That's pretty much what I do, except I become inceasingly more hostile with every question they ask after until I basically go off like Stretch may or may not have at the end of his post.

Then if that doesn't work, I break out the soundboards.

[Proxy]

ok, how about this. short and sweet. The regulation I refereed to in my original post is a FTC(Federal Trade Commission) regulation that was put in place 2004-2005 in an attempt to halt the activities of business' that refuse to accept a negative answer from a customer.

Weather you believe me or not is irrelevant as I know first hand that the law exists, have read it, and have been forced to comply with it. So if you want to continue acting like an ass faced know it all, by all means. It amuses me, if not. have fun digging around the FTC registry. here is where to start. http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?sid=3ad5b48a02eb1707974872e00175bbb5&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title16/16cfrv1_02.tpl hmm, for some reason this is starting to remind me of an episode of cat dog... ...

[diethx]

That's to bad that you look at it that way. I guess I'm just not as bitter and mean when it comes to that sort of stuff.

Yeah, we're all bitter and mean because we don't like salespeople relentlessly pushing us to do something we don't want to do, and refusing to listen to what we DO want to do. We're some fucking bastards, that's for sure.

[Ignot]

Yeah, we're all bitter and mean because we don't like salespeople relentlessly pushing us to do something we don't want to do, and refusing to listen to what we DO want to do. We're some fucking bastards, that's for sure.

Okay I guess I should have known you would get really defensive and yeah you are mean. Those are people on the other end of the phone, you don't have to be rude to them for trying to keep your business, which apparently makes you miserable. I don't think a phone call closing an account is even anything remotely serious enough for me to get upset over. So yeah, it's to bad you look at it that way. :hug2:

[Clove]

I used to think that's how Nguyen was pronounced until I went and saw a doctor named Nguyen and he was like "Hi I'm Dr. Win." I was like :wtf:I was taught the proper pronunciation was "wu-yen"

[Clove]

the depths of your devotion to blind ignorance is freaking amazing tisket. I salute you. :clap: and how is this legal advice? I simply point out the fact that companies that push past the third No in an attempt to retain, sale, or up sale are liable to be fined by the state and Federal government for those actions.(note the period).

As for the how to get the ball rolling, not sure, try googling it. As for ref. Me being forced to firing half of my sales team 3 years ago because they were pushing past the third no(per my instructions), and having the reason behind it drilled into my skull for two months after-wards, work?Yes well, I'm glad you're confident that it's a law (and maybe it is) but when people quote laws or facts that aren't common-knowledge or easily retrieved it isn't out of line to ask the quoter to source his statement. The onus is on YOU the one making the claim. If you're not up to it, don't get all hostile with us for asking you to support your claim; you can simply say, "I don't feel like looking it up- I don't care if you're skeptical." and accept any doubt you receive. Cocksucker.

[Ignot]

Yes well, I'm glad you're confident that it's a law (and maybe it is) but when people quote laws or facts that aren't common-knowledge or easily retrieved it isn't out of line to ask the quoter to source his statement. The onus is on YOU the one making the claim. If you're not up to it, don't get all hostile with us for asking you to support your claim; you can simply say, "I don't feel like looking it up- I don't care if you're skeptical." and accept any doubt you receive. Cocksucker.

Yeah that and I find it hard to believe that you pay a $5k fine for trying to save an account more then three times verbally. I could understand if maybe the client called to close and it didn't get done, then they called again and it didn't get done, then they mailed a letter and it didn't get done. But I find it hard to believe that three verbal rebuttals equals $5k fine, so a source would be nice.

[Gan]

I was taught the proper pronunciation was "wu-yen"

Its "win" here as well.

[Tisket]

Yes well, I'm glad you're confident that it's a law (and maybe it is) but when people quote laws or facts that aren't common-knowledge or easily retrieved it isn't out of line to ask the quoter to source his statement.

The link he provided certainly did absolutely nothing to narrow it down either.

[Methais]

I was taught the proper pronunciation was "wu-yen"

It appears that your teacher had a degree in
http://www.zippoc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/lex-luthor-wrong1.jpg

[Warriorbird]

Yes well, I'm glad you're confident that it's a law (and maybe it is) but when people quote laws or facts that aren't common-knowledge or easily retrieved it isn't out of line to ask the quoter to source his statement. The onus is on YOU the one making the claim. If you're not up to it, don't get all hostile with us for asking you to support your claim; you can simply say, "I don't feel like looking it up- I don't care if you're skeptical." and accept any doubt you receive. Cocksucker.

It's a regulation. There are some different implications attached. Best for the layperson to consider it more like a civil rule the government can choose to enforce.

[Wesley]

I used to have a lot of the same problems when I'd go and try to cancel things. I got so frustrated with it that I no longer give companies the benefit of the doubt (most have forfeited that right at this point), and having worked on the other end of it I picked up a few tricks from irate customers. Thanks to these kind of things, I am now "That asshole" (if you've ever worked in a call center of any sort).

Cancellation of account:

1. Call customer service number
2. Press zero. This usually will give you an operator. If it doesn't, you press whatever combination of buttons will allow you to talk to a real person regardless of whether or not it's the right department.
3. Do not acknowledge existence of whoever answers the phone. Simply request a floor manager.
4. Immediately note that you're recording the call for "customer service" reasons when floor manager answers.
4. Do not let floor manager transfer you to "the correct person to handle your call.". Floor managers will be fired if you complain to their superiors about them passing the buck with most companies, and they have better things to do than deal with cancellations so if they have to do it they're gonna do it ASAP.
5. State that "I do not want to deal with 9 phone transfers, do not want to be asked why I am cancelling, do not want to do anything but CANCEL MY ACCOUNT", and demand that the floor manager is the one who takes care of it.

Entire process takes approximately 5 minutes. With the policies of most of these companies, you will catch whatever manager you get on the line between a rock and a hard place. Yes, you are an asshole if you do this, but the alternative is spending 3 hours trying to cancel whatever you're trying to cancel.

Also works with tech support lines. Call up, press 0 for an operator, and immediately request tier 2 help. I have no interest in talking to Clippy the helpful microsoft helpfile reading paperclip in India when I know what the problem is already, just not how to fix it. You'll piss tier 2 off if it's not a valid problem that tier 1 couldn't have fixed, but generally if I call tech support it is.

[Jorddyn]

blah blah

I spend a good 2 minutes looking for the dinosaur in this post.

[Wesley]

I spend a good 2 minutes looking for the dinosaur in this post.

Pfft. There is a dinosaur at the bottom of all of my posts! TWO of them actually!

I do other stuff too!!

Edit:

sigh. FINE.

This is the phone I use to place the calls!!

http://static.collectorsquest.com/users/dinocollector+266+items+5121890edbf60aa668ab93a5a3 aa0c2b.jpg

[Stanley Burrell]

I spend a good 2 minutes looking for the dinosaur in this post.

::giggle:: Me too.

Edit: Shit. Wesley is a dino-ninja, that was fast.

[Clove]

Its "win" here as well.


It appears that your teacher had a degree in
http://www.zippoc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/lex-luthor-wrong1.jpgI've heard it pronounced in English as "win" and "when" and "wu-yen" (spoken quickly it sounds very similar to "when"). All are approximations because English isn't a tonal language like Vietnamese. However, this particular pronunciation was taught me by a native Chinese, and naturally they aren't necessarily experts in Vietnamese either (though both are tonal languages).

Wiki says....

The pronunciation of Nguyễn can be approximated by English speakers as "win" or "when". Writers familiar with this approximation have created puns from the pronunciation.

So given that it can be approximated as "win" or "when" I'm gonna say what I was taught was as close an approximation as any other (and a million times better than "nigOOen" jeezus).

[Wesley]

Additionally, many dinosaurs do not like to spend a lot of time talking on the phone. They prefer instead to frolic outdoors with their friends, playing basketball and stickball, and that thing from the 30s where you have the stick and the hoop and you roll the hoop along the ground on a dirt road while wondering when the depression is going to end.

Pictured below is a dinosaur licking an ice cream cone. You will note that he is outside doing this, and not talking on the phone. Also, you can pump water from his penis.

http://alloveralbany.com/images/DINOSAUR.jpg

Edit:


Edit: Shit. Wesley is a dino-ninja, that was fast.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518M302VZSL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

[Kyra231]

I've heard it pronounced in English as "win" and "when" and "wu-yen" (spoken quickly it sounds very similar to "when"). All are approximations because English isn't a tonal language like Vietnamese. However, this particular pronunciation was taught me by a native Chinese, and naturally they aren't necessarily experts in Vietnamese either (though both are tonal languages).

Wiki says....


So given that it can be approximated as "win" or "when" I'm gonna say what I was taught was as close an approximation as any other (and a million times better than "nigOOen" jeezus).

I took care of Vietnamese patient with the last name Nguyen. She & her obnoxiously large family always pronounced it 'Win'.

[Jorddyn]

To make up for everyone slaughtering both my first and last names, I insist on screwing up everyone else's name. Therefore, the pronunciation according to Jorddyn is "En-gooey-in".

And, thank you Wesley. Order has been restored.

[Clove]

Yeah that and I find it hard to believe that you pay a $5k fine for trying to save an account more then three times verbally. I could understand if maybe the client called to close and it didn't get done, then they called again and it didn't get done, then they mailed a letter and it didn't get done. But I find it hard to believe that three verbal rebuttals equals $5k fine, so a source would be nice.I don't have difficulty believing this could be a law either, but I take offense when someone cops an attitude because they were told to source it, or we're calling bullshit.


It's a regulation. There are some different implications attached. Best for the layperson to consider it more like a civil rule the government can choose to enforce.
Hell, it might be a good idea to file complaints against companies that refuse to cooperate with you when you're trying to "fire" them- that advice would be a whole hell of a lot more useful if we knew the regulation they were violating and which regulating agency was responsible to enforce it so we could file a useful complaint. Without a source we have to assume that it's an FTC regulation and that they'll bother to listen to our complaint etc. etc. etc.

So thanks Proxy- for being a dick.

[Clove]

I took care of Vietnamese patient with the last name Nguyen. She & her obnoxiously large family always pronounced it 'Win'.I guarantee you if she was speaking Vietnamese it was more subtle and complex than that- that's why we can only approximate it in English with "win" or "when".

[Stanley Burrell]

Yo son, I went to the ocean and saw some nghales.

Edited to Add: Actually I made that up. But I did see some beached jellyfish and poked them with a stick because I was told not to. It fucking ruled and made you hot in the pants.

[Jorddyn]

I guarantee you if she was speaking Vietnamese it was more subtle and complex than that- that's why we can only approximate it in English with "win" or "when".

All I can picture with this post is Stewie saying "Cool Hwhip"

[Wesley]

All I can picture with this post is Stewie saying "Cool Hwhip"

rueened! (http://www.hulu.com/watch/37270/family-guy-ruined)

[Clove]

All I can picture with this post is Stewie saying "Cool Hwhip"Victory is Mine!

[Sean]

Who cares about the FCC regulations... who's handing out awesome deals on car insurance is what's important... especially to owners for fucked up Toyota Solaras.

[Stanley Burrell]

Alright, so, this thread transcended from customer service, to Vietnamese pronunciation, to a dinosaur eating an ice cream cone, an awesome Family Guy hyperlink and fucked up Toyota Solaras.

I cannot responsibly not become at least somewhat drunk after reviewing this.

[Jorddyn]

Alright, so, this thread transcended from customer service, to Vietnamese pronunciation, to a dinosaur eating an ice cream cone, an awesome Family Guy hyperlink and fucked up Toyota Solaras.


Scary when you feel like the sane one, isn't it?

:love: Had to, sorry.

[Clove]

Alright, so, this thread transcended from customer service, to Vietnamese pronunciation, to a dinosaur eating an ice cream cone, an awesome Family Guy hyperlink and fucked up Toyota Solaras.

I cannot responsibly not become at least somewhat drunk after reviewing this.


Scary when you feel like the sane one, isn't it?

:love: Had to, sorry.INORITE?!! :rofl:

[diethx]

I used to have a lot of the same problems when I'd go and try to cancel things. I got so frustrated with it that I no longer give companies the benefit of the doubt (most have forfeited that right at this point), and having worked on the other end of it I picked up a few tricks from irate customers. Thanks to these kind of things, I am now "That asshole" (if you've ever worked in a call center of any sort).

Cancellation of account:

1. Call customer service number
2. Press zero. This usually will give you an operator. If it doesn't, you press whatever combination of buttons will allow you to talk to a real person regardless of whether or not it's the right department.
3. Do not acknowledge existence of whoever answers the phone. Simply request a floor manager.
4. Immediately note that you're recording the call for "customer service" reasons when floor manager answers.
4. Do not let floor manager transfer you to "the correct person to handle your call.". Floor managers will be fired if you complain to their superiors about them passing the buck with most companies, and they have better things to do than deal with cancellations so if they have to do it they're gonna do it ASAP.
5. State that "I do not want to deal with 9 phone transfers, do not want to be asked why I am cancelling, do not want to do anything but CANCEL MY ACCOUNT", and demand that the floor manager is the one who takes care of it.

Entire process takes approximately 5 minutes. With the policies of most of these companies, you will catch whatever manager you get on the line between a rock and a hard place. Yes, you are an asshole if you do this, but the alternative is spending 3 hours trying to cancel whatever you're trying to cancel.

Also works with tech support lines. Call up, press 0 for an operator, and immediately request tier 2 help. I have no interest in talking to Clippy the helpful microsoft helpfile reading paperclip in India when I know what the problem is already, just not how to fix it. You'll piss tier 2 off if it's not a valid problem that tier 1 couldn't have fixed, but generally if I call tech support it is.

You are so mean and bitter.

[Wesley]

You are so mean and bitter.

Correct!

http://www.tranism.com/weblog/images/grumpy_bear_screenie.jpg

:D

[Ignot]

You are so mean and bitter.

And it probably didn't make him miserable!

[Stanley Burrell]

Scary when you feel like the sane one, isn't it?

:love: Had to, sorry.

Scary? Yes

Mortifying? Yes.

... :help:

[Liagala]

Scary? Yes

Mortifying? Yes.

... :help:

Mention your bowels again, and relate it to the conversation in some odd-but-not-entirely-illogical way. That will get you back on track. :hug2:

[Stanley Burrell]

Mention your bowels again, and relate it to the conversation in some odd-but-not-entirely-illogical way. That will get you back on track. :hug2:

So me and my bowels went to the store.

It was because I went to the store without being fully disemboweled.

That being said: My o-ring.

Yes/no?

[Liagala]

Yes/no?

You need to work on that a little :)

[Stanley Burrell]

You need to work on that a little :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5N1V2cyc4A

I need a glass of water.

[Clove]

You are so mean and bitter.Translation: Efficient. I do that with tech support too...

[ViridianAsp]

This is what I do-- I don't explain unless I'm going to try and get them to lower fees or whatever and don't really want to cancel.

Comcast has had the worst customer service that I've experienced. I had internet through them and after two service calls, it still wasn't functioning properly.

So I call and start talking to a rep, and they tell me that I can "troubleshoot it on my own using the online guide" and hangs up on me.. thank you, I'll just use the internet connection that is currently NOT WORKING to check the internet and fix the problem. Fuckers.


Yeah...Comcast sucks in all sorts of ways. It's the only cable provider here...and the only phone service is AT&T. It's a nightmare to cancel anything through both. When I cancel I pretty much say.

I'm calling to cancel.

I answer every question that isn't important with "No."

If they keep on I tell them, "Look, I'm not interested, cancel my account or put your supervisor on the phone to do it for you."

[diethx]

Translation: Efficient. I do that with tech support too...

Yeah, that was pretty much my whole point. ;)

[TheRoseLady]

If I have to cancel something or require re-negotiation, I have my daughter do it. She can bring even the most skilled customer service person to their knees.

If I get someone on the phone who can't speak reasonably decent English, I tell them to transfer me to someone stateside.

Next time you get someone in India, ask them where they are located. If they give you some bullshit place in the US, ask them how the weather is...or ask them how they like working in the middle of the night. Throws their script right out the window. :lol: