Twice in one morning, I have had the experience of being on the receiving (meaning: "You're just a customer, so you don't actually exist") end of what has become all too common in broadly termed "customer service" practice for businesses, usually staffed by operatives trained in a rigid protocol of "we do it this way, so you must fall in line.". Perhaps you have had this experience, too:
Call Number One: To a magazine - when no issues arrived six months after a subscription was paid for, I phoned and asked for a manager.
The same lady who had taken my order initially answered. I explained the problem and asked for her manager. This exchange was repeated three times, including her increasingly strident "I handle subscriptions!" as if she did not hear my repeated request. "She's in a meeting!" was her next gambit. Then "I'll take a message!" I detailed the message, specifying that it was to be passed on to her boss, hopefully resulting in a correction of the problem. No bets taken on whether that ensues. We'll see....?
Call Number Two: To a bank - when my checking account's debit card was twice declined as "locked" at a coffee outlet, I phoned the bank, identified my account, and issue. “Here's the number to call: etc." Some outfit with a title which would fit well on a teenager's protest t shirt was named. "Please transfer me to your manager." "She's in a meeting!" "I'll hold!"
Shortly, the manager came on the line. Same directive: "Call the contractor. They process our debit cards. There's no problem with your account." Fine. I knew that. But no offer to assist or solve a snafu which was created by their business associate, just the command "Do this!" Count to three....... "Transfer me to _______________ " and I named the bank's headquarters office. A VP answered. I asked for his boss "He's in a meeting! I swear, they all must read from identical cue cards, 2,000 miles apart.
Unwilling to remain on the call all morning, I explained exactly what the problem was. The nice VP, who doubtless meant well, repeatedly interrupted: "blah, blah, blah" expanding upon the bank's protocol, why it was in place, and then said "you keep interrupting me!" before going off to find out the mistake and correct it, to his credit.
He was polite, but again on and on and on about how they fixed everything, which had zero to do with what had caused the issue.
The third time I said "Mr. Greene............Mr. Greene..........Mr. Greene!" he paused for breath, and I explained that he had done exactly what he claimed I had - constantly interrupting, trying to end a conversation which was pointless, once the matter was done. He had a need to be "right." I had a need to get back to work.
Conclusion: As a communication contractor for many, many years, I became well aware of what causes breakdowns in business or personal connections, the more so when at least one party has defensive emotional involvement and fears a complaint or contradiction will make him/ he look bad, if accepted.
"If I listen to you and you're right, I've failed. So listen to ME!" Because this happens all over, every day, and almost always when a male executive is communicating with a female who does not work for him but is addressed as if she did - this bears calling attention to.
Meaning: Men interrupt women as their right and privilege, from long custom in societies which tend to be patriarchal and regard us (females) as secondary and subordinate. Women (see above) will do the same, to protect status and reputation. He first is a rather arrogant masculine presumption, the second is simply covering one's derriere.
Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Linda Berry is a Northsider.
