I find it's usually possible to get a human *eventually* but one must commit to several hours on hold. Which wouldn't be terrible if it weren't for the pre-recorded verbal messages interrupting the hold music every minute or so to break your concentration on whatever else you might be trying to do!
I've worked in a few different call centers (circa 20 to 25 years ago) and know how easy it is for a customer's request to get lost in a never-ending merry go round. Most businesses and call centers impose strict time-per-call metrics on their staff, so there's no motivation or reward to resolving complicated problems, and certainly no motivation for first call resolution.
For the past few years, I've been using a list of company contacts on a consumer site - I generally prefer to send a letter or email as it usually gets a response. The general site is here: https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/
I was taught in 9th grade Business Principles class that if you take care of your employees, regardless of what business you are in, your business will take care of itself. It follows that employees who are valued and "taken care of" will, in turn, take care of their customers. Now that the prevailing attitude is that employees are on the "wrong" side of the balance sheet, the only people getting "taken care of" are the CEOs, whose only goal is to get rid of as many employees as possible while raking in as much profit as possible. That leaves us customers twisting in the wind. I'm glad you got your problem resolved so quickly and pleasantly! It's up to each of us, unfortunately, to be the squeaky wheel.
I dread calling any telecommunications company and plan the call so I can get work done while I’m placed on interminable hold. I get an anticipatory headache.
A live human being that is knowledgeable and persists to resolve the problem presented as I understand it, sadly is an aberration.
Another thought would be to skip EM and call the card provider - Citi, I think in this situation? I've found that sometimes they are more invested (literally) in fixing situations.
I hope you'll update us!
After dealing with the imperfections of the supermarket and public transport and magazine subscriptions, I end up talking to myself because, in some of those cases, it doesn't ever get better (subways and trains, I'm looking at you).
I know all this grrrr energy output should remind me to think of my own imperfections and go easier on myself and on them, but sometimes the days are too short for thoughtful introspection, LOL
We recently upgraded our Costco membership to take advantage of their Travel agency for a trip to London and Scotland. The 1st travel agent, a human!, spent almost 2 hours with my husband answering questions and adjusting our tour. When we got our renewed passports back with new #s my husband again called and another human travel agent spent another 45 minutes putting in the #s where they needed to be, adjusting our train to Edinburgh and letting us know we had a new discount. All hail actual humans! (And actual human authors of books!’
My one shining moment with customer service has been with the cell phone company that starts with a V. I have always had good results with them. We will not talk about my primary care group that only does video appointments.
I highly recommend finding the email address and/or phone # of the CEO of businesses that give you the runaround. Has worked for us several times.
Xfinity is the worst, with any heath care company a close second.
Alice Fitzpatrick, an example to us all.
And anyone who calls me a lady is going to either get a lecture or ignored - haha!
Happy cruising Maura!
I find it's usually possible to get a human *eventually* but one must commit to several hours on hold. Which wouldn't be terrible if it weren't for the pre-recorded verbal messages interrupting the hold music every minute or so to break your concentration on whatever else you might be trying to do!
Or if they had soothing classical music!
I've worked in a few different call centers (circa 20 to 25 years ago) and know how easy it is for a customer's request to get lost in a never-ending merry go round. Most businesses and call centers impose strict time-per-call metrics on their staff, so there's no motivation or reward to resolving complicated problems, and certainly no motivation for first call resolution.
For the past few years, I've been using a list of company contacts on a consumer site - I generally prefer to send a letter or email as it usually gets a response. The general site is here: https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/
And they do have a contact info page for ExxonMobil: https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/exxonmobil-customer-service-contacts/
Patrick, you are amazing! Thank you!
Here's hoping you can (finally) get an answer and a resolution! 🤞
I was taught in 9th grade Business Principles class that if you take care of your employees, regardless of what business you are in, your business will take care of itself. It follows that employees who are valued and "taken care of" will, in turn, take care of their customers. Now that the prevailing attitude is that employees are on the "wrong" side of the balance sheet, the only people getting "taken care of" are the CEOs, whose only goal is to get rid of as many employees as possible while raking in as much profit as possible. That leaves us customers twisting in the wind. I'm glad you got your problem resolved so quickly and pleasantly! It's up to each of us, unfortunately, to be the squeaky wheel.
Thanks Maura. Good stories much appreciated and needed.
I dread calling any telecommunications company and plan the call so I can get work done while I’m placed on interminable hold. I get an anticipatory headache.
A live human being that is knowledgeable and persists to resolve the problem presented as I understand it, sadly is an aberration.
Have you tried this number for ExxonM --
1-800-344-4355
Another thought would be to skip EM and call the card provider - Citi, I think in this situation? I've found that sometimes they are more invested (literally) in fixing situations.
I hope you'll update us!
After dealing with the imperfections of the supermarket and public transport and magazine subscriptions, I end up talking to myself because, in some of those cases, it doesn't ever get better (subways and trains, I'm looking at you).
I know all this grrrr energy output should remind me to think of my own imperfections and go easier on myself and on them, but sometimes the days are too short for thoughtful introspection, LOL
Amen, Maura!
We recently upgraded our Costco membership to take advantage of their Travel agency for a trip to London and Scotland. The 1st travel agent, a human!, spent almost 2 hours with my husband answering questions and adjusting our tour. When we got our renewed passports back with new #s my husband again called and another human travel agent spent another 45 minutes putting in the #s where they needed to be, adjusting our train to Edinburgh and letting us know we had a new discount. All hail actual humans! (And actual human authors of books!’
My one shining moment with customer service has been with the cell phone company that starts with a V. I have always had good results with them. We will not talk about my primary care group that only does video appointments.