Unfiltered Story #231025

I’m working at the chat of our company. It has a feature where you can send files back and forth. We also don’t have ‘case-ownership’; the available agent takes the message. We are used to this and communicate to each other well, so this never has an issue. Unfortunately, it is relevant to mention I am a woman.

Customer: I don’t want to pay this bill

Me: I’m sorry, but this bill already went to collection agency. You can contact them about this.

Customer: But this bill is wrong! (FYI: No, it’s not)

Male co-worker: I understand you don’t agree with this bill, but please contact the collection agency.

Customer: Proof this bill is just!

Me: I’m sorry, but when the bill is passed to the collection agency, we can no longer assist you. Please contact them, at [information].

Customer: OK, thank you for your help. Can I see a picture of you?

I am baffled by this response and ask a co-worker how to respond. He advices me to keep it short, without apologising or empathy.

Me: No, we do not share pictures.

Customer: You sound very nice, I can tell. Here’s a picture of me. How old are you?

A picture of himself is send along. This gets too much for me (mostly because I recently dealt with a stalker) so I close the chat on my side and turn to my male co-worker. I ask him to deal with this, so the customer also realises men are in this chat.

Male co-worker: This chat is only for questions concerning our business or your orders. Only use this chat for those kind of questions or you will be blocked and no longer receive help through chat.

The customer stopped chatting right after. I asked out loud why on earth someone would think this was appropriate to do through a chat; do they honestly think someone would be attracted by that? My co-workers, including all males, said they wondered the exact same thing.