Unfiltered Story #249974

(At the moment I am working in a call centre until I can find work to go along with my degree which in mathematics and statistics- this comes in later in the story. I am currently working for a large energy company in the UK).

Customer: Hi, why have I got such a large bill?
Me: Ok, I’ll have a look into that right now for you.

I had a look into this and found out she had now paid a bill for 5 months, had 4 debt visits, and had 4 failed direct debits so she got charged for this. Combined everything came to over £2000.

Me: Ok, what has happened is we have not received a payment from you in five months, so there has been a debt building up. You have also had debt visits which have cost. And you have also had charges from your bank regarding multiple failed direct debits-
Customer: Oh I get that I have not paid in five months, but I was not at home so why should I need to pay for it?

At this point I want to bang my head against something. Here is the kicker, if there has been less than ten unites of usage for her energy, we are required to refund the full amount. So I then checked if this was the case, it wasn’t.

Me: We are allowed to refund or void a large bill as such if there is less than ten units of usage, and it is showing here you are average around 350 per month. Therefore I cannot void this and the bill stands-
Customer: No! You are not listening to me! I was not at home! Therefore I do not need to pay the bill!
Me: Ma’am, as I have just said I can only void it in this case, which it is not for you. Someone has been using energy in your property.
Customer: Oh yes, my son and husband have been in the property, I have been in hospital.
Me: Then this bill has been rung up by your husband and son, ma’am. I’m afraid I cannot void it-
Customer: But it is MY name on the account. Therefore the bill is MINE. Not my husbands, and not my sons. Therefore I do not need to pay this.
Me: It does not work like this I’m afraid. Yes, the account is in your name, but any usage at the property will be on the account. I cannot void it.
Customer: Listen here you incompetant brat, I have a DEGREE in mathematics. I KNOW how bills work. Unlike you I have an education and I am not a high school dropout.

At this point I am furious, and want to jump through the line and punch her. But I refrained and decided to try and calm her down with some common ground.

Me: Oh you have a degree? I’ve just graduated myself a couple of weeks ago also with a degree in mathematics alongside statistics-
Customer: Don’t you dare get sarcastic with me young lady. I know you do not otherwise you would not be working somewhere with such a little pay and would actually do something with your life.

I was fuming before, but now I am about to explode in anger but I have to contain it.

Me: Ma’am, if you do not stop talking down on me, I am allowed to disconnect the call and I assure you, if you do I will note the account fully regarding this conversation and it is being recorded as evidence if you deny it.
Customer: How DARE you. First you lie, then you deny a simple instruction, then you bullsh*t me with nonsense. Oh, and you have the audacity to make it out that I am stupid?

Now I decide to have some fun. She said she has a degree in mathematics so I decided to see if this was true.

Me: Ma’am, if you really have a degree, can you answer one question for me?
Customer: Oh NOW you are really being annoying. How dare you talk down to me you lowlife scum. Just void the f*cking bill as it is not mine because I have not been at home. And just so you know, I will be writing a formal complaint to your manager regarding your terrible attitude. But I am in the mood for educating so ask the question.
Me: Can you tell me the definition of a polynomial?

Now, anyone who has studied mathematics will know what a polynomial is. It is learned very soon into freshman year so she should know this.

Customer: What the hell is that? Are you making up a new language now? Oh, now you have done it. I will be filing the complaint right this minute and you can say buh-bye to your job.

She disconnected after this. I had to walk away for five minutes to calm down as I was so mad. Here’s the kicker, she did file a complaint by making it seem like I had put the charges on her account and she accused me of fraud. Manager listened to the call and she was sent a formal warning that if she ever talked like that to anyone again all her services would be disconnected. I walked out with a massive smile on my face.