If They Have No Hang-Ups About Abusing You, Then You Have No Hang-Ups About Hanging Up

CONTENT WARNING: Mention Of Suicide

I work as a tech support agent for a very well-known retailer in the UK. I’ve worked here for about two weeks. A customer calls in regarding their appliance. We get through the basics and get to the bottom of what’s wrong.

Me: “Unfortunately, our engineers are currently on a bit of a backlog, so the soonest we can get someone out is in ten days. Shall I book that—”

Customer: “Ten days?! What the f*** do you expect me to do for ten f****** days?!”

Me: “Firstly, please do not swear; we operate with a three-strike policy, after which we—”

Customer: “Don’t tell me what I can and can’t say, you t**t!”

Me: “Ma’am, please can you refrain from such language? As I was saying, the earliest we can get someone out to you is in ten days. I can put you on a cancellation list, but I can’t confirm a sooner date for you.”

Customer: “No, you will get me a date in the next forty-eight hours, or I will have your stupid f****** a** fired!”

Me: “Okay, ma’am, this is your third warning; you need to stop using language like that. Now, as I said, I will get you on a cancellation list, so if another customer cancels their repair, you can get that slot instead, but I can’t guarantee this for you. What time would you be available on that date?”

Customer: “I won’t be at all, considering I will have killed myself. I hope you know, if I kill myself, that it is your f****** fault.”

At this point, I just freeze. I just recently lost a close friend to suicide, and hearing this really strikes me; I do feel guilty as I thought I could have done more for them.

Me: “…”

Customer: “You won’t hang up on me now will you, huh? Now, get me an earlier appointment.”

At this time, I am unaware, but for the last few minutes, my training supervisor has been monitoring the call, and at this point, they decide to intervene.

Supervisor: “No, my agent will not be terminating this call. However, as you have stated that you intend to take your own life, I must advise you that we have notified the authorities as we take these cases very seriously, and if we believe that you may be a danger to yourself or others, we must ensure your safety. Now, however, I will be terminating this call myself. Thank you for calling. Goodbye.”

I take a minute to compose myself.

Me: “I’m sorry, [Supervisor]. I didn’t know how to deal with that.”

Supervisor: “[My Name], don’t be silly. You are a new agent, and you managed to compose yourself well!”

That supervisor is the reason I stayed at that job through calls like that, and now I work with them more closely in an admin role. I still have the odd customer call, but helping agents deal with bad customers makes me feel so much better.