Not Banking On You Living Up To Your Threat

I work as an agent in a call center for a bank. It is the second to last day of an extremely hectic week. All week, we’ve been having problems: phones are down, systems are crashing, phone lines are cutting out randomly — you name it, it’s happened. Everyone is a little on edge as a result, and this especially holds true for our customers.

Me: “Thank you for calling [Bank]. My name is [My Name]. May I have your name, please?”

The customer is slurring heavily.

Customer: “Yeah, hi, my name is [Customer] and I’m calling because I have a question about my card.”

Me: “I’d be more than happy to help with that, [Customer]. May I have your account number?”

Customer: “I don’t have an account number; it’s a [Card Company] debit card!”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry, we don’t actually deal with those, but I can get you over to the right department to help you with that! Is it okay if I put you on hold while I transfer you?”

Customer: “I got this card from [Bank] and this is the number it said to call! Don’t transfer me, you…” *descends into insults*

The customer goes on a slurred rant while I try to convince him to let me transfer him because, technically, we have to get permission from the customer to put them on hold before we transfer. He adamantly refuses and calls me a female dog a few times, and at one point, I’m able to pick out the phrase, “want to come through the phone and kill you.”

I give him one warning.

Me: “Sir, I am trying to help. If you continue this abusive language, I will disconnect the call.”

He says something about how he doesn’t believe I’m going to do it and calls me some names one more time.

Me: “Sir, I will now be disconnecting this call. Thank you.”

I hung up the phone. I spent ten minutes trying to get my hands to stop shaking before taking another call, and that “man” managed to put a damper on the rest of my day. Just another day in customer service paradise!