Now We Want To Know What The First Guy Did!

I work at a call center for a company that installs security systems, and part of the job of customer service is taking calls from customers who have canceled their services and making sure the appointment to remove our equipment is scheduled.

This customer is quite clearly irate and is talking in a way that, for lack of a better term, sounds fidgety. Pulling up his account, I see that he’s canceled and is awaiting the appointment to remove the equipment.

Me: “All right, it looks like your appointment is scheduled for [date] between [time #1] and [time #2]. Is there anything I can help with regarding that?”

Customer: “You guys aren’t gonna send out the same person who put this stuff in.”

I cannot stress enough that this is not a question. The customer says, flat-out, that we are not going to send out the same person. I was told during my training that often the branches do send out the same person who put in the equipment to take it out, since they know where everything is and how it’s set up, etc., but sometimes due to scheduling, they can’t, and since I’m hundreds of miles away in a call center, I can’t promise either way.

Me: “Which specific technician is sent is handled by the local branch, so I’m not able to advise—”

Customer: “You send back that same guy, he’s gonna be leaving in a f****** body bag, you get me?”

I’m stunned. I am still pretty new, and while we’ve been told that customers can be rude and that we can hang up on customers swearing at us or using abusive language, etc., we have certainly not been given instruction on how to handle threats of violence against employees!

I’m very thankful that I’m quick on my feet; I quickly write down the call identifier (a number the managers can use to review call recordings) and respond after perhaps missing one beat.

Me: “I’m sure you realize that I’ll need to report this threat to my management?”

Customer: “Yeah, you do that.” *Hangs up*

As soon as he hangs up, I make sure I am out of the queue so another call won’t come through to me and speed-walk over to my manager’s desk.

Manager: “What’s up, [My Name]? You look awful worked up.”

Me: *Handing him my note* “Yeah, well, this guy just threatened that if the same tech who installed his stuff comes back to take it out, he’ll be — and I quote — ‘leaving in a f****** body bag.’ Here’s the call number.”

Manager: “Well, that’s a new one for me. I’ll contact the local branch’s manager. Don’t worry; they’ll be fine.”

Me: “Yeah, but even if it’s not the same tech, if this guy’s the type to make threats like that, I’d still be worried.”

Manager: “[My Name], we’re a security company. We get along really well with the police. The manager of the branch will probably get a police escort for any tech that goes out there and might even go out there personally to make sure everybody’s safe if he’s not already booked for appointments.”

Hearing that did make me feel a lot better about the whole situation. If anything, I find it kind of funny that I almost forgot what the company I worked for did.

I didn’t end up hearing back anything after this conversation, but I take that as a sign that nothing came of the threat. Hopefully, that guy got at least a very stern talking-to from some police officers about making threats!