Will The Real Sheldon Shady Please Speak Up
(I am changing a reservation for a customer over the phone. She is not happy that she will have an extra charge because she waited to make the change. She knows the fee policy (I confirmed it) but is upset there is a charge. She waited until the very last moment to make the change when she had several weeks in advance to do it for free. She wants to impress me that she is a trainer in customer service skills and that she is an executive. That charge is $150 and it will give her 100,000 frequent flier miles if she keeps the ticket.)
Customer: *screaming* “I am an executive! You make no money at all! I own my company and I train people in giving good customer service. You are horrible at customer service! You are stupid and useless! You are worthless! Do you hear me? Worthless! You are not worth the air you breathe!”
Me: *feeling my face get red but keeping my composure; about to be beyond nice and make an accommodation for her* “Ma’am, if you like—”
Customer: “You don’t listen! You are stupid! I train people in customer service and you are horrible at it. What is your name?”
Me: “Sheldon.”
Customer: “Your name isn’t Sheldon! Your name is Shady. You’re shady. You’re stupid and shady. The airline is shady.”
Me: *trying not to laugh* “Ma’am, I would like to assist you if you will let me speak.”
Customer: “You are shady. Say it with me? Admit it! The airline is shady. Shady, shady, shady. Say it. Say it!”
Me: Ma’am, I’ve very sorry to have upset you but I will not call the airline shady.
Customer: “Give me your manager’s name and get him on the phone. You are stupid.”
Me: “Absolutely. I will get you to my manager right away.”
(My manager comes on phone… and customer starts screaming.)
Manager: “Mrs [Customer], Sheldon was correct in what he said. If you continue to disparage Sheldon I will terminate this call.”
Customer: “YOU’RE A D***!”
Manager: *hangs up*
(All I could think of is, “Man, I’m glad I do not work for him.” And can you imagine his customer service training classes?)
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
