You Can’t Afford It, Buddy

I’m a woman working in a call centre handling insurance claims. A customer comes through who is around thirty years older. I quickly realise he needs to be speaking to another department, so I call that department, check it’s the right one, and go back to the customer.

Me: “Thank you for holding, sir. I’m going to get you through to [Employee] in the correct department. Is there anything else you need from me before I do so?”

We are required to ask this.

Customer: “Your body?”

Me: “That… would be very inappropriate, sir. Transferring you now.”

I advise trainees to remember that no matter how nasty a customer is, they’re just a voice on the phone. But that one left me very uncomfortable. Yes, it has been flagged with my manager.