A big horror for call center agents is when they are given very little training but are expected to handle all kinds of difficult situations. They might not know how to solve a particular problem and then have to face an angry customer. It's like being thrown into the deep end without knowing how to swim. For example, a new agent might be asked to deal with a complex technical issue related to a new product they haven't been properly trained on.
Another experience could be dealing with extremely long and complex calls. Like when a customer has multiple issues related to different products or services all in one call. The call center agent has to juggle all this information, keep the customer on track, and find solutions for each problem, which can be mentally exhausting.
Yes. An agent once had to deal with a customer who demanded a full refund for a service that they had misused according to the terms and conditions. When the agent tried to explain the situation, the customer became extremely aggressive, started using racial slurs. The agent was in tears after the call but still had to continue with other calls. It was a really horrible experience.
Well, a common 'call center agent horror story' is getting prank calls. Some pranksters waste the agent's time by pretending to be interested in the product or service but then start making jokes or just being silly. Agents also face horror when they are transferred a call from another agent who didn't handle the initial situation well. So, the new agent has to deal with an already frustrated customer. Moreover, there are times when the call quality is so bad that the agent can't understand the customer, and the customer gets angry because they think the agent isn't listening.
Well, in a call center, one common experience is dealing with a wide variety of customers. Some are really friendly and easy to assist, while others might be frustrated and impatient. You have to stay calm and professional all the time. For example, I once had a customer who was having trouble with a product. I patiently walked them through the troubleshooting steps and in the end, they were very satisfied.
I'm not sure of the exact stories, but I can imagine a situation where a call center employee gets prank calls all day long. These prank callers might waste the agent's time by pretending to be interested in something and then making fun of the agent. It would be really annoying and demoralizing for the agent.
Well, a visitor once told that she saw a strange figure standing in front of a large sculpture in Katonah Art Center late in the afternoon. When she blinked, it disappeared. She was so frightened that she left immediately.
Sure. There was a group who booked a safari tour through a travel agent. But when they got there, the vehicles were in bad condition. One of the jeeps broke down in the middle of the safari and they were left stranded for hours. The travel agent didn't have any backup plan.
A customer called the call center saying his alarm clock wasn't working. The agent asked if he had set it correctly. The customer replied, 'I set it for yesterday, but it still didn't go off today!'
There was this really funny call center story where a customer called because he thought his laptop had a virus. He described the symptoms in the most hilarious way. He said that every time he opened a file, it was like the laptop was doing a 'crazy dance'. The call center rep knew right away it was just a software glitch and was able to fix it quickly while sharing a laugh with the customer about the 'laptop dance'.
One scary call center story I heard was about a late - night call. The agent received a call from a person who was whispering in a very strange voice. The agent could hear some eerie background noises like creaking doors. As the call went on, the caller just kept repeating some incomprehensible words. It really spooked the agent out.