Call centers generally have a clear chain of command, but some customers just don’t care.

So, what would you do if a customer demanded changes you don’t have the authority to make, but also refused to speak with the one person who could actually fix the problem? Would you sit and argue with them until they give in? Or would you explain once more and then end the call?

In the following story, one customer service representative has no choice but to do the latter. Here’s what happened.

Customer Refuses to Speak with the Manager (But wants to Sue Us)

Recently, I made my way over to collections, and for the most part, it’s pretty chill.

If someone has an issue with why they owe a certain amount, wants a refund, wants a charge dropped, or wants to cancel services, they have to be transferred over to a customer service manager (CSM).

I let them know politely that, while I empathize and understand they want the xyz issue resolved, I am in the billing department and don’t have the authority to resolve it, so they need to be transferred to speak with a CSM.

Yes, it is inconvenient, but hey, it’s how we do things, so… idk man I am here to pay my bills, and yeah, no company is perfect. Anyway, Me: K and Customer: C

The caller was upset from the start.

I open up the call with the usual “Hi, this is K with xyz company, xyz department, on a recorded line, is this C?”

C: Yes this is, and I am no longer interested in your services, do not call me ever again, or I will sue your company for harassing me.

K: Alright, sir, but just to inform you, while we can put you on the Do Not Call list, if you do not pay your bill, you will still get sent to collections around 100 days overdue. (The collections agency is a third-party company that legally can still contact them.)

C: No, wait, you can’t send me to collections! That is not right! You can contact me just once after the next service, but then no more. I am canceling. You guys messed up, and you are billing me when I am not supposed to be billed. You didn’t do the service, but are still billing me. That is illegal, and if you charge me for services that weren’t performed, I will sue you.

The man kept saying the service was never completed.

K: Well, I understand you want the service to be completed before paying. I see you are scheduled for a reservice trip on xyz date, so you can just pay on that day.

C: Well, then what is the date I would get sent to collections then?

K: Well, currently, it was from the date you were originally serviced.

C: The technician never came by. I was there the whole day! You guys are charging me for something that never happened, and that is not right.

He looked through the notes and saw where a technician had stopped by.

K: Well, sir, it does look like a technician came by on date XYZ, from time abc to edf. The technician’s notes on what they did are as follows: (blah blah technical stuff of what the technician did).

C: The technician lied about that. They never showed up! I can’t believe you are charging me for something that didn’t happen.

K: I understand, and we definitely want to make sure you receive the service you are paying for. That is why we already have you scheduled for a reservice. You can just pay when it is due.

C: And what is my balance?

Then, the caller was upset about the price.

K: Your balance is (normal payment price plus a late fee under $2 added).

C: Why is it more expensive? Isn’t it (normal payment price)?

K: I am looking, and it shows it is a normal payment price, but there is a late fee of (specific amount under $2).

C: This is unreasonable! Why are you charging me for the day the technician didn’t come out? That fee was your company getting the date wrong. This is not right and is illegal! I want to cancel my services. This is a recorded line, right? I want you to say again that I do not owe until the service is due.

He just kept saying it was the company’s fault.

K: I am sure we can figure something out so that the date the money is owed from is on the reservice date. However, I don’t have the authority to do that, nor do I have the ability to cancel your account. I can go ahead and transfer you directly to my customer service manager, who will be able to assist you with any questions regarding those charges on your account and canceling your contract.

C: I don’t want to talk to your manager! I don’t have time to talk with your manager. This is your company’s fault! Just email the manager and tell them to move the date I owe the money from to the reservice date and remove the late charges.

K: I understand you are very busy, but unfortunately, you do have to verbally talk with a manager to be able to close your account and have any dates moved or certain fees dropped.

C: This is such a hassle, and it is not right that your company makes it this hard. I am never recommending your company! Your offices don’t communicate well. Just email the manager what I said and have them call me back.

Frustrated, he tried to empathize with the customer.

K: I understand this is inconvenient, but unfortunately, I cannot email the manager directly, and they are really busy and are not making outbound calls at this time due to high inbound call volume. The easiest way to quickly resolve this for you is to immediately transfer you to a CSM.

C: No, I refuse to waste my time on something that is your company’s fault. Who is the manager I will be speaking with?

K: Sir, I don’t personally know who it is. They are in a different department, and multiple people employed there may or may not be working or available when your call goes through.

C: Okay, who is your manager?

By this point, they were both upset.

K: Sir, I am in the billing department. We have a different kind of system in the billing department (fyi, it is like, team leads overseen by higher-ups and stuff). We are a nationwide company, and the billing department is separate from your local branch CSMs. My overseeing manager only handles billing and does not have the right to remove charges or change the dates or amounts owed. Only the local branch CSM can do that.

C: This is ridiculous that you don’t even know who is over you. You are a horrible company. I have spoken with others, and you just send me around instead of doing what I ask.

K: Sir, I am trying to help you resolve your issue-

C: No, you’re not listening! I told you that I shouldn’t have to take time out of my day for something that your company messed up!

Then, the interruptions started.

K: Sir, I have been-

C: No, you haven’t been listening, I-

At this point, the customer wouldn’t stop interrupting me, and I firmly just kept going with the customer objecting to everything I say, saying I am not listening, we are doing illegal things, they will sue us for charging them on the original date (even though they are refusing to work with a manager who would be looking into the incident).

When he hung up, the customer was still going.

K: Sir, I am just trying to do my job. I have been trying to help you. I have listened to your issue and have given you the tools to resolve it, but you are refusing to listen to the previous representatives who have tried to resolve it for you. I understand it is inconvenient, but that is what you have to do if you want the issue resolved. If you will not let me help you and transfer you over to a CSM, who would be happy to assist you, I am going to have to end this call, as I have nothing else I can do for you and have other clients I need to assist. Have a good day, sir.

And with that, I hang up on the customer, who was still word-vomiting about how they will sue us and that we have no right to charge them for a service not done, and blah blah blah.

I probably could have handled the call better and been less rude at the end, but dang, that ruined my night. I was so done at that point, I could care less about the customer beating the metaphorical horse.

Yikes! That guy thought it was his way or no way at all.

Let’s take a look at how the folks over at Reddit feel about this whole thing.

Here’s someone who’s used to the opposite.

This reader has a different perspective.

For this reader, it’s all sympathy for the technician.

It’s the same for this person’s company.

He did the best he could.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.