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Good customer service means solving actual problems, and not just watching the clock.

The following story is about a customer support employee who saw his coworker get praised by their manager.

His coworker patiently helped an older customer reconnect her router, spending 40 minutes to solve the problem.

However, later that same day, the coworker was also criticized for having longer call times.

Whoa! Isn’t that quite contradictory? Let’s take a closer look!

My coworker got praised and written up for the exact same phone call

I work customer support for an internet provider.

Last week, an older customer emailed our department.

She thanking my coworker for spending 40 minutes helping her reconnect her router.

Our manager shared the email in the team chat, congratulating him for providing excellent customer service.

This employee learned that his coworker was also written up for a long call time.

That same afternoon, while I was watching Kick, he called my coworker into a meeting.

Because his average call time was too high. He actually used that exact call as an example.

My coworker asked if he was supposed to hang up before the customer got her internet working.

The manager said, “That’s not what I’m saying,” but couldn’t explain what he should’ve done differently.

So apparently, we’re supposed to solve every problem, just make sure it takes less than 6 minutes.

That sounds a little ironic, huh?

I think reprimanding an employee after recognizing them for a specific call defeats the purpose.

If the company expects calls to last less than six minutes, management should provide clear guidance on how employees can meet that target.

Let’s check out the comments of other people on this story.

It will never get better, says this one.

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This user shares their personal experience.

This one makes a valid point.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a grocery cashier who gets into a standoff with a customer who hasn’t paid for everything in their basket.

Another person chimes in.

Finally, here’s an honest opinion.

You can’t put a timer on every customer problem.

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Author

Heide Lazaro

Heide Lazaro is a veteran human-interest writer and digital culture expert with over a decade of experience in editorial strategy. Specializing in lifestyle, social dynamics, and the internet's most compelling stories, Heide has authored and published more than 10 books online. Beyond her daily reporting, she is a dedicated motivational speaker who helps audiences connect through the power of storytelling. When she isn't sifting through the web's wildest real-life drama, Heide is an avid runner, painter, and novel-enthusiast fueled by a truly excellent cup of coffee.