Dealing With Customer Service Representatives

It is becoming increasingly more common these days when dealing with a company such as your cable, your insurance or a purchase, that you may be calling a large service center or emailing the company. Here are some guidelines.

First, always put identifying information on the subject line of any emails. These could be your name or your account number. This lets them identify your account and if you continue to email back and forth, to differentiate you from every other email they may get that day. Putting Highland Ave on the subject line may let you know it is your Highland Ave house but if the email right after you says Highland St as the subject line, this could lead to you getting wrong information. Try instead putting something like Jane Doe, Highland Ave, #1315656.

Do not put sensitive information such as your social security number or passwords. This is intended to identify you; not put you at risk.

Second, when emailing to a company, it is a good idea to be polite and precise in your initial emails. Requests that come filled with profanity or threats are rarely going to get you the result you want. Always start by being polite and saying what it is you want from them. This is especially true if you are asking them to make an exception to their company policy.

The same rules of politeness apply when calling a company. Start off by identifying yourself such as providing the name on the account or the number. Let them know what the situation is and what they should do to resolve it to your satisfaction. For example, an item arrived damaged so you would like a replacement one. Your bill never came so you would like them to waive the late fee.

If the person you are speaking with can not help you, then ask to speak with a supervisor or manager. This is especially true if the representative is saying something like "I can not" or "I am unable". This may be them trying to tell you to ask for a supervisor. A lot of companies will not let you be transferred until you ask to be transferred. By berating the first person, you are wasting your time and ruining their day. Neither of which will help you.

Above all, try to remain calm. The person with whom you are speaking is rarely the person who caused your problem and may not even be the person who can fix it. Try not to yell or threaten or swear at some one just because they are on the other end of the phone. This is especially true if the mistake was yours and you are asking them to do something for you because of it such as waiving a late fee when you forgot to send your payment.

As always when ever you deal with some one in a service position, treat them with respect and civility. Be polite, have your information handy and be clear about what it is you want and people will be more likely to go that extra mile to help you out.