I broke down and took the customer service line work a bit ago. It is soul crushingly terrible.
I am supposed to / would like to:
1. Figure out the customer's problems.
2. Suggest possible solutions to the customer's problems
3. Make sure those solutions are implemented as best can be done.
4. Ask if there is anything else I can do for them.
Instead, I am the world's whipping girl. I can't handle it. I get told how terrible everything is and how stupid I am and how I'm the worst at everything day in and day out. I want to solve people's problems but I guess I am their problem based on what they're saying. Some customers actually have a problem they want solved and I am DELIGHTED to help them solve it any way I can. If they are polite to me, I will stay over when I am supposed to leave and make sure they will be helped. I'm more than happy to sincerely say "Yes sir, please sir, thank you sir, as soon as I can sir, of course sir, I'd be delighted to sir, etc etc. Compared to the others I have to deal with who say I'm the reason the country is collapsing.
Some days, I just come home and I can't stop crying and a lot of it is from the things people say about me.
I'm supposed to have thick skin and not let any amount of abuse bother me. I have been told it can only hurt me if I let it. I can't help when most of what I'm told day in and day out is how shitty I am. I can't take it.
Friday, I finally, while being very polite told a raging customer who was abusing me that,
"I would be more than happy to help you, but I am not here to be your whipping post. Please stop cussing at and insulting me and I will help you as fast as I can."
That just made them even MORE mad and complainy to my boss. All of this is on tape and I was as nice as I've ever seen anybody. I was trying extra hard to be nice. I came across as sincere, etc. The customer said things to me that began to make me cry due to the never ending flow of constant insults and curse words. I was chewed out for a good 7 minutes before I said anything at all. Somehow, I am in trouble from this.