By any other name…

August 17, 2005 by Jeff Jarvis
,

Take heart, Dell. Your customer service could be worse. At least you aren’t calling your customers “bitch dog” or “jew couple.” Then again, I don’t know what you’re calling me….

  • http://blowingsmokethemovie.com Jim Treacher

    The scary thing is, once you get the jerk fired… HE KNOWS WHERE YOU LIVE.

  • http://blogebrity.com/blog Nick Douglas

    The “Jew Couple” story looks lame. Stupid waitress/bartender, but still, that’s not news.

  • CharlesWT

    Well, that’s what happens when you get in a rush and drop your ish‘s.

  • http://toeinwater.blogspot.com/ Greg

    Actually, it shouldn’t matter what they call you internally. It’s the bleedover that lets that information out that is not good.
    I worked for a number of years in a customer service call center, both as a call-taker and as a manager. I can attest to the fact that the rank and file of call centers frequently have ‘pet names’ for their customers, and usually any variance of service level depends entirely upon the individual operator.
    As a long-time customer and very frequent and demanding caller to my cable provider/ISP (yes, Comcast!), I have no doubt that I am discussed internally without being referred to by my real name.

  • EverKarl

    Jeff,

    As you are one person, not a couple, I would guess “bitch dog.”

    Don’t forget to tip your waitress…

  • http://chicagozoner.blogspot.com The Zoner

    Follow up from todays Chicago Tribune: Janet Wagner, associate chair of marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, said customer dissatisfaction may only increase as companies increasingly turn to technological solutions such as online help or automated phone messages.

    While Govan’s case unquestionably involved an employee who crossed the line, Wagner said it is also important to recognize how stressful it is to work in customer service.

    “Customer service people have very stressful jobs,” she said. “We say that they have to perform what we call emotional labor and they’re under stress, so every once in a while somebody snaps.” ###

    What. And ever. We ALL have customers and we all have stress. These customer service reps should be doing their very best because technology is stripping them of jobs. What is more stressful–being the recipient of the call or being the person making it? No brainer.

  • Ronbo

    Since you are such a fan of Google, you might like to know that the first ad in the block under the Chi Trib story about “Bitch Dog” was for … Comcast!

  • EverKarl

    Lileks is calling you a verb.

  • http://dossy.org/ Dossy Shiobara

    Plausible explanation for the Comcast story: their customer management software has Tourettes.

  • Logan

    hey what it Mr Dells email I want to give him a piece of my mind about my problems. Email me at rucrazy_@hotmail.com.

  • http://www.azerivista.com Anna

    That guy needs to get his story straight!

  • http://HomePC Ms Koye Goodrow

    Thank you for trying to defend the hoardes of people who have been “stung” by the defective Dell products the past few years.

    I thought no one listened to the “little people” anymore. If Michael Dell didn’t read and act on your suggestions..he deserves to go under…deep.

    I’ve had my 2nd Dell for just 5 months and it’s been messed up the whole time…and yes, I am a little person… 75 year old female, disabled, who deserves more for my $$ than Dell is giving.
    Most sincerely, Ms Koye Goodrow