Mean People Suck
Posted on : 06-27-2009 | By : Frank Eliason | In : Customer Service, Social Media
Tags: Angry People, Mean People Suck
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Years ago my wife had this bumper sticker on her car. It used to crack me up, but it is so true. I know all too well that life is too short and we should live each day to the fullest. I always strive to do what is best for everyone I come in contact with. Maybe this is why I love serving Customers? In recent weeks I have come across numerous examples of personal attacks, deeply angry people at relatively silly things, and just a lot of unpleasantness. During that same time I have seen people going through hell and they are the most upbeat people around. Why is there such a variance? Why can’t people just learn to be nice and respectful to others?
I know what it is like to be angry, and I do get that way at times. For those that have seen this, I want to apologize. In fact today I read a blog post that was completely inaccurate and referred to me as an unbelievable creep, of course this was someone that references internet trouble as ‘ass rape.’ The actual trouble was wifi signal reaching all points in a home, particularly a wireless printer. Which during last call was working when I was off the phone. I have been deeply offended, as I am sure other men and women would be, with the terms being used. Anyway this made me angry to read and I was determined to figure out a response. I was so angry it was taking me away from what is truly the most important aspect of life, my own family. Those that know me also know the truth so at this point it was not worth letting an angry person destroy my weekend.
My wife made a good point, everything is relative. Maybe individuals that are mean to others and angry have been so lucky in life that they find little things to be angry about because they have not dealt with worse. How lucky are they? I wish I had such luck in life. But actually, I am happy that I am who I am. Yes it sucks that some negative things have happened in my life, and I would do anything to have Gia back, but I would never want to live life as an angry person. It is just too short and I would prefer to live life to the fullest. You never know what may happen. We sometimes joke that you can get hit by a bus, but the reality is you can be.
For me I am going to strive to be the best person to everyone I come in contact with. If I ever was mean to anyone, I also want to take this time to apologize. When I am, please point it out to me.
Frank, it’s amazing how low-lifes like that cut into our family time, isn’t it?
Thanks for making the world a nicer place.
Hello Frank, thanks for sharing amazing experience in your life. Have a wonderful day!
Hi Frank, I wrote my thoughts on this as well. Keep up the good work, I know your hands are tied a lot of the time.
http://bornbroken.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/customer-manages-to-get-under-comcasts-skin/
Customer service is a thankless job, and people de-humanize the voice on the other end of the phone when they call a CS department. Stress flows out of them like spit up from a newborn. I speak, as you know, as a former helpdesk admin.
You are professionally tasked with killing them with kindness, but that doesn’t mean that their bad behavior doesn’t get to you sometimes. And it should! Jesus, you are human, and thank god you have enough moral sense to be outraged at such rudeness. The time to worry is when it NEVER bothers you; then you’re on the road to being a sociopath (I’m not kidding!).
So, thank you for the times you helped me with tech/comcast stuff and congrats on still being human in a machine-centered industry. No small nor easy task, that is!
-CC
Oddly, this didn’t get under my skin as much as some other folks. It’s particularly troubling to read the things they assumed about us, but alas… we can’t make everyone happy. We all tried (we really did!), but sometimes there’s just no reasoning with people. Gotta brush the dirt off your shoulders and move on to keep helping those who need it
Frank we all could find reasons to be angry-my first wife of 38 years died of Cancer- I at 73 have been and am still getting treatment for Lymphoma – I could run around moaning and saying why me and take out my anger on others but people who understand the human condition must, to survive operate with a clear conscience- the ignorant among us must live with their anger which is very destructive-I bring a few chosen feeds into my site and really get some insane comments so I mail the back with my Google Talk Number and of course let it go to voice mail-Your job probably will never get you a medal but only self satisfaction-and the Mugwumps will still sit and bitch
The Mugwumps were Republican political activists who supported Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland in the United States presidential election of 1884. They switched parties because they rejected the financial corruption associated with Republican candidate James G. Blaine. In a close election, the Mugwumps supposedly made the difference in New York state and swung the election to Cleveland. The word Mugwumps is from Indian derivation to suggest that they were “sanctimonious” or holier-than-thou.”
Very thoughtful article. I always try to have empathy for my Customers. Put myself in their shoes.
You are correct, life is way to short for to be angry!!
[...] a customer has gone off the deep end, and been very public with it. He has a public reply on his Time to be Frank blog. @comcastcares (Frank Eliason) [...]
Having to deal with Customer Support at work, I appreciate this blog post. Frank, it’s amazing that you are so passionate and committed – but at the end of the day, it’s still work. Spend time and energy on the important things – like your family. Don’t let the “mean people” live rent-free in your head.
I identify with this completely. I work inbound collections, so about 95% of my customer interactions are with people unhappy to one degree or another. The most unbelievable ones are those who also tend to be the most creative with the English language. They regularly me with combinations of words no one ever thought to combine because they did not pay a bill. At least they aren’t doing it in public/online where others might believe things they scream.
Through 25+ years of customer service, I have come to appreciate more and more that ‘what comes around goes around’. I believe that those who are truly good people enjoy the good in life and vice versa, even in a two minute interaction about a bill. I know it doesn’t always seem this way, but I still do believe it is true.
I expect to get poor service if I act like a jerk.
So, I’ll keep being the nice guy and I believe I’ll get it back.
I’ll keep laughing and feeling a little sorry for those who yell at me and insult me and think that is the best way to convince me that they deserve better treatment than others. (Even though it gets to me a little sometimes.)
I will continue to find it a lot easier to make a better effort for customers who are at least civil to me.
Keep up the good work Frank. One of these days, all of Comcast, and maybe even other companies will realize that customer service might be the most important thing. And the customers will do their part too.