Results 1 to 25 of 36
Thread: Problem Customer
-
08-05-2004, 03:09 PM #1WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- Posts
- 109
Problem Customer
Hi
I have this customer, his payment methods are legit, and his sites are legit.
The problem is whenever he logs a support ticket it usually includes a significant amount of abusive language.
Now I've been prepared to make do with this before, I've also warned him before not to use such language when dealing with my staff, however he has taken no heed to my warnings and still continues to use obscene language.
What would be the best course of action do you think ?
Matt
-
08-05-2004, 03:13 PM #2Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- England
- Posts
- 819
How many support tickets does he log? Really if you're only getting a couple a month I should think the revenue he brings is probably greater than the stress a few swear words cause you.
Naturally, I have no clue just how abusive he's being. But you should have something in your TOS/AUP that covers abuse towards staff but we've never needed to remind customers of or enforce that section of our TOS ever, nice to have it though.
AndrewNetHosted - UK based hosting solutions.
-
08-05-2004, 03:20 PM #3Junior Guru Wannabe
- Join Date
- Jul 2004
- Posts
- 43
NetSender: would you mind posting one of his tickets (take the name and all that out of course) so we can see exactly what you are talking about.
Abusive customers can be hard to deal with. You just have to remember that you offer a service world wide. Which means you will be dealing with a lot of diverse people., which include the rude customers as well. I would keep working through it and keep your head on your shoulders.
You can always choose not to support the individual in a professional manor if he is not willing to professionally ask for it. Telling him that using such language is not appreciated and will not make things go any faster may help detere him in the futureJonathan C.
-
08-05-2004, 03:32 PM #4WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- Posts
- 109
Just a few excerpts from IM conversations:
"
xxxxxx: i cant send emails
Netsender Internet Services: I'm Alan, I can only provide Sales advising
Netsender Internet Services: If you need technical support I advise you use the helpdesk
xxxxxx: .
xxxxxx: **** thats ******** good day
Netsender Internet Services: I'm sorry ????
xxxxxx Signs Off "
"
xxxxx: why the hell is your server down dont give me some **** reasion i pay good money for it and it goses down
"
Note : Server wasnt down, he had just edited his DNS records incorrectly and thus his domain ceased to point to our server.
I mean I cant expect my staff to put up with this kind of language/abuse.
He usually logs at least 5 a month, and has been up to 1 a day sometimes, directing all problems at us, when the majority have been caused by his own mistakes, e.g. permissions on scripts, incorrect cPanel Email setup.
He's on a $5 a month package.
Matt
-
08-05-2004, 03:32 PM #5Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Dec 2001
- Posts
- 5,221
Greetings Matt:
We have a customer like that who would go off the wall in emails to our staff or on the phone.
Our director of customer service called him up, and asked him to make an immediate choice -- leave or be nice. That was back in June 2004. He is still with us, and is nice.
Thank you.
-
08-05-2004, 03:34 PM #6WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- Posts
- 109
ah it looks as if the automatic filters on this board have starred out the offensive words.
-
08-05-2004, 03:36 PM #7WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Oct 2003
- Posts
- 109
We have asked him to "be nice" on many occasions in the past, and have threatened termination of service. Still he doesnt seem to take heed to our advice.
Matt
-
08-05-2004, 03:39 PM #8Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Location
- England
- Posts
- 819
Sounds like you're coming here with your mind made up and you're just looking for universal agreement that you should get rid of him
If he's causing you more hassle then you think he's worth then give him one last, final, official email warning then next time suspend/delete him.
AndrewNetHosted - UK based hosting solutions.
-
08-05-2004, 03:42 PM #9Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Aug 2002
- Location
- Illinois
- Posts
- 848
Hmm,
I can't say I have any customers like that. But, be firm like you seem to be doing.Max
-
08-05-2004, 03:45 PM #10Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Dec 2001
- Posts
- 5,221
Greetings Matt:
1. Was asking done via the phone (it can make a difference)?
2. If he continued to abuse, did you terminate services?
If not, then it was a threat backed up by nothing.
Thank you.
-
08-05-2004, 03:49 PM #11WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Nov 2002
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
- Posts
- 111
$5 bucks a month is not worth that type of hassle. The swearing I can handle, fixing a customer's mistakes I can handle, but if a customer makes a mistake and then swears at me for it I'd send them packing. Especially if this is routine behaviour on their part.
Sorry, I'm not a girl, and I'm definately no "Babe" :-)
-
08-05-2004, 03:49 PM #12Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Nov 2001
- Posts
- 5,383
Terminate him, don't take sh*t from anyone. You have the right to refuse service.
-
08-05-2004, 03:49 PM #13Invented the Internet
- Join Date
- Feb 2001
- Location
- West Michigan, USA
- Posts
- 9,687
Our Terms of Service states that we will not tolerate abuse of any kind. I demand that my staff treat all customers with respect, so it is unfair to subject them to abuse.
If a customer is hostile, we politely point them to our Terms of Service regarding abuse and tell them that we would be more than happy to help them. If it continues, I terminate the account and refund the customer.
I think we've had to do this MAYBE 3 times in 7 years.
--Tina||| 99.999% Uptime SLA!!!
Plenty of space and bandwidth to fit your needs!
www.AEIandYou.com - - (WP Friendly - Premium Reseller Hosting and Cheap Dedicated Servers)
-
08-05-2004, 04:19 PM #14Aspiring Evangelist
- Join Date
- Apr 2002
- Location
- UK
- Posts
- 429
I'd get shot of him. If a person doesn't have the common decency or professionalism to communicate without abuse then I don't don't want to do business with them.
Unless of course they're paying me $1million, in which case they can abuse me all day and come round and beat me with sticks if they like!Regards, Gordon.
Rune Solutions: Fast, Efficient Remote Backup Service.
-
08-05-2004, 04:39 PM #15Junior Guru Wannabe
- Join Date
- Jul 2004
- Posts
- 43
Originally posted by disoft
Unless of course they're paying me $1million, in which case they can abuse me all day and come round and beat me with sticks if they like!Jonathan C.
-
08-05-2004, 07:27 PM #16Formerly orange-y
- Join Date
- Nov 2001
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Posts
- 633
As he might put it: **** that.
Drop him like a rock. You can loose $10 a month to get some stress out of your lifeFormer owner of A Small Orange
New owner of <COMING SOON>
-
08-05-2004, 07:37 PM #17Retired Moderator
- Join Date
- Jul 2001
- Location
- .INdiana
- Posts
- 2,465
offer "a customer" for sale in the advertising section . ha
-
08-05-2004, 07:41 PM #18Aspiring Evangelist
- Join Date
- Oct 2002
- Location
- PA
- Posts
- 364
Your staff works hard. Don't ruin their day by keeping this abusive customer around
-
08-05-2004, 08:05 PM #19Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Sep 2002
- Posts
- 708
Drop him. The verbal damage and abuse the client is giving your staff exceed the $5 he is giving you.
-
08-05-2004, 08:54 PM #20Aspiring Evangelist
- Join Date
- Dec 2003
- Location
- metropolis
- Posts
- 383
chances are he knows that he can get away with this with you and he is enjoying it to some degree... for a mere $5 amonth
let him go...Last edited by cnm72; 08-05-2004 at 08:59 PM.
[[[[ ---CNM--- ]]]]
-
08-05-2004, 09:56 PM #21Web Hosting Evangelist
- Join Date
- Jul 2003
- Posts
- 450
I have a problematic customer but ever since I politely told her off that she was wronglyaccusing me of not giving support, she backed off.
I think the best thing to do if you don't want to get rid of this customer is "I'm sorry we can't give you further support if this kind of language continues on".Protagonist WebHosting Services
Blog Hosting solutions:: Cpanel with Rvskin & Fantastico Deluxe
Providing Reliable Hosting since 2002
-
08-05-2004, 10:18 PM #22Junior Guru
- Join Date
- Jun 2003
- Posts
- 224
We have asked him to "be nice" on many occasions in the past, and have threatened termination of service. Still he doesnt seem to take heed to our advice.RimuHosting.com - VPS Hosting and Dedicated Server Hosting since 2003
Pingability.com - Peace of Mind Web Site Monitoring
-
08-05-2004, 10:20 PM #23Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Jan 2004
- Location
- Singapore
- Posts
- 1,032
After reading this thread, I have this feeling that this customer of yours is paying you so that he can enjoy his abusing....
Sometimes, customers pay a few dollars but demand a few million dollars worth of service....
If he is not worth it, AXE him off.
OR you can post a "Abusive customer for Sale" in the Offers section-=- GQ Hong -=-
GalacNet WebMaster
-
08-05-2004, 10:37 PM #24Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Apr 2002
- Posts
- 631
Originally posted by dynamicnet
Greetings Matt:
1. Was asking done via the phone (it can make a difference)?
2. If he continued to abuse, did you terminate services?
If not, then it was a threat backed up by nothing.
Thank you.
-
08-06-2004, 04:30 AM #25Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Apr 2003
- Location
- Bluesquare dc, Uk
- Posts
- 1,591
Hello Matt,
I had a customer like this a while back. Not so much rude, but incredibly rude and sarcastic.
In this case the customer was paying even less than you have now. In this case the the customer was of age.
In your case, judging by the use of the English, poor grammar and spelling, this is a child of 14 or 15.
I can imagine every time an email comes in right now, in the back of your mind you are wishing it isn't him, with a hint of dread. Every time he does contact you, you are getting very stressed up.
So right now you are letting an obnoxious kid (my personal feelings are that his parents ought to be terminating his allowance ), upset you for $5.
Make sure you do this by the book, and it's not a knee jerk reaction, for in this situation it's very easy to let your heart rule your mind. Wait for the next abuse- because it will come, and send an official warning, quote all his abuse, reference to your terms and conditions, quoting it. State quite clearly that if the abuse does not continue, you will give him 5 days to find a new host.
Depending on his character, you'll either get an abusive email back. Which of course, equals win.
Or he'll play ball/
Good luck with kindergartenOlly | INX-Gaming
Call of Duty 4 hosting