And this was an INBOUND hotel-booking call centre. No telesales, no complaints (there was no complaints phone no for the company, much to many a caller's delight).

It wasn't that I hated the customers. It was because I couldn't stand blackening my soul by being there any longer, because I completely sympathised with them.

I used to work for WaMu's "customer service" department (before it was outsourced to the Philippines, Columbia, and India), and even WE couldn't get the fraud department on the line. No one there EVER answered the phone, so even having a direct number available wouldn't help.

@RogerTheAlien: Point me to where he was being a total dickhead and we'll talk.

What he did is called call control, and is a necessary part of phone work.

Bill B

The person on the other end didnt want to answer the phone to begin with, they will hang up as soon as you give them a reason.

As far as swearing at the rep... it just makes them care less. Half the time, yes, they need clubbed like baby seals, but its not going to work in your favor. Smooth them over with sweet talk and honey. If you are a woman with a nice voice dont be afraid to lay on the charm and manipulate these awful POSs into giving you want you want.

So someone just trying to pay for a service she used is getting overcharged, trying to get it fixed, and getting bounced around from a BANK and another company until she decides it's not worth fighting for her money.

But the real issue is she used the word fuck while on the phone with some CSR.

Oh your job sucks so bad and your boss is an asshole to you and you get penalized if you're on the phone with one customer too long and boo hoo hoo. Great, you have a shitty job in which you perpetuate a system that continuously digs you into a deeper and deeper hole. I can see how you might be angry about that! However, when I call your company because you managed to screw up the one thing I actually want you to do, I really don't want to know about it. At all. In words, tone, or passive aggressive behavior.

Maybe I don't want to have to treat some tool who couldn't manage anything better than sitting at a desk all day answering a phone to get bitched at like the Pope. Maybe I'm pretty angry and frustrated myself at this point, not because of my crappy job, but because your crappy company screwed up, screwed me, and MY boss is being a prick too. Like I don't have all the stupid normal crap in my life driving me insane enough that I have to add your business' inability to properly do its job AND your unwillingness to do shit about it ontop of it! MAYBE, the CSR should be up my ass trying to do whatever he/she can to make me happy the second I get on the phone, because I wouldn't be calling in the first place if something wasn't fucked up.

So on behalf of all those rage filled hatemongers out there that pick on the blue collar hero known as the call center rep, kiss my collective ass, phone jockey! CSRs have positional power and they are willing to abuse it like children.

And we won't even get into the fact that CHASE FREAKIN' BANK won't float this person 170 dollars until the issue is resolved. Or that this is probably less money than Krystal makes in a day or two.

@gtrgod01:

"What fantasy land do you live in anyway? "she's not worth it as a customer"? are you serious?"

Absolutely. At least 20% of the average company's customers are negative profitability - the company would be better off without them. Given that a few hundred dollars drives the OP's balance below zero, it sounds very much like she's one of those customers. Drop her.

@outlulz:

Key difference: she wouldn't be out of pocket anything while the charge was investigated.

Shoulda taken a Gypsy Cab.

@Hoss: So why doesn't anyone consider the fact that the CSR is/was a total douchebag? I can totally understand that cutsomers can be real dickheads when it's not warranted, but having worked in retail for a many years pre- and post-college, the CSRs can be just as dickish as jerky customers.

Still, all said, credit cards are still safer than cash or even debit cards. Your card number may get nicked, but when you get billed for an invalid charge, they can't collect and you don't have to pay that amount if you properly challenge the charge.

Thankfully you're just saying this on the internet, if I met you in real life you would never do this. :)

"It is the CSR's job to be professional. It's not the customer's."

True. If you only look at it from a job point of view. However they are both human. There is no need to bring swearing (that accomplishes nothing) into the conversion. You expect professional attitudes toward you? Be professional yourself.

Besides it is a moot point as the CSR was very professional. He didn't disconnect but simply said he does not like her choice of words.

@seishino: No. The customer is NOT always right. In this case she definitely was, but I never prefer to take that attitude when I do my work. I guess it's similar, I just go by "The customer is wrong (in X case) but I'm going to try whatever I can to make this a win-win".

Anyhow...that's probably the most viable argument I've heard, that it's the CSR's job to be professional. Personally, I don't care if a customer swears on a phone call with me until they start cursing AT me, and even then I'll give them an as-kind-as-possible warning that "I understand you're frustrated, but if we can't keep focused on the issue at hand I will disconnect the call".

@gtrgod01: The thing that you're getting wrong here is that you're equating what the CSR said ("Please keep the language professional") to the service he was providing. He didn't end the call, he didn't change the service he was providing. He just asked her to do something that, as stated, should be obvious in any business interaction with a stranger; keeping the language professional. Again, imagine of the CSR dropped the F-bomb at any poing in the conversation. I bet the customer would be pretty pissed off.

Besides all that, the CSR was a pretty crappy one. This is true. Script or not, he wasn't willing to think outside the box, ask a supervisor, etc. But that still doesn't mean that he can't keep the conversation professional.

@ohenry: It is the CSR's job to be professional. It's not the customer's. The CSR is paid to be kind, courteous, and put the best face on the company that you possibly can. They're there to see that the customer walks away less pissed off than they started. The customer probably ought to be polite out of both a sense of common courtesy and personal interest. But the reason they're calling is because they're unhappy about something as a paying customer, usually specifically something this company did.

I've been on both ends of this equation, and it is definitely asymmetrical. I've gotten a lot of good CSR's over the years. I've been a good one, I'd like to think. I've definitely interacted with some who, if they were driving with that attitude, would have been road raged out of existance a long time ago.

Also, not to sound like a movie quote or anything, but the customer is always right. You can say that the customer is wrong to be frustrated at the situation, and is wrong for feeling like she was condescended to by the CSR. All that is going to help is that other customers are going to feel condescended to also and abandon ship for other banks. Work to improve the system, not the customer.

@Corporate_guy: I use coarse language all the time at home and with friends, but it really does not belong in a business conversation.

It's just a matter of the professional culture in America in general. Don't like it, move elsewhere.

Try throwing Fuck around in your average office workplace and see how long you keep your job there.

@kduhtoe: Well put. As a CSR myself (not for this company, though) I think that he handled that just fine. He wasn't saying that he was going to disconnect the call, nor did he give any indication that he was going to refuse service if she didn't heed him.

And besides, he's right. The call should be handled in a professional manner. The customer wouldn't like it if the CSR swore during the call with them, whether it was AT them or not. The CSR doesn't have to like the customer swearing either.

All he said was to keep it professional. Nothing wrong with that.

1. Never swear at the phone rep.
2. Never, never, never, NEVER swear at the phone rep.
3. I don't care how mad you are, NEVERNEVERNEVER swear at the phone rep. Seriously. It will get you NOWHERE.
4. If you are not satisfied with the answers you are getting from the phone rep, calmly and politely request their employee ID number. And if the refuse to give you that number, don't worry - every time a bank employee accesses information in your account it is automatically noted on your account. You can hang up, dial another rep, explain how you received unprofessional and unhelpful treatment from the previous rep (do give the exact time and date), and that you wish to file a complaint. And follow-through with the complaint.
5. Do not be afraid to escalate the call to a supervisor. At most phone call places, if you specifically ask to speak to a supervisor, they are required by policy to escalate the call. The lower-level rep may try to help you, and that is fine (90% of the people who ask to speak to a supervisor usually do not need supervisor assistance, they're just angry), but be sure to politely and forcefully insist to speak to a supervisor. Remember a calm, FIRM tone is more helpful in this situation.
6. And failing that, you can always walk into your local financial branch for assistance - oftentimes they have more leeway to help you on your account than the phone reps. Don't go to the teller - request to speak to a personal banker or failing that, the branch manager.

In this particular case, I would probably recommend #6 as the best option - it is likely the client will have to fill out some paperwork (such as a notarized affadavit), which is best done in person.

I don't think the word is bad at all and I've used it and others in both English and other languages on many occasions. But I would not use it in a business conversation if I wanted to make a deal. I have enough other words in my vocabulary, as I assume you do as well, to get my point across without profanity.

You have to understand that there are places in this world where "fuck" is still not an appropriate word. One of the places where "fuck" is still not allowed is a business conversation with a stranger. A lot of people here have made the point that it's a good strategic choice to avoid cursing at CSRs, because you have a better chance of a positive outcome. It's good advice, but it's meaningless to me. You don't curse at (or with, or around) CSRs because you don't curse with strangers in business. Period. You have a business relationship with the bank. Unless you know the individual you are speaking with, you don't curse with any representative of that bank. Ever.

If not, then the answer is you shouldn't have gotten in in the first place - nor paid with a credit card.

Now that you're in the situation: have a lawyer friend write a scary letter to Yellow Cab Co, file a police report for fraud, inform your bank of the police report number and send them copies, and then sue Yellow Cab Co in small claims court.

@prag:
For the 50 billionth time... not everybody has a credit card. Stop blaming the OP.

In the future, get a receipt. It will make things easier and show you how much they are charging you.

Next, supply your complaint and hearing information to your credit card company, and explain to them the situation in terms that make sense to them. Phrases that work are those that appear on their forms when filing the fraud or chargeback. Such as, service or item not provided, etc. Use as official or legalese sounding language as possible. I've recently been disputing a charge myself, and this tactic got me an offer to lower the amount from absurdly high, to what the ride would have actually cost, had I been given that ride. I'm still in the dispute process because I didn't take the ride at all, but so far I feel confident it will be resolved correctly. Additionally, they may attempt to deny your claim because it was a face to face transaction. Alert them that there are often discrepancies between what the driver, and the machine, say you are being charged, and what is posted to your account. It's my understanding that they may only authorize the card at that moment, and post the charge later - though don't quote me on that....

For others who have commented about blank receipts being common nation wide, that is incorrect. In NYC it is part of the TLC's Passenger Bill of Rights that a receipt with all relevant information be provided. This can also help her in her dispute, as any breach of the TLC's Passenger Bill of Rights constitutes a material Breach of Contract, and voids your responsibility to pay anything to the driver in question.

There is a procedure for disputing a fraudulent ACH transaction. Follow it.

Write a letter, calling does not preserve your rights. Fill out the affadavit of fraud, have it notarized and return it to your bank.

Small Claims. Subpoena the cabbie's log as well as the dispatch logs from Yellow Cab. Show the pickup and drop off points, compare standard fare to what was charged.

Then go after Chase, using the winnings from the Yellow Cab case.

Be sure to include any time lost from work that had to be done to file and win these.

Swear words should only affect that CSR if they are being directed at them....simply hearing one shouldn't be an issue for ANYONE! If your 'virgin' ears are that sensitive you are in the wrong line of work as practically everyone (even low lifes with poor grammar) have bank accounts (we're talking about a chase bank CSR) and a lot of people consider cursing a normal form of communication.

Last time i checked there wasn't a grammatical morality clause attached to communicating with my bank that i've been a victim of fraud.

What fantasy land do you live in anyway? "she's not worth it as a customer"? are you serious?

Who do you think is more valuable to the company? the CSR who can't bare to hear a curse word? or the customer who knows to publish her story on the consumerist and generate a lot of bad press for Chase? We all know that in the end of this more than likely the customer is going to be taken care of (hopefully, we are talking about chase here) in the way the CSR SHOULD HAVE handled this in the first place. I'd say the customer is more important, after all CSR's are a dime a dozen and don't think they aren't.

You must be new to the real world....companies stand behind execs, not CSR's.

On this Canada Day, I am delighted to live in a country that is not so ridiculously puritan that people freak out at the work "fuck" without considering context.

This person said that the situation was "fucking ridiculous" which was both true and not a direct attack on the CSR. She did not refer to the CSR as a smug, uninformed, patronizing fuck, which he was. Nor did she call the CSR an asshole, which he was.

This is why I hate U.S. call centres.

Krystal should be dealing with this in writing with letters to the Cab Company, the Bank AND the BBB. If I were here, I would also consider reporting it as a fraud to the local police.

People that work in customer service should understand that the customer is calling you because they have an issue. Alot of customer service reps dont think outside the box, they choose to follow a script until you are ready to beat your head into a wall. All I ask is that you listen to what I tell you (which I had done in a clear, concise matter) and we work on a resolution. Life isnt about following scripts and being a human is about showing compassion. I worked in retail when I was a teen and my early 20's, I understand the difference between someone that is belligerent and a jerk and someone that is truly frustrated and has exhausted all avenues for having their problem solved. Throwing a curse word didn't cause me to say "nope I cant help you anymore".

Like everyone has said cursing is a part of life and sometimes you need to throw it out there when you cant get the attention you had been seeking for the issue you have. My cursing and the OP's was not malicious nor aimed at the CSR, it was an expression.

You really need to grow up and get some thick skin.

@gtrgod01:

Bottom line, if I were Jamie Dimon and I read this story, I'd say "give her her money back, and close the account - she's not worth it as a customer."

As an employer, you have to stand up for your people.

@gtrgod01:

Been in a lot of heated boardrooms, and those are conversations between equals who know each other and have signed up for this. Neither of these apply to the CSR interaction.

@dave_coder:
The "idiots" you refer are customers, like the one in the story, who have legit complaints (at least a majority of them). You're choosing to work that job- and to work for that company- if they suck, well, work somewhere else.

@WhoAsked You:

She didn't do anything morally "wrong" by using a debit card, but she certainly did make things harder for herself for no good reason.

As for paying with credit cards, I run $60-70k/year through mine, and I've never paid a dime of interest on the balances.

Honestly, I think we agree on the underlying customer service notion here, but I still think you're seeing that issue as the same as "the CSR didn't lose anything by hanging up." And I don't think it is.

@Corporate_guy: Trolling again? People have every right in the world to be offended by anything. plus....shouldn't you be blaming the OP?

No, I'm using strategic as in it is better for the company to keep their customers happy and to do everything in their power to keep satisfied customers. It is not the same as being moral, ethical, or whatever.

Lets take a customer service industry that I am very familiar with. Hotels, specifically Hampton Inns. Hampton Inns have their 100% satisfaction guarantee. if you are not satisfied with anything, we don't expect you to pay. You can, if all you want is the problem fixed, but if your A/C doesn't work, if your bed wasn't comfortable, if you don't like how my hair is cut, you can invoke the 100% satisfaction guarantee. Most people don't, but its there. Does it hit my bottom line? You bet. Did our owners fight and scream about this? You bet. Until they saw that it was a good policy. Its rarely ever invoked, and it usually keeps a customer loyal.

Now, if someone comes up to me and says "My toilet doesn't flush" and I have them fill out a form, make them comes back 3 times, have them try plunging it themselves, is that customer service? It saves me money... I don't have to call a maintenance guy off of a project, I don't lose that room's revenue. It would work "strategically" for my bottom line, but it would not work for the business as a whole.

Ethically, strategically, usually the same, can be different. But in customer service, treating people ethically almost always means it'll be a good move for the business.

@kduhtoe: I agree.

While we don't know his tone, that is a long way from treating you like a kid. Just because this is 'Merica and we have freedom of speech, doesn't mean that the person doesn't have the freedom to be offended.

Again, like I said above, I wouldn't have cared about the comment as long as it was directed at me.

@dave23: The op admits having a foul mouth, is it possible that they were cussing prior to this and the way they said this one pushed it over the limit?

I know when people cuss on the phone with me, I don't care but when it is more directed at me..I'm done.

First rule at dealing with customer service reps is to understand that they are NOT there to help you. They are there to get rid of you with as little effort as possible. That is why they are delighted when you swear at them since they now have an excuse to stop talking to you completely.

The key is to arrange it so that helping you with your problem IS the easiest way to get rid of you. Then and only then will you get any help at all.

@gtrgod01: Agreed. Apparently they haven't been around a discussion between two lawyers, each viguorously representing their clients. Cursing is a part of life, upper class, middle class, lower class, professional, nonprofessional, old, young, etc. Swearing is so much a part of our language that the words are in the dictionary. Movies, internet, walking down the street, eating out. Someone who is so sheltered as to be upset by a certain word might want to rethink their career choice. Sometimes it's the ONLY remaining way to get someone to pay attention. Sometimes it's just a natural part of speech that is hardly noticed.

To focus on something that EVERYONE has been exposed to, and in the process ignore the issue at hand, is really sad. I'd be grossly failing my client if I focused on opposing counsel's language rather than the matter I was working on. I've taken plenty of curses from others over the years, from customers when I worked in retail, from bosses, from classmates, teachers and clients. It's not a big deal, and never was.

The issue here is the somewhere, someone charged her more money and she wants it back. The only thing I blame the OP for here is mentioning her language, as it's prevented her from getting useful replies.

@TCama: *throws stone*

I particularly like your reminder that you can always hang up and call back--I often forget that, and it can be a brilliantly simple solution. And if you do it before you get mad, you'll probably be starting with a clean slate and no notes.

It's a moot point whether you think this should be true or not, or that you think banks should be run a different way; if you act as if they are run a different way when they're not, you're not being strategic, and you are likelier to lose your money. I think getting one's money is a more important goal than saying "fuck" to a call rep, and it's a strategic error to let the desire for the second interfere with the first.

I would just take Yellow Cabs around town and when it's time to pay... just show them that you already paid by showing the bank statement.

Or... I would find out who the cab driver was and press charges for identity theft and then file a law suit that includes court costs in small claims court.

Or... contact your local paper and let them know how you were scammed by the yellow cab company. when they contact the company execs for a statement, they'll get your infomration and reimburse you in exchange for keeping quiet.

At that point she should have asked for escalation instead of swearing.

Just remember that you're talking to a human being.

However.... She should not have sworn at a CSR. Imagine what she would have done if the CSR had sworn at HER! She would have immediately demanded he be fired.

Just remain calm and professional, if a CSR is being stupid ask to be escalated or call back later.

@floraposte:
Umm... because she probably was never going to get what she wants. It didn't sound like the OP started off with "Fuck you! You're going to fix my motherfucking problem!" People need to be pushed in that direction, especially when they are talking to complete strangers.

How is it wrong for a CSR to save themselves time and money? What kind of [u]customer service[/u] business model do you have? If I were a bank, I'd want customer retention and would do everything to satisfy a customer. Afterall, it takes more money to get new business than to keep the ones you have.

In a customer service industry, as banks AND [u]customer service[/u] reps are, the customer is usually right. The rep needs to do everything in their power to make it right. If it means contacting a supervisor, so be it. If it means that the CSR's are empowered to deviate from their checklist, so be it. We let all our line employees make decisions, as long as they can state why they took those actions.

@wcnghj: I think you just proved their point.

CSR's are trained to handle and diffuse all but the most abusive language. It's more likely that the CSR was using the language as an excuse to get off the call than he was actually offended.

I think people who are looking at this as a "who's wronger" contest are missing the point anyway. The animal-training dictum of "Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard" is good advice for dealing with humans, too. What's the best way to get what you want when you're talking to a CSR? This wasn't it. Why do it if it's not going to make it likelier to get what you want?

After this is rectified, of course.

@Ilovegnomes: Agreed! I had an ATM short me $20 in Canada. Went in to Wamu to dispute it, and the lady helping me had trouble figuring out who to talk to. She was put on hold, transferred around. Never deal with them online or over the phone.

@floraposte:

Strategically wrong? I think its strategically wrong for the companies CSR to not be willing to help. CSR... Customer Service Representative. Service. Customer. I can be a total ass without swearing. Its probably even worse than swearing if I treat someone condescendingly. at least I'm expressing my true frustration.

Yellow Cab has got to be the worst cab company. They are crap in my area and I refuse to call them to schedule a cab for any of our guests.

Am I the only one who keeps an "emergency" $20 bill hidden somewhere on me (wallet pocket I never use..)

You have no right to say that. Some people use different words more regularly than others. Getting offended by a general use of any word that someone uses to express disgust or frustration is a load of crap. It's almost an attempt to push your own beliefs on others.

If you think the f word is bad, then I think saying "God Damn It" is bad, so you can't say that. Or "Gosh Darn" because that is too much like "God Damn".

Seriously, people do not have a right not to be offended. And when an operator is basically saying they will do nothing and are going to continue to keep your stolen money, you have a right to be mad at that operator. If there is someone better to complain to(not just a voice mail for someone who won't return calls) then the operator can transfer you there. But if they are acting as the end of the line, they are the appropriate person to be mad at.

Cust serv reps only deserve the level of respect they give you in return. This rep was not performing their duty and was looking for a way to get out of it. And honestly if your 'virgin' ears can't take a swear word here and there you probably shouldn't be a phone rep in the first place as it's GOING TO HAPPEN.

And saying that 'any future communication must be performed by letter', yeah i'd probably bet if the issue were serious enough and got high enough on the totem pole both the rep and the mgr that approved such a silly thing might be looking for other jobs.

I worked at a seasonal shop in the summer that after the 4th they would have lots of people trying to charge back fireworks. For basically two weeks they had to sit in an office pulling out the requested receipts and faxing copies in order to keep the money. If they lost a receipt they lost the money.

In case any of you have never had any issues with customer service reps here is a little word of advise...one of the only times a rep will get "offended" by language is if they are dealing with a difficult issue they really don't want to handle. Most reps will fix your issue and get you off the phone regardless of language.

Oh yeah....anyone here really think a rep is going to 'get in trouble' for allowing the customer to speak they way they speak? The company provides you a service, in this case banking, NOT TEACHING GRAMMAR AND MORALLY ACCEPTED SPEECH!! I was a customer service rep for many years and not once did anyone ever get in 'trouble' for what language the CUSTOMER used.

I'm shocked by the responses to this post. Apparently, one instance of a swear word is enough to mean that the OP doesn't deserve to have her issue resolved. Suddenly she's "uncivilized" and "unprofessional" and the CSR is totally justified in not helping her anymore.

Obviously, swearing in a conversation with a CSR isn't a great strategy, and everyone should do their best to avoid it, something the OP clearly understood from her initial post. But using a single swear word isn't a reason why her bank shouldn't be trying to help her.

An aside: the use of "fuck" isn't proscribed in every single professional setting. Just the other day, I told a business person on the other side of a deal I'm working "that's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard," and he responded "I know, fucking ridiculous, right?" Again, I'm not condoning swearing at (or with) a CSR. I'm just saying that YMMV on whether the use of an obscenity renders the conversation "unprofessional" or not.

Krystal needs to do two things:
1. get in touch with whatever regulatory agency deals with the cabs in her area and document her complaint. Many times, a letter to them has more impact than a hundred calls to the company itself.

2. Escalate at the bank. I second the recommendation that she try to go in in person. If that's not possible, then she needs to get past the first tier customer service on the phone. She's beyond their help.

Second off, cash only has to be accepted for a debt.

I never realized so many people that read consumerist were so refined, they must be to make the comments that I am reading.

I finished the call and was given a pat on the back for keeping my focus, remaining calm with the borrower and sticking to the facts of the situation. People lose their cool, and I have heard worse things on the phone in my life. (Previously worked for a telemarketing firm and worked for Cingular in various capacities) @$#@% happens, and when a product or service you rely on fails, you are going to call that company for support. If they can't empathize with you and begin to actively assist you over the phone in the first five minutes - hang up and call again, speak with someone else.

3. Wamu reps apparently lying to me about what I would need to get my claim processed.

No, the CSR probably told you that you could go ahead and file the chargeback with what you had but did NOT specifically guarantee that it would be accepted - whether or not the bank ultimately accepts your evidence of fraud is an issue with the bank - not the CSR.

4. Chase waiting months (The incident happen April 8th) before deciding to recharge me.

Actually what probably happened is that the unsupported chargeback was probably placed on hiatus awaiting additional evidence from you. They probably sent a letter saying as much. When you failed to produce the evidence, your advanced refund was revoked, producing the recharge.

5. Not giving me any actual notification that the claim was denied. They just debited me.

Again, check for the letter. Its probably there.

6. Chase rep trying to be my mom.

With all due respect, you have no place using such language with someone who you are asking to help you... You can argue whether or not it should have produced this result but in this case it didn't help you at all, did it? Take that as a lesson and treat the people who you want to help you with a little respect. You're frustrated? Fine. There are many ways to express that. How about "I'm frustrated"... It would have gotten you much further.

@kduhtoe: This doesn't sound like it was near the level that you're talking about. As I mention in the comment above, there's a big difference between swearing AT a CSR and raising one's voice (which it doesn't seem happened), and saying in an offhand kind of way, "This is f**king ridiculous," in regard to the entire situation (which is what did happen). Not that it's okay, but it's not something I could see calling security over.

@Shadowman615: Yeah, this is definitely the distinction I make. She wasn't swearing at the rep, rather, making a comment on the situation. Also, it doesn't sound like she raised her voice. Makes a huge difference. Not saying that swearing is the best route to take, but I think people are blowing it out of proportion.

@JGKojak:

1. She wasn't "wrong" in a moral sense, she was however unwise, just as it wouldn't be "wrong" to leave your wallet on the bar while you go to the bathroom, but I wouldn't recommend it.

2. The use of abusive language isn't something the CSRs should have to put up with. The CSR would have been entirely justified in hanging up at that point.

3. Agreed that she deserves her money back.

@Adrienne Willis:

It's not an issue of being "sensitive," it's an issue of being civilized.

Please get off of your high horse.

Is everyone that sensitive that they cant handle the word "Fuck"? She wasnt cursing at the rep just at the situation. My fucking god people really need to lighten up.

So I think it's a question of reality. If somebody's genuinely physiologically incapable of controlling their language, that disability needs to be politely explained up front to the CSR; otherwise, a customer has the choice of saying "fuck" or continuing the conversation.

AFter searching around the car, he insisted that he should be paid. I agreed, only if I could have a receipt and his cab number, and let him know that I would be reporting the incident. After some back and forth, he relented and left. Now, It is possible that he dropped the money without either one of us knowing. Or he was just hoping I was drunk enough not to notice. But cash isn't always the answer either.

In that situation, demand a hand-written receipt. I'd insist that the cabbie include the amount of the charge, the mileage, date and time, his hack number, cab number, signature, etc.

Chances are that would be enough that he would mysteriously be able to get his printer to work again (if his original intention was to scam you), or at the very least the hand-written receipt should give you some grounds in challenging an overcharge.

It appears she wasn't having a business conversation, but talking to a revolving wall. When your job is to delay and stonewall until the customer gives up, then perhaps a few words of encouragement are needed, although not necessarily profane.

I have dealt with fraudulent charges (someone at a gas station I hadn't been to in months used my card info (I had the card on me) to charge like 20 or 30 bucks, which put me over my limit and resulted in overlimit fees - Chase credited me the charge but not the fee at first, until I called again and said the first person said I didn't have to pay the fee either [true] - anyway, I know what this crap is like). It's hard to get the bank on your side. It seems like Chase is siding with the cab company. At this point it would be sensible to ask for cab company for proof, and if they don't have it, credit the customer back. A $200 cab ride, while possible, is not common. Chase should give her the benefit of the doubt. Just because she lost her temper for a moment doesn't mean she loses her rights! If that were the case then none of us should ever expect anything. It happens!

@Zyzzyva100:

Had I been the CSR, I would have hung up at that point. Had I been his/her boss, I would have backed her up, and told the OP that any future communication with Chase will need to be by letter, and then tagged the account with that information.

@I speak Jive.:

She can't have paid with a credit card - if she had, how would there be an "overdraft fee." This was clearly a debit card purchase.

@jkinatl2: So her ONE curse word basically means she's in the wrong, and company is somehow in the right? What? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

Man, some people get so bent out of shape over WORDS.

Well, if she gets stonewalled much more, I would simply go to the respective Yellow Cab depot manager's office and Chase branch office and refuse to leave or move aside in line until she gets results.

If they won't help and keep "is there anything else I can help you with"ing her, just start shrieking with raising voice volume "WHY WON'T YOU DO YOUR JOB?" and demanding the branch manager NOW.

That and be threatening a law suit the less they cooperate.

If the police arrive, she says she is a victim of theft and fraud and wants the cabby or banker arrested.

There are ways to make your situation an emergency for people who refuse to do their jobs...get creative but stay civil and legal.

Anything else you want to blame her for?

Saying what year it is won't change anything.

Let's clear a few things up:
1) No, she was not WRONG to use a debit card. Why? Because the bank should be able to protect you from fraud no matter what. A debit card should be like using cash- by handing them the debit card I am giving them my $12 and for them to take ANY MORE would be the same as asking for change for a hundred and not receiving it- its FRAUD, plain and simple. Just because its a company (Yello Cab?) doing it still means it stealing.

2) She used 1 cuss word. A customer service rep should take a deep breath, and work to calm the customer down and help them- not leave them more exasperated. I understand if you cuss in person- you could be crazy/a threat- so call security. What's she going to do over the phone? Breathe too hard on you? Most "zero tolerance" policies are in place not due to safety but to exert power/control over someone- in this case the customer.

3) I would file a claim in small claims court, produce witnesses showing you getting in the cab or spending the evening 1.5 miles from your home, show the distance a $200 cab ride would have taken you -- obviously you didn't take a 50 mile cab ride that night.

I don't understand why your emotions have anything to do with it. Turn the little girl emotions off when you call customer service, be assertive and if the rep just doesn't get it, hang up and call again.

However when dealing with an English as a first language rep I find that I have things resolved much easier or escalated to to the right department. If I curse I always apologize and explain my frustration and that it is not geared towards them.

Now I don't know if this rep was non-english speaking or not, I am just speaking based upon my experiences with different types of customer service.

@Ilovegnomes: WAMU/Chase is THE WORST with undisputed charges. It took local police involvement to get them to refund incredibly shady charges done on my stolen credit card. The whole thing was a customer service clusterfuck. They even denied receiving my claim but luckily I heeded the warnings of Consumerist commenters and had the thing sent certified. I hate them. I can't close my card, but it will sit in my drawer until it rots.

So, OP, if you get to that point- make sure to send your claim certified!!

And others, if fraudulent activity occurs on your lost/stolen card- file a police report! Even if the police don't take action, it helps to have the incident documented by police if you need to make further claims or go to trial.

If I wanted to be nice, I would have called the Cab Company and offered to send them a check in the mail.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Yet another reason not to use debit cards.

Also, I went in to a branch - a large branch to boot; that may have helped.

The rep wasn't resolving any of her issues, just repeating that you need a receipt. She was pretty patient with him and just expressed her frustration. Even if she had been syrupy sweet he still would have not done anything for her. We have all been there where we deal with a rep that just cant step out of the script or just reasoning for the current situation.

The OP was wrong to use a debit card here. A credit card gives you protections debits cards do not and it's YOUR money in play during a dispute, not the bank's.

The OP was also WAY out of line to say "f*cking" during a professional phone call. While she may have been right to be annoyed, the moment she took the call to that level, she lost all respect of the CSR. She made a bad problem much worse.

I do have to say when I have rarely dealt with Chase on a CC dispute, they seem to make the customer have the full burden of proof to win, which is very unusual. I cancelled my only Chase CC when they made me go through 100 hoops for a simple $10 dispute.

Never be afraid to swear during a call like this. Don't be censored. Demand your right to free speech. Listen, if I had a dime for every time I dropped the f-bomb during a call with Comcast...I'd be a well-fed man (via the McDonalds dollar menu).

I made the mistake of cussing out a credit card rep. Now most of the time when I call, I get disconnected before I even get to a person. I end up having to call several times. Learning what I have from this site, I'm pretty sure the reps are doing it on purpose. Luckily, I canceled that account the other day anyway.

A good customer service rep should understand that the customer may be upset at their PERCEPTION that they have been "wronged" (whether they have or haven't) It is not as if the OP said, "F you, CSR". She said "This is f*cking ridiculous"

People lost their temper sometimes and it is the job of a good CSR to make sure that they are not angry when they hang up.

I don't think that people that work in customer service (not in store but on the phone) seem to lose all compassion and reasoning. If this person had listened to her situation which she explained clearly to him he would have understood the level of frustration she was dealing with. If it gets to the point where the person throws out a "fuck" then they need to step back and realize why they did it. Instead of reprimanding her, how about you show some empathy and see what you can do to help her the best way that you can.

You're right, Brady; Swearing is "fucking rad"! It's the salt and pepper of language.

That being said, swearing should be avoided when dealing with customer service or anything business related. Seriously, if you want your problems solved, you need to treat the rep with respect and kindness.

I recently had a fraudulent transaction appear on my ESL Federal Credit Union checking account. My wife was in England about 2 months ago and used her debit card over there (never again). A few days ago a $ 219.69 reservation charge appeared from Travelodge in Great Brittan.

I contacted Travelodge and they were no help at all because I did not have the city or area from which the reservation was made. I contacted ESL, filled out a fraud report and the amount was refunded to my checking account 10 days later.

I'd like to see Chase (and I mention them specifically because they suck) or any of these other shitty banks do that.

Kudos to ESL for ALWAYS being fair and going out of their way to help their customers.

Seriously. It's 2009. Get over it.

If you can't deal with mundane things like words, then do everyone a favor and die in a fire.

The reality is that people can use it as an excuse to either hang up on you, change the subject and/or piss you off, which works to their advantage.

Then again, it's totally a douche move.

That having been said, there's no reason why a grownup should simply shrug his/her shoulders, admit to being "foulmouthed," and expect a pass. Sorry. In a situation where so much out of of your control, the ONE thing in your control is your demeanor. And it can (often does) make or break a situation. I suspect that in this case it did not make.

Once you lose your temper, you lose all control over the conversation and the situation, and the victory goes to the company. Learning when to make (or not make, or disengage from) a phone call is imperitive when dealing with this sort of stuff.

She admits she shouldn't have sworn, but honestly, I know few people that wouldn't have LONG before that. And the CSR reprimanding her? Not cool at all.

By the way, language has gotten coarser over the years but "fuck" is still not part of a business conversation.

This situation is frustrating, but seriously people, you are only hurting yourself by being rude/swearing. If customers swear at me, I am told to tell them to call back when they can handle themselves in a professional manner. If you can't control your emotions, you are acting like a child. Calm down and chill out.

I know this doesn't help with the OP's problem, but this is the way to play the game from the consumer's standpoint.

I lost sympathy when I hit the f-word. Her not understanding that a telephone rep could consider this abusive is beyond me

So what if the OP takes another cab ride from the exact same distance and location, pays in cash to avoid another problem, asks for the receipt, fills in all the info, and re-creates the receipt to show Chase? Wouldn't that solve Chase's need for a receipt and kept them to put a hold on her account or something?

If another round between Yellow and Chase doesn't fix things (including the bank manager), I would contact the local Public Service Commission for the state that oversees the cab company.

Wait until the "Fraud Department" unexpectedly cancels your debit card because they finally get around to noticing that there was fraudulent activity reported 3 months ago...

They might even decide to freeze your assets pending a further investigation.