Unreasonable Customer or Just A Big Fat Liar?
By yuna15
@yuna15 (2706)
Philippines
November 21, 2008 9:39pm CST
Just got a call today from a business customer of the ISP (Internet Service Provider) I'm working for. The person is insisting that he never received the DSL Modem kit and that he wants the company to send him a new dsl modem kit. Check out this info from UPS:
Delivery Notification
Dear Customer,
This is in response to your request for delivery information concerning the shipment listed below.
Tracking Number: [removed for security purposes]
Service: 2ND DAY AIR
Weight: 3.00 Lbs
Shipped/Billed On: 11/03/2008
Delivered On: 11/05/2008 12:28 P.M.
Delivered To: CHICAGO , IL , US
Signed By: [confidential] -- the name written here is the last name of the person I'm referring to.
Location: RESIDENTIAL
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
UPS
Tracking results provided by UPS: 11/21/2008 8:44 P.M. ET
I told the guy to contact UPS and tell them what happened. He insisted that it's not the his problem anymore and that the company (ISP) should send him a new modem kit. I told him that it's obviously out of our hands but he doesn't even want to contact UPS and even threatened to cancel his dsl service. Later on, he asked for my supervisor, and of course my supervisor just told him the same thing. Much worse, he even asked for somebody higher to override the system so we could send him a new dsl modem kit 
. Even if he tries to talk to the highest authority here nobody can give him what he wants.
My supervisor has this crazy idea that he might have lost the dsl kit and just wants to fool us in sending him new equipment. He doesn't want to call UPS at all and wants us to call UPS for him 
. We just offered for him to call customer service and he was willing to do that and wait until Monday just to call them but is not willing to call UPS...weird right? Any of you guys know if UPS is open on weekends? If it is that will alleviate our suspicion.
What do you think of this guy? Is he just a big fat liar or just completely unreasonable? Share your thoughts my friends!
. Even if he tries to talk to the highest authority here nobody can give him what he wants.
My supervisor has this crazy idea that he might have lost the dsl kit and just wants to fool us in sending him new equipment. He doesn't want to call UPS at all and wants us to call UPS for him . We just offered for him to call customer service and he was willing to do that and wait until Monday just to call them but is not willing to call UPS...weird right? Any of you guys know if UPS is open on weekends? If it is that will alleviate our suspicion.
What do you think of this guy? Is he just a big fat liar or just completely unreasonable? Share your thoughts my friends!12 people like this
32 responses
@ratyz5 (7808)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
I have done plenty of complaints before though the complaints that I would raise would always be reasonable enough. Most often on internet connectivity issues and with the last complaint that I called for, I tried to refrain from making the operator stutter. I know that they are merely relaying my complaint after all but, I could admit before, due to such inconvenience that their services lack, I would go as far as criticize their services and would point out their automated responses and retorting back by saying, 'As if you are sorry for the inconvenience!' after already making a couple of calls with the same complaint. They record them anyway so whenever I get to make more than a couple of calls, and they'd inquire of the reason why I am calling I'd just say, 'The nature of this call would be the unresolved issue which I have tried to raise from the previous calls that I have already made to this customer service hotline..'
Anyway, that was before, I don't really complain much anymore with such sarcasm but, I still do make calls if I have reason to. I guess customers do complain, even to those that just relay their complain, to alleviate their frustrations. To actually complain to someone who in one or another is affiliated with the group which seems to be the cause of such inconvenience.
With the one you shared on your post, that customer is simply unreasonable. Whether that customer is lying or not lying with regards to not having received his DSL Modem kit, the customer's demand is really uncalled for. A weird one indeed with the way the customer relented when offered to call customer service. 
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
23 Nov 08
Well, I used to be a Legal Secretary and proof or a paper trail means everything to me.
I agree, it is not your dept. to handle such things. He has to sort it out with your customer service dept.
His original signature on the account with you should be compared with the one the UPS got on delivery. IF they even did. I know they don't always. If they do not match, UPS is responsible for not asking for ID as your company requires and your co. can fight that out with UPS. In the meantime, your co. would be smart to send him another modem asap, to make him happy or he will get the service from another co. and your co. will lose the contract with him. How can he possibly use your service without the modem? I'm sure your co. charged for the delivery through UPS in some way, so he rightfully believes that you are responsible for it's delivery. So he will not pay for it and your co. will have a legal battle on their hands as well as a disgruntled customer that will bad mouth you. He seems the type to do so, too. And if he really didn't receive the modem, he has good reason to be p1ssed off. I know I would.
His only fault is in waiting until the last minute to call and complain. He should have called long ago to make sure this problem was rectified in time for his Monday startup. For this fault on his part it is unlikely he will receive the 2nd modem in time, but with the customer disputing delivery, surely more care will be taken the 2nd time around by UPS. I, if I was your co. rep, would make UPS ensure SAME DAY RUSH DELIVERY TO HIM, for free, on Monday, as a part apology for their screw up.
However, if his UPS receipt signature matches your co.'s of him on file, then he is trying to scam you. But I seriously doubt it.
You should always assume that the customer is not lying unless you can prove otherwise. I understand that your dept. is not responsible for this particular dispute, and he should sort it out one way or another with the Customer Service Dept.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 Nov 08
sounds like to me he's trying to scam y'all. he makes no sense at all.
@MizzLadyB08 (1174)
• United States
22 Nov 08
I really do not know what to think of this guy but it do seems a little suspicious that he would want to have another one sent to him. With the UPS tracking system it lets you know when the package arrived and who signed for up, so if all of that information is available then something is up with this guy. If I was you i would look further into this.
3 people like this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
Our customer service will take care of that! I just wonder what customer service will tell them. Take note, this person is a new customer and he is so demanding. He hasn't proved anything yet with the ISP company. Usually customer service prioritizes old customers not the new ones but it's still possible that they will send him a new one we'll never know.
@burnek (101)
• Philippines
23 Nov 08
Yes you're right he must have lost the kit or something. I get into situations like that myself and I must give you credit for handling the situation pretty well. Anyway, thats part of the task you're given and be prepared to meet far more unreasonable people like that. If you could have it your way im sure you may want to snap back at the customer. But rules are rules, "The customer is always right". You did the right thing letting your supervisor handle the situation. Only advice I could give is always keep your cool and dont let it affect your performance at work. You don't need customers like that, He could change ISP any time for all I care!!! Sorry, I lost my cool that time. hehehe :)
3 people like this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
23 Nov 08
He could have sold it maybe? Or it got dropped or thrown and messed up? Things like that happen. If he had received it and it messed up or malfunctioned would you have replaced it then? Well I am hoping he gets things settled.
2 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
22 Nov 08
sounds like he is trying to get a new kit for nothing, it is out of the company's hands, and if he has a dispute it is with ups.
3 people like this
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
23 Nov 08
It is hard to say whether or not the customer is lying and at this time nobody can do anything until the informatiion is available from UPS. They will have a signature of the person who took delivery of the modem if it has in fact been delivered. That signature will prove one way or another whether the customer actually took delivery of the modem. Of course it could be that someone else signed for the modem and then your company will have to make a decision whether they are prepared to send the customer a new modem and sort the problem out with UPS.
The thing is that right now your company is not making any money out of the customer because he has no modem to access the internet. So really it is in the best interests of the company to ensure that the customner gets a modem as soon as possible. Even if the modem did arrive and was somehow damaged or is not working, then the company still makes no money from this customer who does not have a modem to get connected to the internet.
The customer might just feel that it is not his responsibility to contact UPS because he is getting the service from your company who were presumably the ones who chose to send the modem via UPS. At this time nobody can really say what has happened and the customer should be given the benefit of the dount until/unless it is proven that he is in the wrong in some way.
2 people like this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
25 Nov 08
The fact that he refused to call UPS for the mean time while he wait is being unreasonable assuming he's telling the truth about it.
But your right the company is not making money because he doesn't have the equipment that's why we gave him an option to call customer service and get a new modem.
@annjilena (5618)
• United States
22 Nov 08
ups is open in our state on saturday if he cant meet you half way something is wrong here.don,t sond right
2 people like this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
Oh no there is harm actually. The department I work for is technical support and unfortunately our phones does cannot dial toll-free numbers. That's why were asking him to call instead. It's not his fault or the company's fault but the UPS. So the only to find out and is for him to call instead.
As you may have noticed, he agreed to call customer service but no the UPS, weird right?
1 person likes this
@carinio98 (2929)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
mmm i think he wants 2 dsl kit... hehehehehehehehe..... to make 2 connection in one bill........
2 people like this
Only one modem can be used in one dsl number. Peace! 
@carinio98 (2929)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
hahahahaha thats why he complaints a lot coz he wanted to make 2 connections....
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
23 Nov 08
Your company should contact UPS yourselves. UPS has an actual (usually done on an electronic board) signature, which they should provide you with because of the delivery dispute. It is always possible that some one else signed for the item, and NOT the customer it was intended for. Compare this signature to what you have on file, to see if it matches. If it doesn NOT match, your manager can decide what the next step is. Has the customer been a good customer up to that point and worth keeping? If signature DOES match, this person may have lost or misplaced the delivery and is now trying to stick your company for the cost of his error. As long as you have proof of delivery (get the signature copy, not just the printout), your customer can repurchase his own modem.
Or, once shown proof of delivery, if your customer admits his error, your manager can decide whether or not to make any financial concessions for the sake of maintaining a business relationship.
2 people like this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
29 Nov 08
What I mean is the department he called was technical support and all other departments at the time he called was closed. That's why we had to advise him to call back on a working day. Which was during that time on a Monday. He was insisting for our dept to replace it which we cannot do.
Basically what we were trying to say is to meet us halfway. It's either he try to call UPS first so he wouldn't have to wait for two days or he just wait until Monday for him to call customer service and have them send the equipment he needs.
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
28 Nov 08
I can't believe that there is only one department in your entire company. Proof of delivery and customer satisfaction shouldn't even be in the tech support department, should it? Doesn't your company have shipping, customer service and collection departments? Having worked in sales and customer support for over 25 years, I maintain that it is the shippers' (your company, different department) responsibility to provide proof of delivery in a disputed case like this. Without that proof of delivery, there is nothing stopping your customer from not paying his bill, or if they've already paid, to take your company to court for non-delivery.
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6763)
• Defiance, Ohio
22 Nov 08
You know what if the guy is paying for a service he can't use and never recived the end product. It is up to whomever he has been providing to track the package he was suppose to recive. As whomever sent it is responsible to make sure the product gets delivered.
If you have gotten confirmation that the man has already recived the package. Thanyou need to tell him so and let him know you have his signature. That you give him a new product but it will cost him.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
22 Nov 08
If the UPS sheet shows his signature, then he did recieve it. He is probably trying to get something for free, so perhaps he can sell it and get some money off it, or get his DSL service for free, or something.
2 people like this
@anneshirley (1516)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
You have proof that he received the kit so there's nothing to argue here. This sounded like he's trying to scam you...
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
22 Nov 08
Hi yuna15,
I think this guy is having one over, I think he did recieved the kit but don't want to pay for it or get onother one so he won't have to pay for the orginal one, I think he will make such a fuss so he will get let off paying for it.
Tamara
2 people like this
@jaymezroolz (231)
• Philippines
22 Nov 08
Hi yuna. I feel for you. I've had the same experience as yours back when I was a call center agent. Yep, I'd say the guy's a liar. There are just those kind of people who think they can play things or people at the palm of their hands and fool them. This is one of the dilemmas a call center agent must face. Just be firm and stand your ground friend. If you're on the right side of things, then there's nothing to worry about. Happy myLotting.
