I work at the wrong umbrella company

[JeffreyC]

But what could possibly be better than someone asking for the sixth time whether they're going to get paid?

[freelancerclive]

I agree that that guy sounds like a bit of a ****, but you have to admit most umbrella companies would decide not to call you even if it would help.

Why didn't you send him a hard copy in the post as well?

[The Undertaker]

Originally Posted by freelancerclive

I agree that that guy sounds like a bit of a ****, but you have to admit most umbrella companies would decide not to call you even if it would help.

Why didn't you send him a hard copy in the post as well?

My experience tells me there is a percentage of people out there (not contractors in particular just people in general) who will not follow the rules/guidelines in the use of whatever particular product/service they have purchased and when it inevitably goes wrong fail to recognise that there is any reason why they should admit they were in any way, shape or form responsible in some part.

The problem is as a service provider you can only go so far and those people who refuse to help themselves will ultimately become a liability in that the cost to offer them any form of service outweighs the return you get.

So what can you actually do - there will always be a drive to increase sales and no one is going to turn away customers. So what advice can we give the OP?

Well as long as the senior management team acknowledge that this type of customer exists and that they will complain regardless and that as long as the customer service agent can prove that the correct processes have been followed then you have nothing to worry about.

In fact these sort of interactions are one off the best ways to improve your service skills as it becomes a game of wits between you and the customer and the only way you can get a positive result is to ensure you win the respect of the customer.

IMHO!

[Pistachio]

My best advice to any umbrella companies that don't want difficult customers is: stop taking on contractors.

Lets face it, most of us are assholes.