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I do call center work. I deal a lot with individuals from a wide swath of the country. Some things:
Most people take this virus seriously. That doesn't mean they're necessarily doing it right, but they aren't acting crazy.
Most people take this virus seriously. That doesn't mean they're necessarily doing it right, but they aren't acting crazy.
I added "stay safe" to my call closing back in April and have yet to receive any negative pushback on it and it is nearly always reciprocated and sometimes turns into a pleasant conversation on policy and human behavior.
Those calls can be tricky, because I have to remember that I'm representing my company, but the point is that small town, big city, North, South, 20s, 80s - most people I interact with do, in fact, give a shit.
And no, that's not enough, because it doesn't matter how much you care if your mask isn't covering your nose, but I know the news cycle focuses on the horrifying shit going on, and it can feel like you're the only one trying, but you're not. Not by a long shot.
The other thing I've learned (not just through this job, but through all my call center work) is that people really struggle with reading comprehension, legal language, and big concepts. The minute you start hitting them with technical language, they check out.
A lot of times, it's a confidence issue. They see the jargon or larger words and immediately write themselves off as stupid, and then end up hurting themselves because they were too afraid to face their fears. As a customer service rep, it's my job to help them navigate that.
That means removing all the jargon and reducing it to simple concepts. Sometimes it's meant asking my customers to draw an image so that they can better visualize what's happening and how to solve it.
Lots of baby steps to help build up their confidence and then you get to take some pride in watching them get it and start to anticipate issues they might have and ask the right questions.
All this to say that patience and empathy have been my greatest tools for helping educate people on complex things.
And I imagine that, as costly as patience and empathy can be, as deadly they can be, we still need them if we're going to help people navigate this pandemic, climate change, racism, etc.
.But you also have to know when and how to release a call. Some customers can't be helped the first time they call in.
