It seems like angry customers are more likely to yell at women who answer the phone

[Quixote1818]

then men who answer the phone. I have clients who are always totally nice to me when they have a problem but when they call our office they bitch out the women who answer the phone. This kind of thing happens all the time. It never fails! Even people I don't know treat the women differently than the men. Let me point out that all the women at our office are super sweet and good with people.

Anyone else notice this at your office?

[LostinVA]

1. Yup, especially when I worked retail

They did it in person, too.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. Not just in retail/customer service.

A few years ago, I was leaving the parking lot of a coffee shop.

I put my car in reverse and headed out, then saw in my rear view that a woman who had been idling in her car within the lot moved in and grabbed the spot I just left, which was the only one available.

Then another car entered the parking lot from the street, so of course, he didn't have rights to the spot, but what does he do?

He yells at the woman, "Hey, bitch, that's my spot!" in full view of what looked to be his wife and young daughter.

:mad:

[hlthe2b]

3. super sweet and good with people....

but is there a difference in approach or ABILITY to help? Typically, I find that women (and I am female) assume the first two to three levels of customer support. It becomes wearing after awhile, knowing that you've spent 30 minutes on hold, then another 20 minutes trying to get the first "nice" lady to understand the issue, before being bounced off to the next level. When that ends up being another "nice" lady, but who clearly has no authority to do much more, yet wants you to again start over in the 30 minute explanation process of the issue, it becomes increasingly frustrating. While not all companies remain so sexist in their customer support hiring and promotion, the fact is that many companies still have males in managerial (authoritative positions), while women fill the bulk of first line calls. The purpose of these front line staff is to deal with the uncomplicated calls that require virtually no training in many instances. So, for those of us who NEVER call unless it is complicated, this sort of sets us up for frustration and unfortunately, just hearing a female voice kind of conditions you that this is likely to be a long, drawn out experience before one can hope for resolution. Not fair, at all, but true.

This isn't to excuse rude behavior, by any means, yet I do think it explains why people may often unload with women that they perceive as being a barrier (or part of multiple barriers) to getting any kind of true resolution to their issue. :shrug:

Part of the solution could clearly be to provide additional training so that even the front line staff may be able to assume more authority to provide assistance to those who call. Most companies don't want to do so, however.

[Quixote1818]

7. These women are just as high up as I am

They are not secretary's they are office managers and they run our lab.

[hlthe2b]

8. To some segments of the public....

anyone less than members of certain professional classes (e.g., doctors, nurses, lawyers, dentists, veterinarians) or managerial "classes" (manager, director, senior--whatever, vice president, etc.) are automatically lumped as "clerical" or "receptionist" or "assistants." Because women still tend to hold these roles, their being as "high up" as you, the male, is not assumed.

It is shitty, but welcome to the world of women in the 21st century. We've got a long way to go, baby.

[China_cat]

4. It's because women are perceived as not having the power

to rectify any complaints. Getting palmed off on somebody who can't really help you tends to make everyone a bit defensive and bitchy. The perception may be wrong in most cases but, for all the strides women have made in the workplace, very few people automatically assume that a woman has the authority to make things happen.

I dealt with this a lot when I had my own business. Vendors would call and ask for 'the MAN who owns the business' when I'd inquire as to who was calling.

[hlthe2b]

6. You and I are on the same wavelength it seems... See above...

So, I tend to think that we are "on to something..." ;)

[pnwmom]

5. And when men call to complain about something they're taken more seriously.