You want me to do what?

I have posted before about how employees act like you are asking for their first born child when you ask them to do work. But I have to continue on this topic because I still don't get it.

I am a customer service manager. You know, you call the 800# to ask a question, I manage the people who answer the phone. The last week will be the busiest week of the year given the industry we are in. We talked about how busy it would be for 6 months before it came. We set realistic expectations. We gave them no less then 15 hours of training to prepare, and these are some of the things I hear come out of their mouths:

1) Why do these idiots keep calling?
2) I can't take another call
3)I need a break! (this is 10 min after returning from a break)
4) That moron!
5) Jesus Christ! This idiot won't shut up!

Now these are some of the tamer things I have heard. You get the general theme though that the people aren't happy with the people they are talking to. Even though, we are paying them a hefty salary to talk to them (one of the top in the area)...paying for their benefits...providing them snacks and lunches daily. I won't even go into how many extra breaks I find people taking. I mean, who in this country gets 5 breaks a day...my employees seem to think they do. Or should I say, a small handful of them do. Not all...I shouldn't say that. But the loudest complainers about everything else do.

Now on the other hand, I have heard some doosies come out of customers mouths. We are a software company..keep this in mind when you read these:

1) Do I need a computer to use this?
2) Quit being a buthead (after not giving a credit for some thing he used)
3) Why can't you print these for me? (um, because the printer is on your end not ours)
4) Sir do you have your computer turned on? I have to have my computer on for this to work?
5) I bought this so my white trash babysitter could use it and it isn't working (no lie on this one)

I want to also say, out of a team of 11, I have 3 who are not what I would call professional. So it isn't everyone. The majority are good, hard working, caring individuals. But these 3 make my life a hell. Not only do they gripe after every call, they take 5-6 breaks a day, do crappy work overall, and bitch about everything from our dress code (we have none) to our attendance policy. Seriously if they put as much energy into their job as they do bitching they could be running the company. But instead they bitch about how they didn't get a promotion, how they got written up for calling in 4 times in a month...etc. Someday I hope to be able to turn these 3 bad seeds around...but for now, I just try to get through my day without wringing their neck.