More likely than not, you are checking RipOff.com because you are seeking an at-home position and wanted to learn more about this company before proceeding. The information shared here may or may not affect your decision, and if you do decide to choose this company, at least you will not be blindsided if the unthinkable occurs. Some people have great experiences with this company, while others are plunged headlong into nightmares. I faced homelessness, as well as hunger.
I was hired as, what they dub, a Customer Care Professional for one of their numerous clients, California Pizza Kitchen. Erroneously, I assumed it would be fairly simple, considering I had worked in customer service for several years. My motto was [and still is] that when one is a customer service representative, s/he works for the customer/guest but at the particular location, i.e., place of employment. Customers always come first, and when they are happy, my employer reaps the rewards. So, I excelled, and made it a point to do so, even going above and beyond for customers/guests.
Aging is taking its toll, so given the opportunity to work from home was great, or so I thought. I did need to purchase a new computer, headset, and telephone, and with other necessities such as a comfortable desk chair and foot rest, so I dug into my extremely limited savings and invested over $1,000. This was a serious endeavor, one I did not take lightly.
The online audiovisual interactive training was brief, a couple of weeks or so, with a site visit to our nearest California Pizza Kitchen to become familiar with a restaurant's operations, but most important, the food.
DECEMBER 26, 2013
The Christmas season was a busy time for California Pizza Kitchen, and we were also bracing ourselves for an even busier New Year's day and weekend. Although I assumed there would be the normal irritated/rude customers once in a while, I was totally unprepared for what happened the day after Christmas. We had our share of some incredibly rude people but most were understandably irritated because each time they placed an order, our job was to try to get up-sales. (Heck, I would be irritated, too.) But each and every call was monitored by Sykes, and we were graded on them. Some customers understood, while others made it clear how annoyed they were. Also, I made very attempt to be sensitive to a customer's need for speed, which was mostly during the lunch hour in their respective time zones.
But one called with the intent purpose of viciously attacking the customer service rep he reached. Unfortunately, I was his target.
The call was for one of their CPK's Beverly Hills' locations in California, of course.
He started attacking as soon as he heard my voice, yelling at me not to ask him this or that, and complaining about our order process, so I knew this encounter was definitely premeditated. He began spewing a rapid-fire multi-item order, knowing there was no way anyone could remember all the items he requested. He let up only once after growling at me to ask, "Did you get everything?" or something to that effect. I told him I did not because I heard a child crying in the background, so he seemed to garner some common sense, and repeated his order a tad--just a tad--slower, which actually gave me time to make certain his order was complete. (I felt so sorry for the child and his wife, imagining the abuse they must suffer.) Then, he resumed the bullying, which felt like an eternity, as I struggled to maintain my composure. I truly wanted to disconnect the call as soon as he started in on me, and then several times during the call, but we were not instructed on how to deal with bullies. So, my predominating thought was to get the order, and get it correctly. GET THE ORDER!
I was falling apart, and my heart felt as if it would beat its last. Every nerve in my body felt as if they were about to burst, but I held on. Why? It was my job on the line. There was even a moment when I imagined that the attack was a test to learn how one of us would handle/manage such insane exaggerated abuse, because all calls were recorded; and sometimes monitored by a supervisor or manager, or even California Pizza Kitchen. Part of me found it incredulous that anyone in their right mind would call to order food and be so malicious. By the end of the call, I was trembling and fighting to keep from screaming, but before I could disconnect totally as not to receive another call, one shot through. I was trembling and some odd nerve condition in my feet was triggered and going nuts, but thankfully the caller was a soft-spoken young woman who noticed I was upset, and was very understanding, very kind. I thanked her with all that was in me.
I signed off the phones and the screaming and crying started, and I did not care if neighboring apartment dwellers heard me. I am not one to cry often, believing that crying is useless and changes nothing, but the attack brought up feelings and memories, and years of tears I had withheld, even some connected to the grief after my son (my only child) was killed in 2006. My tears and distorted face scared me then, just as the tears and screaming after this battering were frightening. I spoke with my team leader/supervisor, Marlene, to let her know what happened, desperately hoping she or someone had been listening to the call. She told me to sign off and get some rest, and that she would listen to the recording once it was made available a short time later.
Rest was impossible.
The crying and inner screams would not stop.
My body was erupting, becoming just a mass of shattered nerves. My mind wanted an escape route, quick and easy, and because I do not drink, indulge in any type of substance stupidity, and with no one around or nearby to offer comfort, suicidal thoughts began to invade to make the pain stop.
Still shaking and crying, I called her (Marlene) and it was during that call that she let me know she had listened to the encounter. She expressed total disbelief, and what I recall most is her assessment of this customer… evil, pure evil. It was so incredible, so shocking, that she had another staff member, my trainer (Cassandra), listen to the recording to confirm she was hearing correctly. Their conclusions were reassuring. I was not delusional. (I didn't think so, being a very logical-thinking person, but sometimes we need to hear it from others.)
Alpine Access Reviews
More likely than not, you are checking RipOff.com because you are seeking an at-home position and wanted to learn more about this company before proceeding. The information shared here may or may not affect your decision, and if you do decide to choose this company, at least you will not be blindsided if the unthinkable occurs. Some people have great experiences with this company, while others are plunged headlong into nightmares. I faced homelessness, as well as hunger.
I was hired as, what they dub, a Customer Care Professional for one of their numerous clients, California Pizza Kitchen. Erroneously, I assumed it would be fairly simple, considering I had worked in customer service for several years. My motto was [and still is] that when one is a customer service representative, s/he works for the customer/guest but at the particular location, i.e., place of employment. Customers always come first, and when they are happy, my employer reaps the rewards. So, I excelled, and made it a point to do so, even going above and beyond for customers/guests.
Aging is taking its toll, so given the opportunity to work from home was great, or so I thought. I did need to purchase a new computer, headset, and telephone, and with other necessities such as a comfortable desk chair and foot rest, so I dug into my extremely limited savings and invested over $1,000. This was a serious endeavor, one I did not take lightly.
The online audiovisual interactive training was brief, a couple of weeks or so, with a site visit to our nearest California Pizza Kitchen to become familiar with a restaurant's operations, but most important, the food.
DECEMBER 26, 2013
The Christmas season was a busy time for California Pizza Kitchen, and we were also bracing ourselves for an even busier New Year's day and weekend. Although I assumed there would be the normal irritated/rude customers once in a while, I was totally unprepared for what happened the day after Christmas. We had our share of some incredibly rude people but most were understandably irritated because each time they placed an order, our job was to try to get up-sales. (Heck, I would be irritated, too.) But each and every call was monitored by Sykes, and we were graded on them. Some customers understood, while others made it clear how annoyed they were. Also, I made very attempt to be sensitive to a customer's need for speed, which was mostly during the lunch hour in their respective time zones.
But one called with the intent purpose of viciously attacking the customer service rep he reached. Unfortunately, I was his target.
The call was for one of their CPK's Beverly Hills' locations in California, of course.
He started attacking as soon as he heard my voice, yelling at me not to ask him this or that, and complaining about our order process, so I knew this encounter was definitely premeditated. He began spewing a rapid-fire multi-item order, knowing there was no way anyone could remember all the items he requested. He let up only once after growling at me to ask, "Did you get everything?" or something to that effect. I told him I did not because I heard a child crying in the background, so he seemed to garner some common sense, and repeated his order a tad--just a tad--slower, which actually gave me time to make certain his order was complete. (I felt so sorry for the child and his wife, imagining the abuse they must suffer.) Then, he resumed the bullying, which felt like an eternity, as I struggled to maintain my composure. I truly wanted to disconnect the call as soon as he started in on me, and then several times during the call, but we were not instructed on how to deal with bullies. So, my predominating thought was to get the order, and get it correctly. GET THE ORDER!
I was falling apart, and my heart felt as if it would beat its last. Every nerve in my body felt as if they were about to burst, but I held on. Why? It was my job on the line. There was even a moment when I imagined that the attack was a test to learn how one of us would handle/manage such insane exaggerated abuse, because all calls were recorded; and sometimes monitored by a supervisor or manager, or even California Pizza Kitchen. Part of me found it incredulous that anyone in their right mind would call to order food and be so malicious. By the end of the call, I was trembling and fighting to keep from screaming, but before I could disconnect totally as not to receive another call, one shot through. I was trembling and some odd nerve condition in my feet was triggered and going nuts, but thankfully the caller was a soft-spoken young woman who noticed I was upset, and was very understanding, very kind. I thanked her with all that was in me.
I signed off the phones and the screaming and crying started, and I did not care if neighboring apartment dwellers heard me. I am not one to cry often, believing that crying is useless and changes nothing, but the attack brought up feelings and memories, and years of tears I had withheld, even some connected to the grief after my son (my only child) was killed in 2006. My tears and distorted face scared me then, just as the tears and screaming after this battering were frightening. I spoke with my team leader/supervisor, Marlene, to let her know what happened, desperately hoping she or someone had been listening to the call. She told me to sign off and get some rest, and that she would listen to the recording once it was made available a short time later.
Rest was impossible.
The crying and inner screams would not stop.
My body was erupting, becoming just a mass of shattered nerves. My mind wanted an escape route, quick and easy, and because I do not drink, indulge in any type of substance stupidity, and with no one around or nearby to offer comfort, suicidal thoughts began to invade to make the pain stop.
Still shaking and crying, I called her (Marlene) and it was during that call that she let me know she had listened to the encounter. She expressed total disbelief, and what I recall most is her assessment of this customer… evil, pure evil. It was so incredible, so shocking, that she had another staff member, my trainer (Cassandra), listen to the recording to confirm she was hearing correctly. Their conclusions were reassuring. I was not delusional. (I didn't think so, being a very logical-thinking person, but sometimes we need to hear it from others.)