Taking Stock Read Free Page A

at BFS. I understand you’re concerned about a recent transaction. I want you to know I’ll do everything I can to help.”
“I’ll believe that when I’ve got my money back.”
“Before we get to that, please help me understand something ? ”
“Why not ? ” he scoffed.
“Our records show that you spoke to one of our brokers on December twenty-eighth at three forty-five p.m . Marissa tells me we’ve got it wrong. Can you tell me how you know ? ”
“I told your girl already. I have my phone bill in my hand. I called you at two o’ seven and believe me I wasn’t on the phone with you until three forty-five . The call lasted six minutes and change.”
“My apologies if we’ve made a mistake, Mr. Johnson. Would you mind faxing that bill to me ? That would help speed this along.”
With a few well-chosen words, Gregg turned the hostile maniac into a rational customer that was still displeased, but cooperative. The man that drove Marissa out of her cubicle on the edge of tears was no challenge whatsoever for Gregg. He instructed Mr. Johnson to fax in the phone bill and he did as asked. As they waited, Gregg printed a few pages of the Johnsons’ account information and signaled Marissa to fetch them. By the time she returned, Gregg had logged their call into the system and was out of the chair waiting for her.
He motioned her to sit.
“Sorry you got such a difficult problem for your first solo call.”
The problem hadn’t seemed difficult for Gregg.
“Don’t worry about it. You can’t fix every problem on your own. Even experienced CSRs need help sometimes. That’s why I’m here. You did exactly the right thing.”
“Didn’t seem that way,” she sniffed.
“Trust me. You won’t get many of those. Remember you can’t win an argument. Just offer to help. Be positive and stick to the facts.”
“Easy for you.”
“Believe me it wasn’t at first.” Gregg’s attention swung across the room. “Listen, I’m going to go chat with someone from IT about this. Stay off the phone for a while. Go get a coffee. When I get back, we’ll listen to the tape and talk about what happened.
“You’re going to do fine. Don’t worry.”
Gregg smiled and zigzagged off through the cubicles.

Chapter Four
     
    Halfway across the call center Gregg stepped into the most popular work area at BFS. Bob Hicks managed this group from a cubicle just spitting distance from the corner office. On paper Gregg and Bob were peers, but Bob had relationships with the executive team that Gregg might never achieve. His location between the coffee station, the printer station, and mahogany row may have gained him his popularity, or else it was his penchant for hiring women with looks that drew a flood of male loiterers to his area. These stunning employees garnered more rapid salary increases than any team on the floor. Gregg’s team consistently scored the best customer satisfaction ratings in the department yet their salaries lagged behind Bob’s employees. If the customers had met Bob’s team in person, the satisfaction numbers would have been closer, too.
    Gregg closed in on Brad Foster, vice president of information technology, who also happened to be the CEO’s brother-in-law and Bob’s inspiration to work his way into senior management. Brad was never too busy to trot down to the nineteenth floor if someone on Bob’s staff needed help, but when Gregg had a problem, his repeated calls went unanswered. If not for Gregg’s relationship with Eric a Fletcher, Brad’s ace technologist, he’d be sunk.
    Brad leaned over the printer station wall, engaged in an intimate conversation with a new blonde that Bob had undoubtedly prepped for his arrival. She was enthralled by whatever Brad was saying, thrilled to be talking to a vice president on her first day. She’d be having dinner with him by midweek.
    Brad was telling the woman how critical the relationship between systems and service was and why he spent so much time down here