FireFold blog

We hope you enjoyed our first Chronicles of the FireFold CSR blog post. If you are new to this concept then we would like to welcome you. This series highlights the colorful characters that make up FireFold’s customer base. These little anecdotes were written by our own CSRs for your amusement and our intentions are not to offend anyone. That is why the pictures in this post are of our own employees and not of actual customers. We hope you enjoy this edition of the Chronicles of the FireFold CSR as much as you did the last one!

“Two Suitcases and a Duffle Bag!”

Everyone occasionally dials a wrong number. It happens to the best of us. Generally, once hearing that you have the wrong number, most people will apologize and hang up. Or at the very least, just hang up. This was, however, not the case when I received an angry call from “Steve” not long after I began.

I answered the phone with a cheery “Thank you for calling FireFold, how may I help you today?”

No sooner were the words out of my mouth until Steve began a loud tirade, mixed with several colorful words. All I could make out were bits and pieces, something about how he “wanted his stuff” and it had been over a week since we lost it. From what little information I could make out, I thought that his package from us was possibly lost, or hadn’t been delivered on time.

I had to wait a moment for Steve to stop to take a breath so that I could get a word in edgewise. “I will be happy to assist you in locating your order, sir. Do you happen to have either your order number or your email address?”

All I got in reply was another full force tirade.

I eventually caught the sentence “You’ve had my luggage for over a week now!” When I managed to get another word in, I asked the customer what exactly it was that he was missing.

“Two suitcases and a duffle bag!” he proclaimed.

At this point I explained to him that he had called FireFold, an online retailer of computer networking and home theater equipment, not Houston Airport as he thought he did. After a slight pause he told me that he would check the number for the airport.

“If this is the right number, I’m calling back to speak to your supervisor!”

Needless to say, we never heard from Steve again.

The Colon Cleanser

As a CSR-in-training, one of the most challenging aspects of the job is learning to anticipate the possible issues that can arise for a customer. In this situation, I don’t think there was much that could have prepared our lucky CSR.

“Thank you for calling FireFold. How may I help you?”

“Yes. I am VERY angry”, a female voice snapped. “I canceled with you folks several months ago and you continue to charge my credit card every month. I canceled well within my 30 day trial period.”

“We’re charging your credit card? I don’t think that we have any subscription services, ma’am. Let me check on that for you.” At this point, a very confused CSR was desperately trying to figure out what subscription services we offered of which she was not aware.

“Well, obviously you do. My friend is having the same trouble, and she’s the one who suggested I try your product. We are both very dissatisfied and want these charges refunded immediately or we’re calling the Better Business Bureau.”

“Ma’am, are you sure that you have the right company? We are FireFold. We sell HDMI cables and networking supplies. We don’t have anything that would cause regularly occurring charges on your credit card.”

“I am positive! This is FireFold, and you keep sending me this stupid COLON CLEANSER that doesn’t work!”

“Colon cleanser?” the CSR laughed into the phone. There really was no way to control her amusement at this point. “Ma’am, we don’t sell a colon cleanser!” At this exclamation, a large group of FireFold employees began to assemble outside the CSR’s cubicle to find out what this call could possible be about.

The customer on the line continued to insist FireFold was sending her colon cleanser and charging her credit card monthly. A quick database search of the customer’s name turned up an order her husband had placed for some HDMI cables the month prior. The customer had seen the charge on her credit card statement and mixed up the two companies, assuming FireFold was the sneaky organization from which she had ordered her colon cleanser. We’re still not sure why the customer was not satisfied with her colon cleanser, because she had no problem unloading on us for about twenty minutes that day.