Customer Service

This past week was one of the busiest tax weeks in the tax season.  So, our customer support department asked the analysts to chip in and help out with our email-support.  (People write in when they're having a hard time filing and customer support answers their questions.)

My work is typically all behind-the-scenes, so it was very...interesting...interacting with the customers.  Here are some thoughts.

1. When it comes to taxes, people PANIC.  AND THEY WRITE IN ALL CAPS.  AND THEY INCLUDE A TON OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Never have I seen such bad spelling. There are so many ways you can try to spell "bankruptcy" or "accepted" or even "taxes".

3. People assume they are talking to a computer.  Or a call center in India.  Or President Obama.

4. The people in America can be kind of dumb.  You'd be amazed to know how much people don't know about the money they pay to the government.  Why do we trust the American population to make any decisions?

All in all, I actually had a lot of fun answering support questions.  It was eye-opening and will help me do my regular job a lot better.  It's been a good week.