Ever wonder what call center agents are looking at while trying to help you? Our call center tipster explains that agents have only the tools they need to access your account, and nothing more.

There’s a manual that they follow, that tells them exactly what can and cannot be done in every case. They log into several programs when they come to work.

First, the program that sends them the calls. Then, there’s the work station program. Here is where they make notes, and open cases. If something needs to be done, like moving funds into the correct account, waiving a late fee, they just open a case and it’s done by the back office guys.

They also log into a program that pulls up scans of all of the customer’s documents and files (the number of customers who think they run out to a filing cabinet with the documents of several million customers is also hilarious) And if it’s something that needs approval, they can put the customer on hold and connect to a supervisor in the US (who are really just better paid agents with a touch more authority.)

No internet, no solitaire, no fun. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

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