Why would an employee disconnect a call from a customer?

I called City Hall to complain about my utility bill. I admit I got pretty heated, but the employee hung up the phone! I got out of line, but still — is that any way to treat a customer?

Each day our mission is to provide excellent customer service focused on finding solutions guided by City policies.  However, providing good customer service does not mean listening to verbal abuse such as swearing, name-calling, shouting, or threats.

If a call spirals out of control, it’s unlikely that together we’ll be able to reach a successful resolution at that time. Our customer service staff have been trained in conflict resolution skills, but the employee is allowed to end the call courteously and ask you to call back when you’ve calmed down.

If you have a complaint about the customer service you received, it’s appropriate to contact the department director or City Manager to discuss it.