Disciplinary meeting

LegacyUser

Currently working from home and I had a really irate customer experience. I suppose I was the unlucky one who picked up that call. I tried to deal with this person as best I could but was being verbally abused so i disconnected the call. I was shaking and really upset so I sent a quick email summary to my line manager regarding the call.
The next day I get a call from this manager saying a complaint has been made and the customer is very upset. I was advised to take the day off and they'll follow up with me the next day.
Next day came again still very upset get a call to take day off again and send a statement of what happened on the phone to the customer, which I did fairly and truthfully.
So Monday a new week get a what's app from my line manager saying welcome back. No update on the situation no feedback etc Until yesterday I get a text from my md saying he's sending me an email inviting me to a disciplinary meeting Wed through zoom. I received the letter and a few texts from my manager asking me to Relax that he has to do this and that I won't be sacked prior to even this meeting happening.
My head is all over the place as it is and this whole experience has caused me great anxiety in this already strange situation
Can anyone offer me any advice on this
BTW I must say that they have used the term gross misconduct, over a customer complaint I'd imagine that's only if the situation is serious like theft fraud.
I've worked there 2 years and I've gone out of my way so many times for this company. I've also received many compliments from customer and colleagues. I'm very well liked
Honestly this whole experience has shattered my trust in the company and I just don't see them in the same light any more

dreamers75

He is inviting you to a disciplinary or investigation meeting? This is key.

If its disciplinary they have already decided your fate and are not giving you fair procedure.

if its investigation that "could" lead to discplinary is best practice and currently how these things should go.When you receive the email or letter it should be 24 hours in advance of the meeting and you should be afforded a witness.

Does your company have a policy on disiplinarys? have you access to it? it should accompany the email/letter you receive.

LegacyUser

dreamers75 wrote: »

He is inviting you to a disciplinary or investigation meeting? This is key.

If its disciplinary they have already decided your fate and are not giving you fair procedure.

if its investigation that "could" lead to discplinary is best practice and currently how these things should go.When you receive the email or letter it should be 24 hours in advance of the meeting and you should be afforded a witness.

Does your company have a policy on disiplinarys? have you access to it? it should accompany the email/letter you receive.

They have already conducted the investigation and its a disciplinary meeting.

I still have received no documentation from them regarding what will be discussed

I intend to bring a hr friend to the meeting as my witness

Any advice I've received so far is that it has been unfairly handled

antix80

Sounds like a lack of resilience

Maybe anxiety due to the current crisis?

I'd be concerned you let things escalate until you were "shaking" and then interacted in such a way that your manager had to ask you to take time off..

2 years is not a lot of time in one job .. It's beyond the honeymoon period, sure, maybe then take on some new responsibilities. But for a customer to rattle you on a regular query that leaves you a shaking mess... What's going on with you?

saabsaab

I wouldn't really worry from what you said. They probably need to do this when an official complaint is made. If you can have a representative from your union or whatever is in their place on your side to bring to the meeting.

mojesius

Do your company record calls? If the customer was verbally abusive, this would be proof. In my company they actually place temporary bans on abusive customers as safety of staff on support lines is just as important as customer sentiment. I'd be surprised if they don't record calls.

Any decent manager should be willing to go through the call with you step by step and give you pointed feedback. I think it's very harsh that they took you off work. I'd definitely be bringing a 3rd party to the meeting and taking notes. Also, have your side of the story fully prepared as well as evidence of solid performance with your other customers.

Edit: Also find it a very odd practice that they made you write to the customer afterwards. Usually, managers/supervisors would take that on!

3DataModem

Anxsf38 wrote: »

I received the letter and a few texts from my manager asking me to Relax that he has to do this and that I won't be sacked prior to even this meeting happening.

Keep those texts, no matter what.

the_syco

Ask to listen to the call. If they say that they don't have a recording, query why they are taking the customers word over yours.

Wiggles88

So how did the meeting go?

PieOhMy

3DataModem wrote: »

Keep those texts, no matter what.

Screenshot them too.

WashYourHands

antix80 wrote: »

Sounds like a lack of resilience

Maybe anxiety due to the current crisis?

I'd be concerned you let things escalate until you were "shaking" and then interacted in such a way that your manager had to ask you to take time off..

2 years is not a lot of time in one job .. It's beyond the honeymoon period, sure, maybe then take on some new responsibilities. But for a customer to rattle you on a regular query that leaves you a shaking mess... What's going on with you?

Eh.. we're in a global pandemic! What an unthoughtful reply


OP looks like you have to trust your manager. He says you're not getting sacked so just follow the procedures and give them the impression you've learned from it

Strumms

A good thing going forward, clarify, or re-clarify with your employer the procedure for handling calls where the customer/client becomes verbally abusive.

When I did a similar job the employer was very clear... you on the first occasion where the customer becomes abusive, advise them that you are here to assist them but if they persist in being abusive that you will be forced to terminate the call. If the behavior persists termination of the call is appropriate... usually they’d call back, either taking the hint and copping on maybe with an apology, or more irate, when you could just terminate the call without warning, repeatedly if necessary.

Before doing any of that get clarification from your own management.

OP, got a call with features like yours 14 years ago - I too was accused of "gross misconduct" I survived but lost my bonus for that year and also any salary increase. Yes the caller won. I changed to a different job 2 years later. Good luck in any case.