Thread regarding Cigna layoffs

When I fantasize about quitting it’s all I can think about. It would feel so good to say fu-k you and shut my laptop off for good 🥰

Yes, but of course not exactly that way. I am customer facing but not customer service and have been here for a considerable amount of time. I often get a lot of customers who I suspect think I’m an uneducated low wage earner and feel they can treat me just however. I don’t put up with it. And if someone is rude to you, yells at you, cusses at you, I would urge you to respectfully push back. You can say FU without actually saying exactly that. I also get a ton of customers threatening to drop the plan if I don’t do something (that I literally cannot because it’s outside of the scope of my job) or if Cigna doesn’t do something that they want. I urge them to review all of the options because I “care about you, and think you need to do what is in your best interest.” They cut that nonsense really quick when they realize they aren’t going to get the emotional reaction they want from me. You literally make my job easier by going somewhere else and my pay does not diminish on whether someone changes plans or not (often they can’t anyway because the threats are not in an OEP).

There are some SOPs around foul language or there used to be. I have hung up on customers that were cursing at me and I gave them 2 warnings per SOP and then clicky click them. That was a while ago though when SOPs were still in Ren

Don’t you see what’s happening? The front line is just fending off the crowd of paying customers that want access to their medication and medical care but have to jump through hoops to get it. All so the company can make a profit for the executive team. You’re not provided the information you need to assist the customer because the company is hoping these customers get sick of trying to get care and they can keep all the money.

It’s one thing to sympathize with the plight of a customer, but it’s another thing to tolerate abuse. Tolerating abuse is unfortunately just part of the job.

We are told that unless the caller is using curse words or making threats, then we do not have the right to disconnect. Someone can be downright abusive without uttering a single curse word or threat. It’s not fair that we are forced to tolerate that. End of story. I do agree with others that you will do better in a non CC role.

The person who said “CC are sand bags for Band 3 management” oooffff, I felt that.

I still try to find compassion and patience. People don’t like being messed with their money, now add the fact some of these folks are sick and it doubles. You gotta find a way to find a way and do a good job.

It’s hard some days, but don’t take shhhhh personal.

That's entirely something I would do... and entirely why I made it a point to pick a career where I don't have to deal with the general public. Some people are just too thin-skinned for CS roles. You may be one of them.

i've been hung up on by Cigna customer service.

This is a two-edged sword, as it's clear the customer facing roles of ESI and Evernorth are the absolute bottom of the totem pole and filled with people who are either overqualified or people who have next to no qualifications at all (the latter evident as Band 1 CC has an astonishingly high turnover rate). CC isn't really given the resources to succeed besides being literal sandbags placed in front of the Band 3 folks and higher taking cover (not to criticize all Band 3 folks, it's just how it is). With all that being said you really shouldn't sit there as an advocate and say "I don't give a shiit about these people." Did the caller abuse and or threaten you? You absolutely report it and wow nobody deserves that sh-t but be mindful of some interactions. Especially patients who are on medication for severe depression.

You really should find another job.