Reply to: Just returning your call... to the UK

[lukemg]

Worked briefly on a contract at a call-centre for a big four bank (not answering the phones- thank god). They had a number of people over from an Indian firm who were the best they had and were to be trained up with a view to outsourcing the centre (of course they told the people over here it was an additional centre).
I have nothing at all against this or India etc but they were absolutely useless for the job required. They were bright enough, keen to work but they simply could not understand virtually every word spoken to them, let alone when accents are included.
Everyone in there knew it was going to be a disaster but the decision was made by the money men far up the chain.
I have been waiting for the in-sourcing to start in IT !

[threaded]

And IMHO does not equip them to deal with regional accents (I have one).

However, lack of geographical knowledge, and sticking to a script, is not unique to foreign support: I once had to call an ambulance from out in the Northern Highlands in Scotland. I got an operator in Preston. One of his questions, which he was quite a stickler for, was "what's the nearest large town". There wasn't one (that's why I was there) but he didn't seem to believe that. I surmised that the true answer, Bergen in Norway, was probably not what he was looking for either

Had that one when I saw an accident on the other side of the motorway at the junction of the M18 and M1. Ambulance operator didn't know where that was, or Doncaster, or Sheffield... Eventually gave them a serial number I could see on a lamp post. They really were fscking hopeless, and I am positive people have died because of such delays.

[expat]

While their accent might be passable, on the surface, their grasp of the English language is generally poor.

And IMHO does not equip them to deal with regional accents (I have one).

However, lack of geographical knowledge, and sticking to a script, is not unique to foreign support: I once had to call an ambulance from out in the Northern Highlands in Scotland. I got an operator in Preston. One of his questions, which he was quite a stickler for, was "what's the nearest large town". There wasn't one (that's why I was there) but he didn't seem to believe that. I surmised that the true answer, Bergen in Norway, was probably not what he was looking for either

[reformation]

This mobile company called me - 'Darren from Glasgow' read 'Sanjay from Bangalore' wanted to sell me air time - and they will send me a free phone.

I said "ok send it to number 11 Downing Street, Darren - nice one" (!!!)

He then asked me for my bank account number and I said I wanted to pay cash at his office - I didn't have a bank account.

Then the guy went like a mentalist indian and started f'ing and blinding - he said 'you f***ing guy'.

I said "stop it Darren, you're being rude"

Then some chump with a thick yorkshire accent came on the line and told me off for wasting their time !!!!!!!

Did he mention you kicked his dog?

[Fishface]

This mobile company called me - 'Darren from Glasgow' read 'Sanjay from Bangalore' wanted to sell me air time - and they will send me a free phone.

I said "ok send it to number 11 Downing Street, Darren - nice one" (!!!)

He then asked me for my bank account number and I said I wanted to pay cash at his office - I didn't have a bank account.

Then the guy went like a mentalist indian and started f'ing and blinding - he said 'you f***ing guy'.

I said "stop it Darren, you're being rude"

Then some chump with a thick yorkshire accent came on the line and told me off for wasting their time !!!!!!!

[DimPrawn]

Vote with your feet folks. There are plenty of UK companies using UK support and call-centre staff that are superb. For example Cater Allen Bank have the best call centre I have ever used.

Don't put up with shoddy Indian call centres!

[tim123]

never underestimate pikey xenophobia

I've spent hours on the phone to foreign call centers and never had a problem with either their english or their accent or their ability to understand me.

Aren't you lucky.

I for one find it bloody annoying when stating your address as being in a large town (e.g.) Leicester to get the response "how are you spelling that" (a real example even though I've changed the town).

And when I phoned up to get an insurance quote for a car that I was thinking of buying, all the girl at the other end could do was laugh at the idea that someone might want to buy insurance for a car that they didn't already own. I never did get a quote, their loss.

tim

[freakydancer]

I don't trust them Johnny Foreigners.

[Moose423956]

When offshore call centres were first being used, and before we signed up to the Telephone Preference Service, we used to get lots of cold calls from people with obviously Indian accents, but using British sounding names like Derek, Angela, etc.

I swear, one day I got a phone call from one of them, and he said his name was Morgan McKenna.

[bogeyman]

never underestimate pikey xenophobia

I've spent hours on the phone to foreign call centers and never had a problem with either their english or their accent or their ability to understand me.

I am neither a 'pikey' nor a xenophobe but have had plenty of problems with offshored call centers.

While their accent might be passable, on the surface, their grasp of the English language is generally poor. They are taught to follow a script (with conditionals, like a flowchart) and cannot deviate from it.

If your problem doesn't fit the predetermined path then forget it!

[foritisme]

i used to have tiscali as my broadband supplier - had connection problems and had to go through their indian call center to resolve it. Spent over an hour on the phone going through all the possible causes at my end without a hitch.

Yeah they work from a script, most call centers do no matter where they're based (UK or abroad) its a lot cheaper to employ an untrained monkey to go through a script than to employ someone with technical knowledge. I've had to use UK call centers to get server support, again that was scripted, no willingness to deviate.

I'm also a tiscal broadband user and found them absolutely useless when I had an email problem. These were the steps they suggested to solve the problem

1. Check outlook settings (fair enough, even I told them nothing had changed
2. Reinstall Outlook !!
3. Contact Microsoft so they could solve problem with outlook !!!!!


The problem was that they were upgrading their email servers - I found this out from an English call centre who dealt with people who wanted to disconnect.

[HankWangford]

i used to have tiscali as my broadband supplier - had connection problems and had to go through their indian call center to resolve it. Spent over an hour on the phone going through all the possible causes at my end without a hitch.

Yeah they work from a script, most call centers do no matter where they're based (UK or abroad) its a lot cheaper to employ an untrained monkey to go through a script than to employ someone with technical knowledge. I've had to use UK call centers to get server support, again that was scripted, no willingness to deviate.

It was always a non starter for me, as soon as they answer the call and fekin lie about themselves being called tommy.

[scooterscot]

It went wrong when the directors put shareholders before customers. They were then followed by directors who could not think for themselves like sheep, baaaa, now they are all paying the price for not thinking for themselves.

Customers, such an undervalued stakeholders in business these – they’ll learn the hard way.

It’s a local problem requiring a local solution you IT people want to control the world with script!!

[Spacecadet]

i used to have tiscali as my broadband supplier - had connection problems and had to go through their indian call center to resolve it. Spent over an hour on the phone going through all the possible causes at my end without a hitch.

Yeah they work from a script, most call centers do no matter where they're based (UK or abroad) its a lot cheaper to employ an untrained monkey to go through a script than to employ someone with technical knowledge. I've had to use UK call centers to get server support, again that was scripted, no willingness to deviate.

[reformation]

never underestimate pikey xenophobia

I've spent hours on the phone to foreign call centers and never had a problem with either their english or their accent or their ability to understand me.

You're either a fibber or you dont ring them as often as I do. They are appauling and i find communication an issue as well as their ability to deal with a problem effectively due to the fact they're 5000 miles away from the problems source. They have a script and if you deviate from it they're f*cked, it's not being racist it's just the fact English isnt their first language. Theres loads of outsourcing to Bratislava and it's the same problem there, showers of sh*t the lot of them.