Indian call-centre personnel at t-mobile.

[Incognito]

I'm sure NTL had a call center in Glasgow

Yeah, but Virgin bought NTL, not Sky.

[Spacecadet]

Funny that, Sky customer services have never been in Glasgow. BSkyB have a huge presence in Livingston though, but I think we get your point. How do you say 'Chump' in Gujarat?

I'm sure NTL had a call center in Glasgow

[Incognito]

I remember what it was like trying to talk to Sky customer services in Glasgow. It's much better now they've transferred it all to India; at least you can understand them.

Funny that, Sky customer services have never been in Glasgow. BSkyB have a huge presence in Livingston though, but I think we get your point. How do you say 'Chump' in Gujarat?

[VectraMan]

but my Scottish Drawl, the VOIP delay and her English as a Second Language did not equate to a good experience.

I remember what it was like trying to talk to Sky customer services in Glasgow. It's much better now they've transferred it all to India; at least you can understand them.

[NeverBeenNorthOfTheM25]

Recently dealt with Virgin Media’s Indian call centre. The guy insisted the internet issue was because my TCP/IP wasn’t working and I should phone the £1 per minute line. When I explained, politely, that I was an IT consultant and everything he said was rubbish, he hung up. I was furious and called back to speak to his manager. After explaining the call, his manager told me “what do you expect?” and then hung up...

(no offense)

[Tarquin Farquhar]

I had a godawful runaround for literally hours and hours with BT Yahoo in India. MY problem was finally sorted competently by one Vikram in Watford.

Genes didn't come into it. Quality of staff, and quality of service that they are employed to provide, is all there is to it.

You shouldn't even have to remark that it's not meant to be racist.

[Jeebo72]

Recently dealt with Virgin Media’s Indian call centre. The guy insisted the internet issue was because my TCP/IP wasn’t working and I should phone the £1 per minute line. When I explained, politely, that I was an IT consultant and everything he said was rubbish, he hung up. I was furious and called back to speak to his manager. After explaining the call, his manager told me “what do you expect?” and then hung up...

[Moscow Mule]

snip.

and snip.

Fair enough, you've had bad experience with em. I've had conversations with native English speakers sticking to a script and they are a nightmare.

[Incognito]

You'll get the same problem from anybody working from a point and click troubleshooter script.

It doesn't matter if they can speak English well or not...

Complete Tosh. I ended up just agreeing with a Virgin Media Indian worker the other day as I got fed up trying to explain my problem. Nothing against the worker, but my Scottish Drawl, the VOIP delay and her English as a Second Language did not equate to a good experience.

Using this an example, I had reason to chat with a gentleman of Asian stock from O2 (I'm assuming not many Anglo/Saxons call their offspring Mohammed) who was perfectly understandable because his Scottish drawl matched mine quite considerably and I could only assume he was from some part of Glasgow. Good customer experience.

[ChimpMaster]

You'll get the same problem from anybody working from a point and click troubleshooter script.

It doesn't matter if they can speak English well or not...

Actually I don't think that's so true. I've often found that call centre personnel abroad work tightly to a script a rarely divert from that script. If you have a real question or a slightly out of the ordinary request then that will throw them off track and you'll find yourself accomplishing nothing. Language can sometimes be a barrier, but it's more the way they're taught to a script rather than use their initiative.

That's my experience anyway.

[Moscow Mule]

Again , no racism here , trying to find out if I am the problem.

You'll get the same problem from anybody working from a point and click troubleshooter script.

It doesn't matter if they can speak English well or not...

[newblood]

Consider the average Indian call-center support worker at any of the corporations - T-mobile , etc/ whatever. The physical location of these guys is actually unknown and probably varies but consider your general feeling about past experiences of talking with these guys..

When you spoke to them did it feel like they did not understand what you were saying and you had to repeat and reexplain yourself, sometimes over and over ? Did it feel like they just need more time to get it ? Did it feel like you were making conclusions from what they were saying , when they were really explaining something different than the gist of what you asked ?

There are English natives in call-centre support roles I have spoken to in the US and in UK. Most of the times, I get a feeling that I am being understood and actually receiving help.

Again , no racism here , trying to find out if I am the problem.