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When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANGUP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 27th, 2004, 09:37 PM
Chip
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANGUP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

wrote:

irrelevant stuff

Wrong newsgroup. F/Us set.
  #2  
Old March 28th, 2004, 12:16 AM
justme
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi


"Chip" wrote in message
...
wrote:

irrelevant stuff

Wrong newsgroup. F/Us set.

no its not the wrong newsgroup...Chip is just letting Asia know that
America is fed up with this **** happening everytime we get a phone call..


  #3  
Old March 28th, 2004, 12:48 AM
Miguel Cruz
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

justme wrote:
"Chip" wrote:
Wrong newsgroup. F/Us set.


no its not the wrong newsgroup...Chip is just letting Asia know that
America is fed up with this **** happening everytime we get a phone call..


All the Indian call center people I've talked to have been friendly and
helpful.

Almost nobody in this country wants the job anyway.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
  #4  
Old March 28th, 2004, 01:29 AM
John L
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

Maybe that says more about the pathetic wages & conditions being
offered by these large corporations.

I realise the original posting was talking about the US, but the same
thing applies in Australia & the common denominator is that this
outsourcing is being done by the greediest & most socially immoral
entities (Banks, telco's etc.)

John L.

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:48:55 GMT, Miguel Cruz wrote:

All the Indian call center people I've talked to have been friendly and
helpful.

Almost nobody in this country wants the job anyway.

miguel


  #5  
Old March 28th, 2004, 03:20 AM
Spehro Pefhany
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:48:55 GMT, the renowned Miguel Cruz
wrote:

justme wrote:
"Chip" wrote:
Wrong newsgroup. F/Us set.


no its not the wrong newsgroup...Chip is just letting Asia know that
America is fed up with this **** happening everytime we get a phone call..


All the Indian call center people I've talked to have been friendly and
helpful.

Almost nobody in this country wants the job anyway.
miguel


I talked to a gal around midnight one night from a big US company. She
had no discernable accent. I asked where she was - Philippines! Very
helpful, and competent. I have found some US accents much more
difficult and much, much farther from standard English.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com
  #6  
Old March 28th, 2004, 04:20 AM
Michael Kilpatrick
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

A friend of mine (Australian) lost her credit card while travelling in
Thailand.
She rang the emergency number (it was one of the major credit cards) and got
to an operator in the US who had apparently never heard of Thailand.
After 10 minutes of "I'm sorry ma'am I can't help you unless you tell me
what state you're calling from" she demanded to speak to the supervisor, who
eventually cancelled the card and arranged a replacement.
These things are not predictable.


  #7  
Old March 28th, 2004, 08:42 AM
Peter Webb
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi


"John L" wrote in message
...
Maybe that says more about the pathetic wages & conditions being
offered by these large corporations.

I realise the original posting was talking about the US, but the same
thing applies in Australia & the common denominator is that this
outsourcing is being done by the greediest & most socially immoral
entities (Banks, telco's etc.)

John L.


What crap.

The Banks and Telcos are almost the LAST organisations to outsource
off-shore. Most of Australia's secondary industries (manufacturing etc)
outsourced off-shore years ago. For example, almost all textiles and
footwear companies did this in the 80s or earlier. Banks and telcos are
simply following this trend, much later than many other industries, and
certainly not leading it. Or would you call clothing manufacturers "the
greediest and most socially immoral entities".



  #8  
Old March 28th, 2004, 10:05 AM
Elaine
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

"Peter Webb" wrote in message
...


The Banks and Telcos are almost the LAST organisations to outsource
off-shore. Most of Australia's secondary industries (manufacturing etc)
outsourced off-shore years ago. For example, almost all textiles and
footwear companies did this in the 80s or earlier. Banks and telcos are
simply following this trend, much later than many other industries, and
certainly not leading it. Or would you call clothing manufacturers "the
greediest and most socially immoral entities".


Whilst I agree in broad terms with what you're saying about outsourcing as a
general trend, the original post was about customer service call centres
and, whilst the location of the factory or language of the workers isn't
usually going to make any difference to the quality of the shirt or shoes
you buy, it can certainly have an effect on the quality of customer service
you receive.

For example, I was recently trying to calculate the annual water consumption
of one of my clients, so I phoned the water supplier to get some old meter
readings (something I do on a regular basis). The client was a small
private school, which I'll call St Sharon's School, situated in a well-known
English town, which I'll call Manchester. The conversation went something
like this:

Customer Service Person: Welcome to useful utilities, can I take your
account number please.
Me: Yes it's - - - - - -
CSP: And the name on the account?
Me: St Sharon's School, Manchester.
CSP: And your name please?
Me: Elaine.
CSP: Thank you Mrs Elaine, is Mr Banshter there please?
Me: Sorry, who is Mr Banshter?
CSP: I thought you said that the account was for someone called Banshter.
Me (realising she has misheard and trying to speak more slowly and clearly):
Oh, no it's St Sharon's School, Manchester.
CSP: Sorry, I misheard. Is Mr Manchester there please?
Me (now speaking even more slowly and becoming slightly louder): No, the
account is for St Sharon's *School*, *in* Manchester.
CSP: I'm sorry Mrs Elaine, I can only give details of accounts to the
person whose name the account is in. Could you ask Mr School to call back
please.

At which point I put the phone down in frustration.

The politics and finances of this trend are a whole different issue, I would
just like to be able to speak to someone who can understand what I'm saying.

Elaine




  #9  
Old March 28th, 2004, 11:56 AM
Peter Webb
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Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi


"Elaine" wrote in message
...
"Peter Webb" wrote in message
...


The Banks and Telcos are almost the LAST organisations to outsource
off-shore. Most of Australia's secondary industries (manufacturing etc)
outsourced off-shore years ago. For example, almost all textiles and
footwear companies did this in the 80s or earlier. Banks and telcos are
simply following this trend, much later than many other industries, and
certainly not leading it. Or would you call clothing manufacturers "the
greediest and most socially immoral entities".


Whilst I agree in broad terms with what you're saying about outsourcing as

a
general trend, the original post was about customer service call centres
and, whilst the location of the factory or language of the workers isn't
usually going to make any difference to the quality of the shirt or shoes
you buy, it can certainly have an effect on the quality of customer

service
you receive.

For example, I was recently trying to calculate the annual water

consumption
of one of my clients, so I phoned the water supplier to get some old meter
readings (something I do on a regular basis). The client was a small
private school, which I'll call St Sharon's School, situated in a

well-known
English town, which I'll call Manchester. The conversation went something
like this:

Customer Service Person: Welcome to useful utilities, can I take your
account number please.
Me: Yes it's - - - - - -
CSP: And the name on the account?
Me: St Sharon's School, Manchester.
CSP: And your name please?
Me: Elaine.
CSP: Thank you Mrs Elaine, is Mr Banshter there please?
Me: Sorry, who is Mr Banshter?
CSP: I thought you said that the account was for someone called Banshter.
Me (realising she has misheard and trying to speak more slowly and

clearly):
Oh, no it's St Sharon's School, Manchester.
CSP: Sorry, I misheard. Is Mr Manchester there please?
Me (now speaking even more slowly and becoming slightly louder): No, the
account is for St Sharon's *School*, *in* Manchester.
CSP: I'm sorry Mrs Elaine, I can only give details of accounts to the
person whose name the account is in. Could you ask Mr School to call back
please.

At which point I put the phone down in frustration.

The politics and finances of this trend are a whole different issue, I

would
just like to be able to speak to someone who can understand what I'm

saying.

Elaine


Your point is taken.

John L was clearly arguing about the morality of outsourcing; I was just
identifying that his argument was incorrect.

You are looking at this from a business perspective of whether the lower
quality of the service justifies the lower cost ... this is a case by case
argument. If its something that requires local knowledge, then maybe it
isn't a good prospect for an offshore call centre - like your application.

The single best thing the rich West can do for the world's poor is to give
them jobs. Trade in services is particularly attractive, as it allows the
development of an urban middle class. Moving call centres off-shore is far
better than giving aid to the recipient country ...


  #10  
Old March 28th, 2004, 11:34 PM
John L
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default When You Hear The Heavy Accent & The Poor Phone Connection... HANG UP!!! ------ 2tDMpvDi

I believe the original poster was referring to call centres, & my
reply was to that post. Without stooping to personal abuse I stand by
my statements regarding Telcos & Banks. I'm not in the habit of
regularly calling my local textile group or footwear manufacturer for
banking information or registering complaints re lack of service
provided by my telco. I do have to do this on a regular basis due to
the pathetic service offered by the major banks & telcos in Australia.

I had the misfortune to contact a bank call centre last week, I got to
listen to a number of catchy Indian tunes after being put on hold
every time I asked a question as the operator had to refer to a
manager in Australia.

At least once a week I get a call from an overseas call centre trying
to convince me to change telcos (sometimes asking me to change to my
current carrier). I have a good ear for accents but have had to hang
up a number of times due to a complete inability to comperhend what
they are saying.

I'm interested if Peter agrees with outsourcing call centres, or is
simply employed in one of these industries as a manager & is trying to
justify their cost cutting actions in order to earn (productivity?)
bonuses at the expense of customer service.

John L.

On Sun, 28 Mar 2004 17:42:17 +1000, "Peter Webb"
wrote:


"John L" wrote in message
.. .
Maybe that says more about the pathetic wages & conditions being
offered by these large corporations.

I realise the original posting was talking about the US, but the same
thing applies in Australia & the common denominator is that this
outsourcing is being done by the greediest & most socially immoral
entities (Banks, telco's etc.)

John L.


What crap.

The Banks and Telcos are almost the LAST organisations to outsource
off-shore. Most of Australia's secondary industries (manufacturing etc)
outsourced off-shore years ago. For example, almost all textiles and
footwear companies did this in the 80s or earlier. Banks and telcos are
simply following this trend, much later than many other industries, and
certainly not leading it. Or would you call clothing manufacturers "the
greediest and most socially immoral entities".



 




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