Why oh why can't they speak English

I'm sitting on hold with Citibank. Trying to figure out why my Walgreens money is not coming back, do you know hard it is to answer questions that I can't understand? I gave him my access code, phone number and address before I figured out he was asking for the account number. I can barely make out the word number. He has told me his name 12 times, not that I could pronounce it or even attempt to spell it. I don't care what his name is I just want to talk to people speaking the same language when I have a problem and need help. It's hard to tell if you are getting any help or not when you don't know what they are saying. I have nothing against people in India, just think they should be the ones helping people who speak their language while I get an English speaking one, I'll take American, Scottish, British or anyone else I can translate but I am SO sick of people in India!

I always ask for someone whom English is their FIRST language. I figure I am paying for whatever service I am calling about, I want to at least be able to understand them.

I do too. I ask for someone in Texas if possible. LOL (dish has a help center in Lubbock- of course, I have also been known to tell the person that answers there that I want someone who was born here.... )

I dont blame you. The only thing tha tpisses me off more than getting someone in india is being asked to press 1 for english. I didnt call Mexico.

I don't mind if they're in India. I don't mind if they ask me to press 1 for English. I just mind when they read from the stupid script and ask me a question that I just answered.

Me: My receiver is not working. The weather is perfectly clear and there hasn't been any storm or limbs knocked out of trees. It stopped working this morning at 10. I pressed and held the power button to restart it, but it still isn't working.
Idiot: What is the problem this morning ma'am?
Me: My receiver is not working. The weather is perfectly clear and there hasn't been any storm or limbs knocked out of trees. It stopped working this morning at 10. I pressed and held the power button to restart it, but it still isn't working.
Idiot: Your receiver isn't working? I'm very sorry to hear that. Let's see if we can take care of that for you. Sometimes reception can be affected by the weather. Is there a storm?
Me: The weather is perfectly clear and there hasn't been any storm or limbs knocked out of trees. It stopped working this morning at 10. I pressed and held the power button to restart it, but it still isn't working.
Idiot: Hmmm. Could perhaps a limb been knocked out of a tree and struck the dish?
Me: There hasn't been any storm or limbs knocked out of trees. It stopped working this morning at 10. I pressed and held the power button to restart it, but it still isn't working.
Idiot: I see. When did you first notice a problem?
Me: It stopped working this morning at 10. I pressed and held the power button to restart it, but it still isn't working.
Idiot: OK. I think the first thing I should have you try is to hold the power button to restart it. Most of the time that will get it working.

Yep,, I DESPISE those who dont/cant think too.

I am glad I am not alone in feeling that way! They also route calls through the Philippines, but the English is better there. They get enough training in India to be able to read the instruction sheet but they don't seem to be able to vary from that. It is so frustrating . I know they could have the call centers here- there are people to man them- but then they would have to pay more than a few cents a day. What really gripes me is when I find the credit cards are run through there too.

I can't stand thinking that friends and neighbors can't find work and these banks (and many other companies) are employing people overseas. It shouldn't be allowed. It honestly makes me furious.

Bell Canada is often the same way. When we first moved here I had a problem with the phone so I called customer service. I wound up talking to someone in India. I couldn't understand a word she was saying so I asked to speak to her suprervisor. He got on and his English was even worse! I don't know why I even stuck with Bell after that.

Karen that is exactly why I no longer have Dish Network. It was becoming hazardous to my mental health.

lol, my husband is Hindu (though he doesn't have any accent at all) but he frequently complains that when he calls any type of customer service that he gets someone on the other line, usually someone who is from a call center in India, with the strong accent, saying "Hello my name is Patrick" My husband's name is Krishn (a hindu name) his sisters, Suneela, Pravina Kumari, and Rani, no one in India is named Patrick lol... Hubby gets the biggest laugh out of this...

OMG, this is so funny. You have it pegged Karen! I got such a laugh out of this.

I always get tickeled when they tell me their name is patrick, kevin, and steve. Those are the only 3 I ever get. oh and jennifer, holly and mary.

On the name issue, even if the call center is in the US, Canada, or other English-speaking country like Ireland, they do not give their real names. They are given an alias, so to speak, to use when dealing with callers. That's to protect the worker. But yeah, it is sort of silly to hang an English name on someone who obviously is in India.

As for the Indian help desk folks sticking to the script without deviation, that's more of a cultural issue. They've been told "Do the Script" by their supervisors, so that's what they do without question. Thinking outside the box (or script) isn't encouraged or allowed. They follow their instructions to the letter, and can't really understand why doing so ticks us off so much. They were told to follow the script, but don't realize not only weren't WE told to follow a script, we tend to think for ourselves and throw anything that fails the common sense test out of the window.

Count me in the ranks of those who think shipping help desk and customer service jobs offshore is penny-wise but pound-foolish. The corporations may save some money on the people answering the phones, but when they factor in the cost of pissing off their customers to the n-th degree time after time, it's a losing proposition. Bean counters don't always think in terms of long haul sales and marketing, just bottom line comparisons. Foolish!

I guess it depends upon the company. I worked for an insurance call center for a few years and constantly had irate people that I had to deal with. We always gave our real names, you cannot sell insurance or deal with anything to do with insurance without strict regulations. If they asked what call center we were at and where it was located, we had to tell them. As far as the scripting goes, again it depends upon the client and what services they provide. With some services scripts can be "bent" or skipped altogether as long as the service is being handled accurately, others insist you read word for word. Being on the insurance end of things we were allowed to make the script more listener friendly and adapt it so that we were just having a normal conversation with the customer, but there are certain words or phrases we were instructed never to use. There were also certain things by law that we had to disclose. If the rep cannot speak english well, its probably best they stick to the script.

I am always careful to never take my frustration out on the person answering the phone. They are almost always someone working for a tiny amount and simply following directions in the hopes of keeping their job. It does drive me crazy to be asked a question I just answered, but I know it's not "Patrick's" fault. But I definitely agree that companies are not thinking of the long run.

I honestly don't mind outsourcing. I know there is some terrible poverty in the world and maybe this will help. In the long run, it's better that eveyone in the world have a chance to work an honest job and provide for themselves. What we need is more jobs, not just for us, but also for them.

I admit that I have been frustrated with people I can't understand. They aren't all from India though. The last one was a guy trying to install internet at my sister's house. She called me to answer some questions for him because he did not know how to do an installation on a Mac. I could not understand him to save my live. I do not have a problem with a Louisiana accent, but the accent combined with him mumbling, and it being over the phone, was just too much. I told my sister to call the company and tell them to send out a person who knows macs because I could not understand that guy at all.
On the other hand, I also have had some of the best cs ever with the call going to India. One time I was very upset with Amazon and was going on and on about how upset I was, when he stopped me and asked if he could say something. I said yes and he told me I had the most beautiful voice. That calmed me down right away lol. Then he ask me a few questions and said I will issue you the credit you are requesting. If I do that, you will no longer be upset? I just replied that I would no longer be upset then. You could have knocked me over with a feather. This was not the first call on this subject and I did not expect it go that well that fast. With a compliment to boot

I love that. I would have been so happy.

I remember that my last Dish Network problem was finally solved by an Indian man who said, "I do not know why the others are not doing this for you. The doing of it is simple." He was very polite, as are most of the Indian people I've spoken with. And, when they can speak English well, the accent is beautiful. The problem is when they can't speak it well.

I have a louisiana accent.

I promise you it is not the accent Erin. I know the area you are in, because my grandparents lived near Many, La for years. I lived in Louisiana for years myself. I was married and had my first child while living in New Orleans. I still have lots of family in Louisiana, many of them cajuns. I can handle the accent, that wasn't it, it was just him.

For me its an accent. If it aint Texas, it aint right.

just like tonight on AI, that host dude, says 'crowns' instead of crayons. I remember being in the midwest somewhere, I think... I lived in 15 difernt states before I was in 3rd grade... (it was first grade) on my first day of school at a new school.
The teacher told me to get out my crowns, I didnt get it. then the kids started in. "CROWNS" Dont you have any CROWNS!" I told them I didnt know what a crown was.

THey all laughed, because what kid doesnt know what a crayon is?
ITS a freakin CRAY-on. not a CROWN.

Thats not the only time its happened. Not understanding due to language barriers. Used to we had some mexicans come into our hotel. they were doing some road construction. They had green cards. They never could understand me, nor me them. I turned to a coworker and said "I hate people with accents" we were laughing, and the guy said it was me not him, so it was a big joke. my boss came out who was from up north. He said I had an accent. She said "NO, she talks normal, y'all just got to learn to talk right'.. the guest said he wanted a book store for a mexican to Texas dictionary. LOL he got the joke.

Thinking back... I had horrible customer service with Citibank too. well actually my Citicard... I guess they froze my account because I bought my laptop from a mom and pop shop. The website said I needed to call them, so I did. Biggest mistake ever... I couldn't remember my secret code let alone understand what she was asking for. It was very frustrating because she kept saying "starts with R", but didn't tell me what she wanted my password. I gave her tons of other info to prove who I was, but she wanted the the secret code. The purchase wasn't even that big in comparsion to other purchases I have put on my card.
Calling numbers to cancel services drive me nuts too... even after telling them that I just want to cancel, they still try to sell to me. Finally I have to say something along the lines of just please cancel it, I don't have time to discuss this with you.

I try to remain calm and polite... I know its a crappy job, but theres no point in making the conversation longer than it has to be. Just provide me with quick and efficient service please....