Foreign call centres

Soldato
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What are your feelings on these?

- A sign off globalisation, providing much needed jobs for workers in foreign countries?

- A blatant cost-cutting measure by big business desperate to obtain every last penny of profit for their shareholders, irrespective of how that may impact their level of customer service?

Personally I fall into the latter camp. I'm aware we live in a global society where there is no technological reason why our customer service reps shouldn't live in France, India or Atlantis, however this scrimping on the part of large corporations really gets my goat.

I want the organisations that I deal with to spend my money on providing jobs in this country, not abroad.

I want to speak to CS reps who have accents that I don't have difficulty undertanding (regardless of how excellent the English of many foreign reps may be).

I want the reassurance that my bank details aren't being bandied around Mysore for sale to organised crime gangs.

Am I being small-minded and very 'Daily Mail'? Perhaps, but it's my money goddamit. :)

Is anyone aware of any websites that provide details on which companies have outsourced their call centres? I'd like to know so that I can make sure I vote with my wallet and move my business to other organisations.

Edit: in answer to my last question - http://www.callukcentres.co.uk/ lists organisations which have UK based call centres.
 
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Bar

Bar

Soldato
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I agree with you Von Luck.

I buy what I believe to be uk based goods and services. I therefore expect to deal with uk based personnel who can speak proper English. (This goes for workers in call centres in the uk as well!)

It is purely about profitability and customer services be damned. It has had a small impact upon retentions for some companies but the increased revenues easily compensates for it.
 
Soldato
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Foreign call centres are a nightmare.

You'd think all these large companies would have enough money to get a UK based call centre.
I phoned apple the other night because my macbook broke, they put me straight through to a foreign call centre, it takes double the time for them to help you, as you can't understand a word they're saying.

Something should be done about them.
 
Soldato
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I agree with you that I think it is the latter that is their motive.
I feel that these jobs which have been outsourced are done so for the wrong reasons, whilst india and other countries need jobs, putting thousands of people out of jobs in this country is not the right way to go about it.
 
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$loth said:
whilst india and other countries need jobs, putting thousands of people out of jobs in this country is not the right way to go about it.

They're not concerned about giving jobs to unemployed foreigners, they're only concern is that it's cheaper to base they're call centers abroad, which means they can make more profit.
 
Soldato
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I hate them.

Check this:

There is an AS/400 system which is 7 miles down the road in horsham, now in order to get the modem switched on so the admins can remote login to it we have to call a call centre which... yes you've guessed it, is in india so i have to make a phone call to a completely different country in order to have something changed which is just down the road, worst of all they can't even understand me 9 times out of 10.

Go figure.
 
Soldato
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I disagree with foreign call centres on the basic principal of having a damn hard time understanding the agents that work in them. If I can't understand them properly, and nor they me, how the hell am I supposed to have my technical problem diagnosed and sorted?
 
Soldato
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I have no problem on where a call centre is based or what country the staff employed are from; But the main role of a call centre is communications, if the staff employed are unable to communicate clearly and quickly with those that calling then there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.
 
Soldato
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The only issue I have with it is that the language barrier usually means it takes twice a long and you don't get what you wanted in the first place.

I've noticed that some companies are now outsourcing to South Africa which is improving things somewhat.

It's not only call centres that this is an issue with though, many other non-customer facing tasks are outsourced/offshored which causes errors and delays. This isi mproving though as the market in these countries matures.
 
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PFG

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GSXRMovistar said:
I have no problem on where a call centre is based or what country the staff employed are from; But the main role of a call centre is communications, if the staff employed are unable to communicate clearly and quickly with those that calling then there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

SPOT on!!!

in fact i have been badgered by mobile phone companies and the ppl calling me are indians

I have NO problem understanding ppl of all languages, i work in a call centre myself.

BUT i find it hard to understand them and whats worse . .

they were actually playing on my lack of understanding and put me thru to upgrade my phone(I didnt authorise it, because I didnt understand him)

and as I mentioned . . working in a call centre that has been outsourced . .I hear quite a few ppl telling me that the indian person they spoke to hung up on them. I know this to be true and that the indian person WILL IN FACT hang up if they cannot understand the person calling.

I find this HORRENDOUS!
 

233

233

Soldato
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thank god someones sticking up for us :)

Work for NTL in Glasgow amazing how many complaints we get about our indian tech support :)
 

Bar

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Soldato
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No we let them take our jobs because we refuse to stand up collectively against these companies who outsource. The outsourcing itself is as a result of our attitude of "want it for the cheapest amount possible" for companies to meet that demand their only option is to outsource.

One for one and one for one.
 
Soldato
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we've used/created computer systems which have a better understanding of the spoken natural language than some of these call centres. at least youre able to get your questions answered. with the call centres they read off a crib sheet. if you ask them something they'll pause for a moment then continue reading from their sheet and totally ignore what youve just asked.
 

PFG

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Phantom

yeah scripted call centre agents

how useful when a scenarion comes up that ISNT in a script ?
 
Soldato
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Phantom said:
we've used/created computer systems which have a better understanding of the spoken natural language than some of these call centres. at least youre able to get your questions answered. with the call centres they read off a crib sheet. if you ask them something they'll pause for a moment then continue reading from their sheet and totally ignore what youve just asked.

it is almost impossible to get them to deviate from the script they have in front of them and despite a good working knowledge of the English language, they do not have the cultural background or understanding to help.
A friend works for BT and they are setting up a call centre in India as they work for half the price BUT they have to employ twice as many of them and keep the call centre here going for the next 6 months or more to help them out.how does that make economic sense?
 
Soldato
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TBH I dont have a problem with the people i am speaking two , as previous people have said its the language barrier. The person down the end of the phone is usually quite polite ( wishing you a good day etc )
 

PFG

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TaKeN said:
TBH I dont have a problem with the people i am speaking two , as previous people have said its the language barrier. The person down the end of the phone is usually quite polite ( wishing you a good day etc )

Define :sincere/sincerity

:p
 
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