Wtf Is Up With Non English Phone Reps????

[emvee]

I recently had a Bell home phone problem, same bullshit, trying to explain a problem to someone who was obviously reading from a script. Finally, I was able to speak to someone who'se native language is English. Profits for these companies goes way up, customer service goes way down.

How true! And since their competitors do similar things, you can't hope that switching will make it much better.

A couple of months ago I was at a Timmy's and ordered a chocolate dip and the chinese woman didn't seem to have any idea what I was asking for....

 

[MarkII]

tim hortons is a big thing as well as mcdonalds with pakis working there .....

well this should help people get along better. While I often find language a barrier, I always have in mind they can't understand me either! But they are trying, working and not on governenmnet assistance.

I do like to see people trying and making an effort. So, as much as I often feel frustation, I have to applaud them for not being a burden in their new country.

M2

 

[Cobster]

Hey Cobster,

We havent had a good debate in awhile so I couldnt let this opportunity go by.When we were debating your buddy Johnny Chrétien, this is what you had to say:

"I'd want someone who represent my company as I wanted it to be represented. I could give a fuck of his speaking abilities."

I guess the owners of the companies that you are calling, must be taking your hiring advice.


Take care my friend

No problem, I can respond to that.
Chretien could be understood, so don't stretch an inch to a mile bud.
I'm extremely flattered you had to wait this long to make an attempt to get back at me. Try again, maybe before the Christmas?
Take care.

 

[LancsLad]

hehe only when im not in the middle of it. I like to see Cobby all stirred up.
He gets all bitchy!

Oh and keep the popcorn, im done with it. Nevermind the ones stuck together, its ahhhh just extra butter

Come again???? I can't believe its not butter.

 

[Cobster]

hehe only when im not in the middle of it. I like to see Cobby all stirred up.
He gets all bitchy!

Dev0 was waiting weeks it seems, to attempt to shut me down.
Odd, I don't feel that at all.
But I am flattered he remembered me and something I said, weeks ago.

 

[Dev0]

I'm extremely flattered you had to wait this long to make an attempt to get back at me.
Take care.

I wasn't trying to get back at you. It was a friendly jab.... honest.. I just hope I can still count on your vote for Stephen Harper in the next election.

 

[Cobster]

Honestly, either way we vote, we're fucked.
Harper is Bush's lil asshole warmer.
The Democrats, well wtf is left of them? We're fucked.
I just don't like Harper kissing Bush's ass too much, that we get a little too involved in this war on terror by sending troops abroad.

 

[Jade4u]

Interesting thread, we have phone reps, popcorn and beer, war and politics.

WTF Let's also discuss the comfort of chairs in the cinemas. Why can't they make the spaces between the chairs a bit larger and add cup holes large enough to set your drinks down in on one arm of the chair giving you better freedom to hold your popcorn bag etc.. and on the other arm just make it a bit larger to set the bag down on?

 

[hot rod]

.. and on the other arm just make it a bit larger to set the bag down on?

Because the bigger arm would just get in the way if you are trying to have a hot make-out session! Priorities here, please! LOL

 

[Jade4u]

They could make them so that they fold back to get it out of your way.

 

[hornykid]

Honestly, either way we vote, we're fucked.
Harper is Bush's lil asshole warmer.
The Democrats, well wtf is left of them? We're fucked.
I just don't like Harper kissing Bush's ass too much, that we get a little too involved in this war on terror by sending troops abroad.

Can we start on our political party? Is it tough?

 

[Hard Idle]

Okay, I'm all for equaity and all that bullshit, bla bla bla.
What pisses me off in the process is their f'ing broken English. FFS!
I had to ask one rep, 3 times "pardon?....pardon?.....pardon???????

Are we seriously losing a lot of the (decent paying) jobs to people that can barely speak a word of English?????????????????????????
.

Nobody is "losing jobs"; hiring "english speaking" people to work Friday & Saturday nights is very difficult. Getting them to actually show up for the shift is next to impossible.

Outsourcing is not a factor, all the Canadian banks have their telebanking, on-line support and customer service operations in Canada.

Your branch supervisor friend is on the wrong career track, banks are trying to get rid of branch staff for the last ten years. Nonethesless, there are massive waiting lists for poorly paid brach work because these people want to be out by 5PM every day, not work weekends, and have no intention of working graveyard shifts at the call centres.

The banks actually like the language barier as an additional way to wear out customers - those who actually persevered through the Celine Dion tape while on hold - maybe a confusing rep will teach them not call anymore.

The additional benefit of hiring people with weak English is that they can toe the line and spit out the company's canned stonewalling without feeling embarassed or trully understanding how stupid and insolent it comes accross to the customer.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Are we seriously losing a lot of the (decent paying) jobs to people that can barely speak a word of English?

Decent paying jobs? Telecommunication jobs are largely being outsourced to India and other countries that have cheaper labour costs. There was actually an article in The Star yesterday about how Bombay has become a booming employment centre for Indians who work in telecommunications. The article stated that a good wage in India was $70,000 rupees; I dunno what that works out to in Canadian dollars but it was definitely a solid middle class paycheck over there.

That being said, I've also heard that the trend to outsource call centres has slowed as the quality of service has been seen to decline. At least for major companies with reputations to uphold.

 

[Cobster]

The additional benefit of hiring people with weak English is that they can toe the line and spit out the company's canned stonewalling without feeling embarassed or trully understanding how stupid and insolent it comes accross to the customer.

This part I can understand and makes sense to me.
But "toe the line"? or tow? hehe

 

[I_AmCdn]

There is a call centre located in little jamaica (Eglnton & Allen rd). They just lost their Bell contract to India....35 jobs lost.

I think that the only way that things will change is if we start insisting on talking to canadian based call centres. Moncton is still a thriving call centre area but they are losing as well,

 

[Neverenuff$]

They could make them so that they fold back to get it out of your way.

I called Cineplex about this .. no one spoke english .. or even Cretianglish !!

 

[MojoRisin']

This sort of reminds me of a scene in the 40 year old virgin when the guy took Viagara and ended up not needing it. He walked around the rest of the night with a raging hardon longer than the prescribed period of time. He calls the customer support number on the package and talks with a guy based in Bombay..lol the guy actually was quite helpful. Maybe give them a call Cobby, oh wait you were talking about phone reps...OR WERE YOU?

 

[Neverenuff$]

http://www.illwillpress.com/vault.html


check out the "telephone suport" ... you'll love the squirrel !

and all the others !!

 

[Never Compromised]

Phone rep positions tend to be "entry level" jobs. Most "Canadians" do not want to work past 5 or or weekends as already noted. The "Canadians" that do take these jobs are the ones generally not able to find work someplace else.

So what are you left with? Frustrated college or high school students, and people that can't find work in their chosen fields because their skill set is not recognized in Canada.

I doubt very much that the average phone rep working for a Canadian firm enjoys the abuse and hostility that they must put up with every day.

But it is hit and miss in corporate Canada these days. A recent call to RBC was a bloody nightmare with the damn voice recognition system that does not work worth shit, plus options that did not give me what I wanted. A simple request took 45 minutes of phone time to get to where I wanted to go. Then it took the lovely young woman 10 seconds to tell me what I needed to know. I HATE the damn "Emily" and her cousins. Let the bitch drown in Lake Ontario.

Now, a call to BNS was answered by a human very quickly, within 2 minutes. But because of the language barrier, I had to take 30 minutes to understand or be understood. I have a real problem with a bank hiring someone to fuck with my money that cannot communicate effectively. If the person was trying to sell me Viagara or a newspaper subscription, I could not care less if her English was perfect. But I want someone on the phone that understands English perfectly and speaks it better than for just a casual conversation.

As for outsourcing to India or the Carribean (the next big call centre location), I'm not sure that the banks are allowed to do that because of privacy concerns.

 

[igotpho]

Hotline Operator: "Hotline?"
Andy: "Hi, yes, I'm calling because, uh, it's been more than four hours and your ad said to call if it's been more than four hours?"
Hotline Operator: "Well, how much of the medicine have you taken, sir?"
Andy: "Uh, I haven't taken any, but your ad said that if you've had an erection for more than four hours, you call."
Hotline Operator: "Well, you're only supposed to call if you've taken the medicine."
Andy: "Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I must not have heard that part."
Hotline Operator: "Yes, If you haven't taken the medicine, uh, you don't call."
Andy: "Rught, right, right, right, I'm sorry, right. There's um-- So, there's nothing you can do? I mean, I just don't wanna..."
Hotline Operator: "There's nothing I can do. I am in Bombay, India."
Andy: "Oh, okay. No, not you personally. I just don't want-- I just don't want to have an erection anymore."
Hotline Operator: "Well, you know, you could have sex."
Andy: "Okay, yup."
Hotline Operator: "That's one thing people do when they have an erection."
Andy: "Yeah, that's not an option. I don't have sex."
Hotline Operator: "Uh, okay, well, then you can masturbate."
Andy: "I'd rather not masturbate."
Hotline Operator: "If you'd like the erection to go away, you can light a match, blow out the flame and put the hot ember on your wrist and that will focus the brain elsewhere and you will lose your erection."
Andy: "Really, that'd work?"
Hotline Operator: "Take your finger and flick your testicle and if you do that till it hurts your erection will go away."
Andy: "Okay, alright."
Hotline Operator: "It sounds unpleasant and it is. It is a trick we use in India."
Andy: "Okay, those are all good pieces of advice. I really appreciate it."