Nic,
That's the problem today my friend. A lot of companies are strategically outsourcing their businesses abroad due to cheaper labour. Wireless companies like Sprint outsource their customer service reps to Asia. The killer is the Indian person's name is John or something "Americanized."
You want to know the kicker Nic? Their "Customer Service Retention Specialist" ( the operative word being retention ) is based out in Rancho Cordova, CA. This means for those people wishing to get out of Sprint or those who have severed their ties with Sprint, will get calls from a person who comfortably speaks English. Can you blame a multi-billion dollar organization for wanting employ 20 people for the wage they would pay 1 person in the US? In general, it's all about money, greed, cars etc...
Sometimes outsourcing is good other times it's not. In this case it very much a nightmare when you're dealing with someone who has very thick accent you can barely understand. What they fail to see or at least refuse to acknowledge in that small mind of theirs is you lose customer base, the loyalty when you provide shoddy service by cutting corners-not providing the right amount of training to employees. In this case not employing someone who's fluent in English language.
I remember my buddy once calling Sprint and he had to call them right back to make sure his contract wasn't terminated because all he called about was ring tones.