I've had my fill of sales calls from Asian call centres today. Having done some cold calling myself I try to be polite as I firmly say no but really, if a business wants my business's business then the least they can do is ensure that their rep speaks clear understandable English :evil: .
I'm not racist but...
- Thread starter Jeltz
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You also need to use swearing to alleviate this problem.
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Ask them for their home phone number and whether it will be ok to phone them back later, either that or ask them if they are interested in a copy of 'The Watchtower' 
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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.
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.
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I had a sales call a week or so back. Stopped the person in the tracks thus:-
"Hold on, Rover 400 diesel, british racing green, 90,000 miles. top condition £1000.00. Interested?" reply was "no" to which I returned "Neither am I, thank you."
"Hold on, Rover 400 diesel, british racing green, 90,000 miles. top condition £1000.00. Interested?" reply was "no" to which I returned "Neither am I, thank you."
Im on Telephone preference and i still get these things by the bucketload -
I just have fun with em now.
Such as - answering the phone in a very deep and serious voice - Ask who is calling - when you get the shpeel - tell them they have rung a restricted Confederation Defence number - their call data will be logged and reported to High commander Artemis and they may be scheduled for a visit by the holy inquisition should they call your number again.
Last one i got a profound apology .. quite good fun.
Im never abusive with em tho, Cos In all fairness i know its just a job for them and lets face it, you do what you gotta do.
I just have fun with em now.
Such as - answering the phone in a very deep and serious voice - Ask who is calling - when you get the shpeel - tell them they have rung a restricted Confederation Defence number - their call data will be logged and reported to High commander Artemis and they may be scheduled for a visit by the holy inquisition should they call your number again.
Last one i got a profound apology .. quite good fun.
Im never abusive with em tho, Cos In all fairness i know its just a job for them and lets face it, you do what you gotta do.
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A friend of mine just puts the phone up against the loudspeaker for a while, then checks if they're still there. Repeat until they're not. I'm far too polite for that (usually), and fortunately the telephone preference service seems to be working most of the time. Answering the phone with a weary sigh and "Samaritans" flummoxes anyone who doesn't know me.
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just been chatting to a mate of mine about this, reckons the hostile approach is no good as they are probably immune to it by now.
he has now started being super friendly (oh wow, that's great, can i really have one of those, you know my friend has one and swears by it etc..........) with or without a hint of sarcasm - says his goal is to keep the other person on the line so long, that it is they who hang up
he has now started being super friendly (oh wow, that's great, can i really have one of those, you know my friend has one and swears by it etc..........) with or without a hint of sarcasm - says his goal is to keep the other person on the line so long, that it is they who hang up
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Has anyone tried (in the most sinister voice they can muster) "I don't have any friends, will you be my friend?"
Luckily we get zero calls here - since the phone is only plugged in when I'm working, whenever I'm asked for a phone number for no good reason they get the 0800 number that BT present 0800 328 9393, and if that fails because they demand a geographic number, I offer +39.06.6982 (which is the Vatican's main switchboard... definitely a landline and a geographic number)
Luckily we get zero calls here - since the phone is only plugged in when I'm working, whenever I'm asked for a phone number for no good reason they get the 0800 number that BT present 0800 328 9393, and if that fails because they demand a geographic number, I offer +39.06.6982 (which is the Vatican's main switchboard... definitely a landline and a geographic number)
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I was getting constant sales calls from brittish gas when i left them so what i took to doing when they phoned was to tell them just a minute i will get him then just leave the phone down and go back to what i was doing just to see how long they would wait on the line. :roll: :roll: :twisted:
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pedro083 said:
Back in Canadialand, I didn't even say anything to excuse myself from the phone. I just let them start their spiel and then set down the phone and waited for the noise that said the line's disconnected & been off the hook too long.
Over here, I'm on TPS (so is work) I just hang up without saying anything ... unless it's a pre-recorded cold call in which case I swear all to billy-oh and then hang-up.
If the phone rings at home? I let SWMBA answer it; it won't be for me anyway (99 times out of 100).