Call centres abroad

[CallCentres]

Have used a new name for this
have been trying to reduce my monthly outgoings, cancelling a few and opting for cheaper options on others
so far ringing up Barclays Bank, British Telecom and a few others
and I ended up talking to India
If this country is experiencing a recession, why don't the companies start using UK staff rather than paying Barclays Bank and British Telecom to take our money and spend it on wages in India rather wages in the UK
PS was quite surprised when I actually started speaking to somebody in the UK
PPS this is not a racist rant
hope this isn't too political for MN

[AuntieMoanica]

they would do if our service industries hadn't all been privatised. these companies have no interest in serving the country, only the bank they are linked too.

[ChunkyPickle]

Welcome to the modern world - businesses can go to wherever is cheapest to get their services.

I don't really see the difference with a call-centre in India, and clothing made in China.

[FabbyChic]

Call centres in india are cheaper they have no minimum wage, what fucks me off though is the fact they are barely understandable, if you are trying to cancel something they are like the gestapo/a double glazing seller and basically refuse to cancel anything. I hate them with a passion.

I want to speak to someone who speaks the same language as me and who I can understand.

[ChunkyPickle]

Educated Indians speak English as a primary language, just as they do in Singapore as it's used as the administration language (since there are so many other languages used in India).

It's a dialect, and has an accent, but it's no worse than the strong accents you get if you speak to an Irish, Scottish or Liverpudlian call-centre.

They have the same processes to dissuade you from leaving no-matter where they're based.

[Scholes34]

Any accent sounds heavier over a phone-line than face to face. I've had a recent experience with BT and India. I was cross before I'd even started.

For good service in the UK, you can't beat First Direct.

[Scholes34]

When BT (after a week - and many hours on the phone) did send someone round, the chap disappeared down the road. I needed to contact him, but I could only speak to someone in India and even then it would take me well over five minutes to actually speak to someone once I'd keyed 1 for this and 2 for that.

[Tanif]

You can ask to speak to someone in England. You'll feel like the absolute worst person in the world but they do put you through to more senior types who are based over here. Well, that was my experience with my car insurance company.

I'm usually pretty good with accents - I work with asylum seekers/immigrants etc - but over the telephone and speaking to someone reading from a script from which they refuse to deviate... I struggle, I honestly do.

[Honeydragon]

The cynic in me states that they are here to stay as people give up complaining over minor issues.

I was part of a training team for a call centre in India, we used skype and the phone. The people I trained were often much more qualified than me. We went through colloquialisms, dialects and UK laws fine. Where it is spoiled is different Data Protection Laws. So if a multinational has a call centre in Dundee and another in India, the Dundee centre will hold more accessible information than the one in India. This is always strongly denied though.

[ImTheCowGodMoooo]

I understand your point but lots of British people work for foreign firms as well. It would be pretty bad news if those companies decided to ship those jobs out of the UK to their home countries as well. Two sides of a coin...

Also, even if you don't like the idea, please resist the temptation to take it out on the poor sod answering your call in Bangalore. They're just trying to do their best to earn a wage like the rest of us, and they really can't do much about their accent. It's your right to complain to the parent company but it doesn't do much good (and really isn't fair) to get in the call worker's face about it. (Not saying you do this, but I know a lot of other people do)

[AMumInScotland]

According to this article some companies are bringing back their call centres for this reason.

I do struggle with accents over the phone - my hearing's not 100% - strong UK accents can be bad too, but I find UK call centre staff are usually ok and don't have that strong an accent in comparison.

I have a colleague who is from India, and her accent is pretty difficult even in person, though her English is technically very good.

[SunRaysthruClouds]

OP given that public companies could be owned by anyone, it doesn't make sense for the shareholders for a company to use resources that benefit the UK but cost more than an overseas alternative. Employment costs in India are a fraction of those here at the moment.

Companies exist to make a profit for the shareholders, and that means keeping costs as low as possible.

Oh and Scholes I have a colleague in India who was incomprehensible over the phone. He came to the UK for a couple of months and was equally incomprehensible. Intelligent guy but I couldn't undertand a word.

[Scholes34]

After my very bad experience with BT and their call centre in India, I had the opportunity to give some feedback on the customer service provided. BT had been very clever in the way the automated feedback was set up. I was asked how well the person on the phone had dealt with my query. Well, he was very polite and calm. I had been very nice with him too, as I know it's not his fault BT has chosen to set up its customer service this way.

[CallCentres]

SunRaysthruClouds,
true but if the trend continues, that will affect a lot more people in this country indirectly, maybe even .........

[yaimee]

hope this isn't too political for MN
LOL