“The Indian call centre”

[MaggieThatchersFridge]

Help. I’ve just been chatting with a friend about their broadband package (exciting life i lead) and they are cross because they have seen a deal advertised, rung up about it and “the Indian call centre couldn’t match it”.

I’m really uncomfortable with them throwing the word Indian in that sentence. It feels like casual racism and I want to call it out but I don’t know how. Would you say anything or would you leave it? And if you would say something, any suggestions for wording?

Please be kind, I’m trying to do the right thing but I’m also a massive people pleaser.

I wouldn't say anything, but mainly because I wouldn't consider it racist to simply mention that the call centre was Indian.

Can't see a problem. 'Indian' is just a description and quicker to say than 'their call centre in India', unless she made some disparaging remarks about it.

Er it's in India?! I hate foreign call centres tbh for a huge number of reasons.

It's not racist at all, it's widely known that overseas call centres are a thing, and sometimes an annoying thing at that.
There's no need to call anything out, I use the term regularly and I'd be irritated if a 'friend' was so picky with my choice of words.

Lucky they understood what she wanted and was able to discuss it. I can’t seem to make anyone in a call centre even answer the phone, let alone answer a question

Well if it's in India, it's an Indian call centre.

It would depend, if the call centre is in India then it could be factual.

However many worldwide call centres have been reverted back to the UK.
Birmingham has a number of call centres, and also happens to be a diverse city.

It can be the case that call centres that ‘sound a bit foreign’ are in the UK

Was it in Pakistan instead or something?

It wasn't racism it was economics. She got a better deal than the Indian call centre was offering. That's all.

I think it depends if it's a description (but even then aid question why it was needed) or if she was referring to 'Indian call centres' as a generic term for shit call centres. I would find it a bit iffy too myself.

Stop looking for something to be offended by.

Often it is harder to get a level of service and understanding from a call centre out of this country. We were told our phone line was connected (as in they'd pressed the right buttons) when we could clearly see the wire didn't even come into the house. Getting this across took several calls to different people.

You want to call your friend out because she told you where the call centre was?

Your friend is racist. MN has a high proportion of racist users which is why they are defending her.

I feel an overwhelming rage when I discover a call centre is in India for a UK company because it shows an absolute disregard for customer service, the workers usually have access to a script and the most basic information and aren’t able to actually help. It’s got nothing to do with India per se and everything to do with the company trying to scrimp and save at my expense. Is it possible she was pissed off because she couldn’t get what she needed from the call?

Of course it's racist. The fact the call centre is Indian is totally irrelevant to their ability (or not) to match the deal.

hey are cross because they have seen a deal advertised, rung up about it and “the Indian call centre couldn’t match

Yes this is racist. Indian call centres don't give out deals - there's not a company called 'Indian call centre' as far as I know. It's negative implication. Did you ask her? I am mildly curious as to why you'd ask such a question on Mumsnet of all places where the majority consensus is unless a direct racial slur is used it's 'of course it's not racist'. & even if a direct slur was used they'd be tripping over themselves to explain it away as being fine due to 'context' or similar.

Of course it is racist. Why on earth did she even mention where the call centre was? How did she know it wasn't someone with an Indian-sounding accent from the next town up the road? If it was, would that make a difference anyway? I think I'd ask how she knew it was an Indian call centre and not just an Indian caller?

Nothing racist about the comment. Making a fuss out of nothing

She means that the other company economised by sacking their UK staff and taking advantage of cheap overseas labour. I think anyone who is fighting to keep out of the office and maintain a post Covid work from home status needs to realise that their work can also be imported.

I know!!! It's comical!! 😂

Well, that was an interesting range of responses!! Thank you to the thoughtful ones in both directions.

I’d love it to be nothing because I hate any sort of conflict, but I do feel like the undertone was mildly racist/xenophobic, and I’m not someone who is that easily offended, contrary to what some of you would like to assume!

However, annoyingly I got called into a meeting that then took over the rest of the day, and now feel like I’ve missed my moment somewhat.

I think maybe I’ll be ready next time to say “Why is the location relevant?” or something like that. Maybe they will have a decent answer to that, maybe they won’t, but I think I do want to say something.