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Original poster

So cross with NEXT catalogue shopping!

28 replies

SecondhandRose · 17/02/2004 10:14

Phoned Next yesterday to place an order from the catalogue. I spoke to a very nice lady but with a very strong accent so I asked her where she was and the answer? YES INDIA!!!!!!!!!!

I am so cross that British companies are making Brits redundant to improve their already mammoth profits.

Does anyone know the profit that Next made last year?

I won't be ordering from the catalogue by phone anymore but will go into the store and order it then at the till.

Rant, Rant, Rant

OP posts:
MrsK · 17/02/2004 10:40

I phoned Marks & Spencers to pay my &More card and they have moved the call centre to India also.

It has really put me off Marks.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 17/02/2004 16:31

No sign of the hotel on that website.

Anyone know of any others?

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
SecondhandRose · 17/02/2004 16:31

Oops, wrong one!

OP posts:
nutcracker · 17/02/2004 16:37

We had this trouble with Norwich Union Direct. We asked for an online quote for car insurance, but there were a few things that we didn't understand so we phoned them, and dp kept on having to repeat everything, because the call centrs was in india, and he said he couldn't understand them and they couldn't understand him.
I think it is disgusting, that they have moved so many call centres abroard, when there are so many people looking for work here.

LadyCodworth · 17/02/2004 16:38

supply and demand

scoobysnax · 17/02/2004 17:00

Eaglestar / Zurich Municipal has moved to India and the service is infuriating...
Probably would have had more success dicussing Eastenders plots with them by all accounts.

scoobysnax · 17/02/2004 17:01

In fairness the Eagle Star folk in the UK are actually WORSE.

SoupDragon · 17/02/2004 17:54

Has anyone else had that annoying delay on the line? It's so irritating when you think the person hasn't heard you so you start to say it again only to find you're talking over them. Grrr!

bundle · 17/02/2004 18:11

haven't had experience of this (yet) but I'm sure if the prices went up to support the British call centres, most people would desert eg M&S...

BadHair · 17/02/2004 18:22

I'm afraid I give short shrift to people I can't understand on the phone. I very politely ask them their name, then tell them that I can't understand them and ask to be put through to their supervisor. You have to do the name thing first though, else they'll just cut you off.
I know I sound like a mammoth xenophobe (which I'm not, I'm just fussy), but I refuse to pay for a phone call which is prolongued because the call centre staff can't understand me.

Original poster
SecondhandRose · 17/02/2004 20:29

Why should they put up their prices when these are all multi nationals that are making big profits already?

I suggest we boycott them all and then they'll soon realise. I've already started with NEXT, if anyone's is listening from NEXT - I refuse to talk to someone from India so ner, ner, ne, ner, ner. I will be placing all orders in store in future that's if I don't defect elsewhere.

OP posts:
Bozza · 17/02/2004 20:47

I knew about M&S because the IT company I work for moved all the systems out there. M&S try to keep it quiet though and won't act as a reference for our company.

emsiewill · 17/02/2004 22:07

Funny this should come up today - yesterday 10 people came to work in my company, and yes, you guessed it, they're from India. We have all been very dubious about this - it's apparently because we have lost a lot of business because we couldn't demonstrate that we have that kind of overseas capacity, and that is what clients expect in our line of business (can't really say much about the business, don't want to get into trouble).

I must say that they all seem to be really nice, intelligent people (their English is certainly as good as anyone who lives here ) but I feel uneasy about the way my company has gone about the whole thing, as do many of us.

Hulababy · 17/02/2004 22:08

HMBC use a lot of Indian call centres too. They bring the staff over here in Sheffield, put them up in apartments in the complex I live in, train them and then they go back and work. Seems loads of businesses are now doing it.

nutcracker · 17/02/2004 22:09

I need to phone Next too as i sent for two pairs of trainers and only recieved one plus a top that i didn't ask for. I'm not looking forward to that conversation

Linnet · 17/02/2004 22:17

My friend works for Norwich Union and later this year is actually going out to India to train people there to work in the call centre.

I mentioned, to her, that I thought this was a bit cheeky sending her and others she works with out to train these people as it might mean in the end that they have trained people to take over their jobs, IYKWIM. But my friend has said that she won't lose her job and that these people are being trained just so they have extra staff to field the calls and deal with Admin.

I still think it's all a bit suspicious and it irritates me to know that people here are being paid off while these big companies are moving things abroad to save themselves money.

Have never encountered a foreign person when phoning the Next directory but have vowed not to order from them anyway and I will only go into the shop to order items. I think it's ridiculous that you have to pay a £3.50 delivery charge every single time you get something delivered. They charge enough for the items in their directory why can't they give free delivery like other catalogues do?

bobthebaby · 17/02/2004 22:26

I remember when you used to call a call centre and get a Scottish accent - what happened to all those Scottish people?

oliveoil · 18/02/2004 09:31

Yes the scottish accents when you phone Sky, mmmmmmmmm, I like the burr of the scottish accent. On men obviously

FairyMum · 18/02/2004 09:46

At least I can understand the Indian accent better than the Scottish accent. I also find them very polite actually. Haven't called Next,but deal with many of the Indian call centre staff in my job. I do agree it's a bad trend that jobs are being moved abroad, but I have only noticed an imporvement in the service I get.

Bozza · 18/02/2004 10:20

I suppose really its just what happened in manufacturing previously is now happening in the service industry.

handlemecarefully · 18/02/2004 12:45

But (and don't shoot me down in flames) - we are virtually at full employment in our society aren't we? There aren't hordes of folk who can't get work... so is it really such a problem? (genuine question)

Twinkie · 18/02/2004 12:49

Our IT people have moved to Hungary!!!! - we report a fault to a woman in Hungary who then emails a guy in London who comes and sorts out our problems!! - how stupid is that - well actually I just ring the guy in London and ignore the woman in Hungary!!

Sonnet · 18/02/2004 13:04

LOL twinkle..
I thought it was bad when our IT support moved to the next town, I had to phone them who then phoned a guy on the floor below me!! but Hungrey....

katierocket · 18/02/2004 13:58

This is really really common with service industries now. Loads of the larger companies are doing it. Personally I can't see a problem with it.

Bozza · 18/02/2004 14:12

My job is like the guy in London who sorts out the problem, Twinkie, and we get loads of people phoning us direct. Every so often we get told off for it but what can we do? Thats if we wanted to do anything of course.