Indian script monkeys

[timwilky]

I have spent the day arguing with Indian script monkeys. Why do organisations employ these clowns who cannot speak English and treat customers as if they are idiots.

Perhaps because they are so thick that they will not deviate from the script. But have no script for. "Can I please escalate this call to a technically competent English speaker please" so completely ignore the customers request.

Can I please talk to your supervisor usually results in somebody with even less command of the English language.

Still it could be worse. They could bring the script monkeys over here to spoil the "I demand to be put through to a UK helpdesk"

Why when you pay a premium for a service should you be fobbed off with 3rd world incompetents?. Answer when NTL take over your service provider

[Gazza77]

I tend to avoid call centres where possible. Worst I ever had was when I wanted to make an appointment to go into my local LloydsTSB branch to discuss my mortgage. The branch themselves are always fantastic, but I had to call a call centre to make an appointment. After 45 mins of trying explain that I couldn't give them the sort code for my account because I don't have a bank account with them I gave up, and went into the branch to make an appointment in person. Having in the past worked alongside call centre staff, never has the saying "pay peanuts, employ monkeys" been more appropriate....

Originally Posted by timwilky

I have spent the day arguing with Indian script monkeys. Why do organisations employ these clowns who cannot speak English and treat customers as if they are idiots.

Treating people like their equals, perhaps?

Originally Posted by timwilky

I have spent the day arguing with Indian script monkeys. Why do organisations employ these clowns who cannot speak English and treat customers as if they are idiots.

Perhaps because they are so thick that they will not deviate from the script. But have no script for. "Can I please escalate this call to a technically competent English speaker please" so completely ignore the customers request.

Can I please talk to your supervisor usually results in somebody with even less command of the English language.

Still it could be worse. They could bring the script monkeys over here to spoil the "I demand to be put through to a UK helpdesk"

Why when you pay a premium for a service should you be fobbed off with 3rd world incompetents?. Answer when NTL take over your service provider

ha ha, ive had the same with NTL.
took me over a month to change my payment details, calling them every evening with hope i might be able to speak to someone who understands how to pronounce a "W", and multiple wrong forms sent out. took me on averige about 15 mins trying to spell my name out to them.

finally i got through to a northener, who sorted it out for me.
its one of the reasons ive never gone with "3 mobile"

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by timwilky

Why do organisations employ these clowns who cannot speak English and treat customers as if they are idiots.

Having had my highly technical support role outsourced to India in the past, I'll tell you! Most people will say 'money' and without a doubt that is the driving factor, but there is more too it than that.

The Indian companies touting for business blatently lie. They will trot out 'typical graduate employees that will be working on your calls' to management. These guys have perfect English with only a trace of an accent, have relevant experience and are very clever. These guys pick up the technical aspects of the product quite quickly. It looks like a good deal.

The reality is that they have maybe two of these good calibre employees, who never work the queues because they are always touting for business. They employ folks who have some basic knowledge but not enough to understand the technology they are supporting. This is what most folks complain about, no matter how technical the product being supported is - the staff do not know what they are talking about!

In my case the decision to outsource bit them back. Support suffered dreadfully and customers left in droves - especially in the US heartland. Our competitors had a field day with product swap outs. Eventually they were forced to sell out to my present employer, who took one look at the complexity of our solution and severed support in India, re-hired a lot of the specialists made redundant and brought suppport back to countries where the customers are. Still repairing the damage done to that business 5 years later....

Sun Microsystems put their IT support over to India a while back. Apparently the guy who made the decision didn't last long...

mind you i'm not sure UK call centres always offer glowing service either! what you really need is someone to talk to who is within hitting distance if they get it wrong. or maybe a facility where you can deliver an electric shock to somewhere painful by pressing 4 on your telephone keypad. now there's an incentive to get it right....

[timwilky]

Finally when I manage to get through to a UK support guy I spend 4 hours working with him and go from



to



Worth the grief I think, The script monkey was adamant there was no problems. Now a happy Tim