Is it too much to ask?

[smo]

To speak to someone british, in the UK?

I've been tidying up loose ends, correcting addresses and stuff and so far spent my whole afternoon either on hold or talking to someone in a foreign country who doesnt really understand and cannot deviate from the script in front of them  

Barclaycard are crap, used to be great but they couldnt even manage to change my address after 12 minutes of conversation going over and over the same thing!

Admiral insurance are just as bad, missing bits off my policy and screwing it all up even more.

God dam money saving carp really gets my goat. Hows about doing something for the customer and employing people in this country who at least understand what is going on!  

[Evilgoat]

On the bright side a lot of comapnies are realising its costing them more in ratings and customers and are comming back.

i know how you feel though :(

[smo]

Shame they didnt realise before sacking everyone over here and moving operations abroad.

Just does my nut - called Nectar a min ago, another foreign call centre, thankfully this lady did understand my request for a new card and managed to complete the request without the hassle of the other companies above!

[the loon]

I have to deal with our forigen colleages on a regular basis (I work in a call center) and although some staff seem to be compitant a good proportion are as you say useless.
examples
data protection laws cant understand concept at all
Basic understanding of whats being asked - very little
being able to express themselves in english - very slow process

One of the things I have been told though by higher sauces at work is that what the forigen staff will do is start with one business and compleat there training and work with one company for a month or so then resign..
Then repeat this process with a few other companies
then they can add these jobs on there CV and apply at supervisor level or higher  :shock:

However for a forigen person to get what would be classed as a "basic" customer service role in the UK they must have a university degree or equivilant in callcentre skills - makes you think that bit  :lol:

[Frankie-Boy]

What annoys me is the very first thing they say is a blatant lie, ie- "Hello, my name is Kevin, how can I help you", Kevin, Kevin - how long has that been an asian name.  :shock:  :?  Humbug  

[Terminus]

Most people who either work for UK call centres abroad or come to this country take an english first name - it's because it may be hard for people to pronounce their name.

Now this is not a race card and I'm sure everyone in every country needs and has the right to work as they please - but the ones that bug me are the ones who can barely speak english so don't understand 80% of what you say and end with a goodbye that reminds me of Apu in the simpsons with less feeling.

[AbyssDJ]

What annoys me is the very first thing they say is a blatant lie, ie- "Hello, my name is Kevin, how can I help you", Kevin, Kevin - how long has that been an asian name.  :shock:  :?  Humbug  

the guy in our local post office also has that argument! hello, my names phillip smith. hmm, and my names bavesh singh. i'm convinced that 90% of foreign call center employees just read (badly) from a script, and dont actually have any clue what they're talking about.

[Llanigraham]

You want to try getting some of these call centres to realise that in Wales we speak a different language and therefore spell things, shall we say, a little unusually!
My bank told me that my town didn't exist as there were no towns in England spelt with a double L, and therefore I must live abroad. Don't think she realised that the UK includes other countries.

[tomarse]

God dam money saving carp really gets my goat. Hows about doing something for the customer and employing people in this country who at least understand what is going on!  

If you dont like the way they do things then change to a different company. write them a letter or fill in a complaint form saying why (many have them on their websites) if it makes you feel better! (though they probably never read them!) :)

[smo]

God dam money saving carp really gets my goat. Hows about doing something for the customer and employing people in this country who at least understand what is going on!  

If you dont like the way they do things then change to a different company. write them a letter or fill in a complaint form saying why (many have them on their websites) if it makes you feel better! (though they probably never read them!) :)

Like you say they never read em, so why bother!

[tomarse]

Like you say they never read em, so why bother!

gives you a chance to rant at em and makes you feel better! :)

[Terminus]

You want to try getting some of these call centres to realise that in Wales we speak a different language and therefore spell things, shall we say, a little unusually!
My bank told me that my town didn't exist as there were no towns in England spelt with a double L, and therefore I must live abroad. Don't think she realised that the UK includes other countries.

Llanbryde in Scotland  :shock:  :D

[Jas278]

Talking of good old customer service , My bank HSBC, at present has a notice on the service counters which tell customers that they are speeding up counter service and to achieve this between 11am and 1 pm non account holders will be charged £5.00 for the use of the counter service,they forgot to mention that they have cut the counters from 6 to 3 and that they ever only have 1 counter open............plus with my buisness account they charge me to pay cash in , and to take it out, customer service... ******

[beast5680]

my wife has her business account with HSBC and has given up with the call centres, even the local branch have told her not to use it and have given her the phone number of the advisor in the local branch so she can get help when needed :roll:

[Range Rover Blues]

SWMBO worked on NRE for a while and they (the people paying the bills, not the end-users) got fed up with foreigners confusing things like Southport and Stockport.  Bummer if you are trying to plan a rail journey :roll:

[mrsgrumpy]

Interesting read .... I am with the co-operative Bank .... I need to draw to £2800 in cash (for my new Paj  :lol:  ).... obviously it would take 10 days to draw out with an ATM!!  
So I rang them and asked how I could get my money out .... No branches within 20 miles, the post Office will only let me draw £250/day .... so how am I going to get my cash out .... simple ... I can't .... but they would happily send me a cheque .... for a fee of £10!!!
When all my financial bits and pieces are sorted I will be closing my 6 accounts with this bank and going into one where I can physically take my cash over the counter!!!
In the end I have had to transfer my money into someone elses account who has a 'walk-in' bank .... good job I've got a friend!!!  
BTW ... Their call centre is in Skelmersdale!!!  :shock:

[the loon]

SWMBO worked on NRE for a while and they (the people paying the bills, not the end-users) got fed up with foreigners confusing things like Southport and Stockport.  Bummer if you are trying to plan a rail journey :roll:

I take it you mean national rail enquiries ...
I worked there for about six months ages ago and we used have to laugh at some of the calls such as when asking where someone wanted to go get the answer "somewhere nice" :lol: or people asking if they could travel to stupid places like the moon by train and anyone traveling to anywhere in wales that started with a ll .... always had to ask can you spell that for me
 :lol:

[muddyjames]

I have recently signed up to tiscali broadband and with no warning I get cut off. Ihave phoned up 3 times now and every time I get a non english speeking person. I have been told the problem is my extension lead so they have sent me another one. I dont get cut off as often but I am still getting cut off. Why cant I speak to a technician who may have an idea on my problem. A script wont mend my problem.

Grrr

[Legionnaire]

It doesnt surprise me now that companies ie Natwest are advertising UK call centres. I am with HSBC and dont have a problem, I have a direct line to my bank manager, but even he has said when he has been out and needed directions to another branch the person answering the phone in India hasnt a clue.

Andrew

[waveydavey]

At least all these have been commercial !

I married a South African, that means that we had to go through a lot of Visa adn immigration paperwork.

Calling Barclycard is one thing but when you call the United Kingdon Immigration and Nationality Directorate and it takes four calls to get somebody with a half decent command of English, that's upsetting !

Oh yes; and the last time we flew into Manchester our passports were checked by a Nigerian - super!

[ian_s]

i been doing a similar thing today

spoke to natwest, ntl, directline and adrian flux
every one i spoke to had an english accent, spoke clearly and understood everything i said first time.

then i come back to work, try to call Dell, and get an indian bloke who couldnt spell IAN!!!

[the loon]

Oh yes; and the last time we flew into Manchester our passports were checked by a Nigerian - super!

did he ask to make a photocopy