USA First, Foreigners Last!

[JLRodgers]

I don't know why some people get so worked up with a little language mixing. If someone were to say "hello, hola, bonjour, guten tag, aloha, shalom [including some Japanese, Chinese and Korean of the similar {I'd botch the spelling so I won't bother}]" or a series of other things for "goodbye", "thank you" or "you're welcome" I'd think nothing of it.

For that matter I'd probably reply in the same language!


Oh and like was said above me (wasn't there when I posted first), English has many words that are so similar to other languages, it's almost a "catch all". There was one word around me that's extremely popular and used freqently (can't remember what it is though offhand), that's actually French, and another one's Japanese (I think...) ---- and everyone I know thinks it's English!

[Peppergirl]

Seriously, if all call center people had to refrain from saying ANYTHING that might offend a customer, we'd be out of business because we wouldn't be able to speak!

SC's ALWAYS find something to be offended about. Always.

I had one over the weekend who was offended because she kept insisting it was Friday when it was actually Sunday. I kept correcting her because it was pertinent to her reaching the AFTER HOURS service. She kept screaming at me that it was Friday and her agency should be open.

I politely kept correcting her and she finally gave up and said "Well, you didn't have to make me feel STUPID about it!".

Uh, no...you did that JUST FINE on your own, sweetie. You needed NO HELP from me.

[Marxfan]

I'm surprised the customer didn't say, "Speak AMERICAN! It's the only language I understand!"

[HawaiianShirts]

... sounds like you aren't allowed to have a personality there....

You mean there are call centers in which employees ARE allowed to have a personality? I quit from a call center just days before I would have been FIRED for having a personality.

[Mordecai]

and I love "foreigners" from australia and england... when I tell them that they have been routed to the US because their center has been closed for the evening or if a center is closed for a local holiday... they are HAPPY to hear that the company is taking advantage of the time zones so that employees don't have to work overnight and can spend time with their friends and family or for a local holiday are happy that people who don't celebrate the holiday are willing to work extra so they don't have to... americans on the other hand will be irate that people are stealing their jobs so we have to work on every holiday to keep the spoiled racist brats in this country happy (i've seriously had people flip out when I tell them that the hotel forwarded the call to central so more of their employees could have christmas off... on christmas eve I had every single caller from australia saying they were so happy that we would take the calls so australians could have christmas off).

Consider yourself lucky. I've gotten quite a few foreign customers before, and they can be just as bad as Americans. For example, I've had a German lady scream at me until I gave her free admission when our gift card system was down a few months back, and before then a French tourist called me an idiot because I couldn't understand what he was saying. Don't get me wrong, though, most of them can be quite nice, it's just that the ones who are SC's tend to stick in my mind more.

[smileyeagle1021]

That's rarely the case. It's usually to save money, which doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that their clumsy attempts to trick me. When you hear someone with a thick accent from some Indian language ( usually Kannada) giving you a fake western name you know you have been routed overseas. Instead of trying to trick me they should just spend some time on accent reduction so I don't have to incessantly ask the guy to repeat himself.

in our case we really do run the centers all over the planet both because of the hotels all over the planet, and it takes advantage of the time zones so we don't have to have people working ungodly hours (every center is open 5am to midnight except I believe manilla which is 24/7 to be able to take overflow calls from other centers that are too busy)

You mean there are call centers in which employees ARE allowed to have a personality? I quit from a call center just days before I would have been FIRED for having a personality.

that is one thing I like about where we work, not only are we allowed to have personality but it is encouraged, there are no scripts, very few mandatory sales things that have to be done. really there are only 10 things that must be done on every call and they can be done however you like.

[donruss]

I'm a white, heterosexual American male. Can everyone please stop hating me? I'm an individual too.

[protege]

Instead of trying to trick me they should just spend some time on accent reduction so I don't have to incessantly ask the guy to repeat himself.

I have no problem with those who speak other languages. However, I do have a problem with those who speak broken English, and then get pissy because I can't understand them. It's *not* a racial issue, but a communication issue.

Oh, and can we please not turn this into an American-bashing thread? Just as many foreigners come here and complain that we don't speak their language. Just my .02

[Jules Of All Trades]

snip

What does bother me is that their clumsy attempts to trick me. When you hear someone with a thick accent from some Indian language ( usually Kannada) giving you a fake western name you know you have been routed overseas.

snip

I wouldn't assume they are always fake names. I work with people from all over the world, and some of the names on the paychecks I approve for those in Mumbai are:

Dave
Benjamin
Cherryl
Danny
Matthew
Gail
John

I think in general names have become more "modern" versus "western". Just my $.02...

[Rattslinger]

I've met a good deal of people from Japan, China, India, etc. that have Western names, it's the same as when Westerners name their kids Dakota, Oz, Rain, etc., so the child can have a more unique name.

[vman]

Yeah, the American bashing has gotten kind of old.

[tollbaby]

hehe I am perfectly bilingual (French/English) I don't have a discernable accent in either language (i.e. when I speak French, I sound fully francophone, and when I speak English, I sound fully anglophone). I often get customers who, because we're forced to answer the phone in both languages, will have a tantrum and DEMAND that I get them someone who speaks English (or French) *PROPERLY* At that point, I generally transfer them to one of my coworkers who have horribly strong accents and laugh

(btw, I haven't seen any overt American-bashing, but as I generally tell people on the forum I moderate, report the post if you have a problem with it, that's what that function is for!)

[AdminAssistant]

hehe I am perfectly bilingual (French/English) I don't have a discernable accent in either language (i.e. when I speak French, I sound fully francophone, and when I speak English, I sound fully anglophone).

My French is terrible. I can read pretty good, I can write okay, I can comprehend if someone is speaking it to me. But to speak it? I'm sure a French or Quebecois person would die laughing.

[edible_hat]

One of my regulars is a Nazi. A while ago he went on this big rant about how "Arabs are the new Jews" or some crap. I didn't bother telling him that my workplace is owned by an Arab family. He thinks they're Italian.

[Broomjockey]

One of my regulars is a Nazi. A while ago he went on this big rant about how "Arabs are the new Jews" or some crap. I didn't bother telling him that my workplace is owned by an Arab family. He thinks they're Italian.

Wait. An actual Nazi, a neo-nazi, or just a racist? Because if he's an actual Nazi, you can turn his hate-mongering ass in. Either of the others, work on getting him banned.