Indian call-center workers suffer abuse

[Gesslar]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl....DTL&type=tech

You know, I realise and understand the fear and worry about outsourcing both from an employment perspective and a concern about quality of service from foreign service providers- however, this is just wrong. There is absolutely no excuse and I realise the article is about Americans however I wouldn't be too quick to say that Canadians wouldn't participate as well.

The caller greeted her with a torrent of racial and sexual slurs, accused her of "roaming about naked without food and clothes" and asked, "What do you know about computers?"

Saurabh Jha, a 22-year-old in blue jeans, says a woman phoned from Texas recently and told him that, thanks to outsourcing, "You are getting money, food, shelter. You should be starving."

[Deokoria]

Unfortunately, I don't believe this is a phenomena reserved for international call centers. There seems to be a prevalent belief out there that if a person is in a 'customer service' type of job that it is somehow okay to verbally abuse and take out frustrations on that person. Of course, it's always easier to be rude to a person that you don't have to be face-to-face with.

I've actually been impressed with Indian call centers. I haven't had a lot of experience with them, but I have been routed to the SBC call center in India a few times. The people I have spoken with have always been friendly, knowledgable, patient, and helpful. And that's what you want from a call center, right?

[aelyn]

Originally posted by Deokoria
Unfortunately, I don't believe this is a phenomena reserved for international call centers. There seems to be a prevalent belief out there that if a person is in a 'customer service' type of job that it is somehow okay to verbally abuse and take out frustrations on that person. Of course, it's always easier to be rude to a person that you don't have to be face-to-face with.

That's why I try to be cheerful whenever I'm on the phone with customer service. If I make them laugh, then I win

[Aristotle]

I have a stock phrase I always use when I am dealing with customer service- especially when it is a situation where a company has made an error and I need them to fix it. This simple phrase, used repeatedly, seems to actually help a lot:

"I know this is not your fault. I know you did not do this. I know you did not create this policy. I am not upset with you, I am upset with what your company has done. Now, can we fix this?"

I think customer service people appreciate it when someone acknowledges that they are rarely the cause of the problem, and instead, they are the sponge that the company has put out to absorb all the anger and vitirol.

[Belaraiya]

Try getting called by the local phone company's indian call centre every night at 6pm. Dinner time.

They call and ask to talk to me about my phone company and how they could save me money. I decline and hang up. They call back and carry on their spiel. I decline and hang up. Rinse and repeat. They will continue to call back after I have hung up a number of times - and there is no "do not call" type list here yet.

Now, let's just add in mobile phones, internet companies, credit card companies, insurance, travel, and just about any other company you can think of calling me from india to talk to me at dinner time about their product/service and how it would benefit me. I've been called back and abused for hanging up on them!

But I'm with Ari, if I have a problem I try and be nice, and repeat the phrase