When You Cant Understand The Customer Service Rep (member, introducing, feel)

[aquietpath]

I don't see why some people make excuses to end the call and hope they get a csr they can understand on a 2nd try. If someone's accent is so bad I have to keep asking them to repeat themselves, I'll tell them. Slow down, speak clearly, I am having trouble understanding you. They may think they have great command over the English language but if no one points out the fact that no one can understand them, they won't feel the need to improve.

[AADAD]

I immediately ask for an english speaking representative. when they balk I say is your hearing also bad?

[branDcalf]

Companies who get the contracts for outsourced customer service have promised their clerks can speak and understand English. American English, British English... where ever the calls will originate. If you get a clerk that you cannot understand, it is fine to ask for another clerk and to explain why. I have also asked clerks to speak more slowly, and they have.

I was working at a building where an employee who had immigrated from the Philippines was having a terrible time understanding a clerk from India, and visa versa. Our employee caught me as I was passing and asked me to try. I did and we had a laugh about it.

But, the clerk from India gave her name as "Harold." I asked "Harold? Your mother named you 'Harold?'" She said yes. I asked a friend who works for an outsourcing agency about names and he told me companies give their clerks a list of American, or British, or French (whichever applies) names and tells their clerks to pick one to use at work. To make their customers more comfortable.

I suggested they further separate male and female names.

[Catdancer]

Bad enough to get an overseas CSR you can't understand, even worse when they're based in the US and are a native speaker. Last week I spoke (or tried to) with a woman from the "deep south" that might as well been speaking Finnish.

CSRs should have to pass an elocution test before being hired. Let them dictate to a computer with good voice to text software. If it can't understand them, I probably won't either.

......and on the subject........it really ticks me off that I have to pay Comcast an arm and a leg every month but when I have a problem and I need to talk to someone, I end up in Indonesia, India or the Philippines.

Just for kicks, I looked up the salary that CSRs are paid in the Philippines - Usually less that $350 a month in US dollars. Ain't that a kick in the arse?

[cpg35223]

Ask to speak to a supervisor. It's really not that hard.

[armory]

Originally Posted by Bette

...or someone in the US

I'm usually calling about an error or something that needs to be investigated and I don't need to be read a script.

A few months ago, I had 2 departments with Amex not talking to each other (I got a supervisor out of Utah and cleared this guy's account problem up in one hour over a $2.00 charge fee). Common sense prevailed with the Utah supervisor but prior to that, I was tearing out my hair as was their client.

And, these are jobs that paid about $40K per year formerly based out of South Florida now outsourced to India and the Phillipines.

A bowl of chickenfoot and rice soup a day is far cheaper.

[Susieisanartist]

I don't have much trouble understanding thick accents, but occasionally will get a rep who doesn't understand the nuance of language necessary for me to explain my problem. Then, I'll ask to speak with a supervisor. Often, that will get me transferred to a rep in the US, and things can get solved more quickly.

[armory]

This thread just reminded me of an incident I had while working for NASA.
I was a satellite flight controller and worked off shifts. NASA then had different facilities which generated data for different aspects of space travel. GPS changed a lot of things and those facilities are not so important as they once were. I needed a program to upload to my satellite - yesterday - and was having a hard time communicating with the Chinese woman on duty in that facility. I had no problem with her working the job but communicating with someone in English at 3 am is a must in rush situations. How did Kirk put up with Chekov?

The various engineers I had on hand at the time were worthless so I hoofed it up 4 flights of stairs to find the Chinese woman's supervisor and got what I needed to avoid safehold.
Simple English, please??

[melissapla12]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

Ask to speak to a supervisor. It's really not that hard.

I have done that and the supervisor was just as bad SOMETIMES, as soon as they answer, I can tell that I wont be able to understand them so I just hang up. I rarely do this since it comes off as rude to me. Ive had people from our warehouse in Japan call me as well and it's another train wreck trying to understand them too

[Lost Roses]

Originally Posted by Summerwhale

Oh tell me about it. I went there this summer and I was horrified I could not believe it, it was if Florida had changed to be part of Brazil!!!

I don't mind if the people make an effort to speak English but when they go out and about speaking Spanish it does annoy me. I was watching videos on Youtube and the people there were saying that in Miami you are looked down upon if you speak English!!! What a disgusting disgrace!!!

Oh, you hear a lot of Portuguese in Florida?

I also have difficulty with some customer service accents but I'm more likely to laugh out loud when I hear the "common American name" who is answering with that accent. I see no reason why they can't use their own names since i can't understand anyway. I have difficulty with southern accents too. I think a lot of the problem is enunciation.