It is obvious that companies hire these Fucks to reduce the amount of calls. They can’t understand what you’re saying and you sure in the Hell can’t understand what they are saying. Even after spelling everything out they still get the information wrong. What’s the use?
Same with fast food joints. They have a manager that speaks perfect English but they prefer to get Pablo Hernandez to take orders. Bad enough with the static, now I have to decipher broken English. That’s it, I’m never buying anything again or eating out. That will teach you!!!
Or you could prevail upon them to “speak english clearly.”
Although the way you put it could have been right too.
Ahdonnowhutyertalkinbout,dangolmessageboardposterdangol Chubbs.
Yawanfrieswitat?
I work in customer service. Sadly, I know that this is a problem, mostly because customer service positions must be filled at a low cost.
My advice to you: If you get someone who you cannot understand or who keeps getting information wrong, ask to talk to a supervisor. Otherwise, call back. It is worth it not to have to deal with the headache of cleaning up after this person’s mess; trust me, I do it every day. When someone repeats your information back wrong several times, just ask for the supervisor. You don’t need to get ugly about it, just explain your concern. A lot of supervisors will (privately) agree with you. There are problem employees everywhere.
However, there are some things that you CAN do to help with those of us who are functionally fluent and literate:
1.) Speak clearly yourself! I cannot tell you how many times I deal with someone who needs for me to speak verrrrrry slowly, but then when I ask their zip code, this frantic stream of syllables come out faster than a bolt of lightning streaking across the sky. I have to type this in, people. (Also, if someone asks you to repeat it, the answer is not "SIGH! FIIIIIIIIVE, OHHHHHHHH, THREEEEEEEEE… I am not an idiot, I simply don’t want to go through the problem of getting wrong information and searching for an account several times.)
2.) Make your concerns known to said company. This is really the only way things change. The best way to do this is in writing. Heck, I work here, and the only way I can fix things is to get me and everyone else to submit things in writing!
3.) Ask how to confirm, and do it. Write down account information, like your account number and order confirmation numbers. Follow up if things don’t come through the way you wanted.
4.) Don’t be a jerk. I know this should go without saying, but it really is in your best interest as well as the CSR’s. I know there is nothing that will make me unhelpful faster than a customer making it clear that they have no respect for me or the company. I have the power to use personal discretion to help customersi n certain circumstances, but I won’t be bullied. Don’t try – after a couple weeks we all get hardened to it, and it will probably appear on your account if you act unreasonably, making even future CSRs unlikely to trust you or bend the rules for you.
5.) If you’re calling frequently, you can often learn other tips. I know with AOL customer service, I found out that certain customer service ‘sites’ had consistently good employees; others, consistently bad. It is actually the same in my company; our site is much more popular because the other is located in a southwestern state where the English proficiency is, sadly, much lower. Also, get names and dates of people you talk to. If possible, get their extension numbers – not all companies will allow this but sometimes it pays to call back the same person who can deal with a known issue rather than just picking it all back over again. (This works differently for different companies, so please ask! I know I am very flattered when people ask for information on how to contact me directly.)
Lastly, I doubt these folks are hired to reduce call volume. If anything they increase it if they are screwing up so badly and by not speaking clearly. It’s likely it’s just because of the pay level and job turnover. A lot of customer service is done by third-party companies and it just doesn’t make sense to be brutally inefficient if you want to keep a client. No client wants to make a test call to their customer service and hear drool dripping into the phone from whoever answers.
You can help do your part to keep competent people in the job by being honest and (when possible) sociable, even friendly. If you get a great employee, you may think about letting them know they’re appreciated, by simply thanking them, or even passing on a favorable recommendation to a supervisor. It’s a stressful job!
Pablo Hernandez!? Is that what he’s up to these days? I haven’t seen him since grade school!
I worked for A****** O***** tech support for 3 years. One of my teammates there had a charming, moderate Indian accent. He used to get complaints and poor “customer satisfaction” scores (our promotions depended, in part, on these)…until he did one thing.
No, he didn’t change his accent, or the way he gave instructions-- he introduced himself at the beginning of the call as “Mike” instead of “Mohammed.” TWENTY POINT RISE in satisfaction score. Promotion, increased pay, no more complaints about “I can’t understand him.”
I used to take calls from the wankers who whined about the way he talked in his pre-Mike days. Without exception, they were the most heavily accented, backwoods thugs that I’ve ever spoken to, and I grew up 'round people who “warsh” with soap and “rench” with water, say “as far as Godibo to Poteau” and such, so I should know a heavy American accent when I hear it. (I myself speak Deep Okie when en famille and Midwestern Standard when on the phone at work.)
Not to say you aren’t getting someone who truly has trouble with English… just tellin’ the other side of the story here… and suggesting you listen to your own accent before you ask other people to change theirs.
Corr
Fluiddrid, I hear ya. But you would think that the powers that be would want to please an already-pissed-off customer by giving them clear, distinct customer service. I don’t know why there isn’t some sort of test they can give people before they are hired into this critical position. But I’ll tell ya, when I get a good one, golly! I just want to sit and talk to them for a while! It is a hard job and a crappy chore for the consumer. Anything that makes it better is a step in the right direction.
EchoKitty, easier said than done. In my company, they are frantically hiring nearly anyone who makes it through the door. I understand your frustration – I sure find it frustrating when I get people who speak so little English that it takes ten minutes to try to get a simple point across.
However, it’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness. All the bitching on SDMB in the world won’t change the fact that it is a low paying, high stress job and that they can’t afford to be choosy, so there are things that you can do to help yourself; see my note.
[Irrelevant sidenote] I actually had the high and low end of calls today; I had one wonderful lady whose address was right near where I grew up! (A neighboring town.) We chatted a bit and it was very nice, she works down there and knew exactly about the area where I lived. On the other hand there was a guy who was extremely rude – trying to threaten and intimidate me, and calling me a liar. Well, not outright, but he wouldn’t believe me, telling me my answers HAD to be wrong, and kept asking the same question 5 different ways trying to get a different answer; he asked for a supervisor in the threatening way that’s supposed to get a rise out of me, but instead makes us very happy because we’re getting rid of the person. 
This particular winning specimen apparently things that “WHATEVER!” followed by hanging up means “Goodbye” or something. Tee hee.
Apparently Pablo Hernandez was fired from his customer support job and took it out on his mother and family pets.