I've always disliked call centers
When you call it takes forever to get an answer. It seems the usual time is 30 to 45 minutes. Listening to the mournful repetitive tiny bit if music drives me crazy. Listening to , "Your call is important to us" 200 times is insulting.
So finally someone answers. What have I got? Someone whose English is very limited. They have an accent and only understand about half of what I say. Since my hearing is poor , I have difficulties hearing speech which is heavily accented. If we did understand each other they have a very limited knowledge of the topic I'm seeking information about. So after a frustrating time I usually end up not getting the information I was seeking.
Now the call center business is large. It's set up to operate efficiently and is very lucrative.
Now I knew a young guy who had brief experiences with working in call centers or should I say training. He was well paid and he would train until some other opportunity came along. Many opportunities he chose were also short term. Sergio spent time at my house and I tried to help him with support and employment. He worked in a slaughter house for a few weeks. He worked for a cement company for a few days. However, Sergio always seemed to mess things up. He didn't seem to care if he got anything right. So if he was working in a call center he could make anything up!
Now yesterday with my tax issue I happened to be dealing with a call center. The person knew absolutely nothing about what I was asking.
A few years ago taxation employees answered the phones. You got information.
Now I'm sure that if call centers continue they will be responsible for destroying our society.
Yes, I find the constant "your call is important to us" interruptions more irritating than the music.
ReplyDeleteHave these people ever stopped to think how hollow the your call is important statement is?
DeleteThe language issue is extremely frustrating to me, too. I used to be able to pick up the gist of a conversation even if the speaker had a heavy accent, but I can't anymore. Maybe I have hearing loss and don't know it! I thought it was just that my brain wasn't as agile as I aged.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada we have so many different accents . I am used to hearing them. Call center accents are somehow harder to get.
DeleteI feel the same way. It is so frustrating dealing with someone whom you know doesn't have the proper information. maybe worse is when you think they have given you the right information and it turns out to be false!
ReplyDeleteYes, these are serious. I wonder how these companies think they will make money.
DeleteWe have issues with poorly spoken English and stupid people that don't know anything. Very frustrating:(
ReplyDeleteFrustrating...very good word to use.
DeleteI had to laugh at Sergio! I knew a Gilberto who was the same: one time he cut through the power cord of the electric hedge shears as he used them!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could complain about call centres but so far I have had okay service from most of them. Our social security call centre is often so overloaded that a call to them won't even go through and if you do get through you could wait up to two hours but once you mange to actually speak to someone they are always consumate professionals: helpful, friendly and courteous even though they must deal with a lot of very angry clients
Wait two hours? That's criminal.
DeleteRarely are they any good
ReplyDeleteI think more than rarely would describe their performance better.
DeleteI have the same issues with call centers.
ReplyDeleteWe should get some kind of protest against call centers.
DeleteI just laugh when they ask is there anything else they can do. Hmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteThat's a bad question to ask !!!
DeleteI have had the same experience, especially with technology-related items. It's frustrating all right. I actually saw an ad recently for a company that promised phone help by a native English speaker but I can't think right now what the company was. I hope they are the wave of the future.
ReplyDeleteA call center with that characteristic should do well.
Delete"Your call is important to us" If my call was important to them, they wouldn't keep me on hold for a long time listening to crappy music.
ReplyDeleteMany comments would describe that situation.
DeleteDon't get me started. Ok I'll keep it brief. You have forgotten to mention the robots who answer. They never make a mistake as long as you only follow their choices which are often too fast and numerous for my limited memory ability to follow. I'm usually very if I can break through the system to reach a real live human being although they might not be real helpful. Yes call center may destroy human society if they drive us all crazy first. Of wait maybe that's the same thing....
ReplyDeleteI hate it when they say "This call may be recorded for training purposes". What right have they to record me when I haven't given permission for this to happen? And if they make us hang on for several minutes then surely they aren't employing enough staff.
ReplyDeleteThey hold us hostage. When I need to make a correction even for an address, I can't speak to a person to get it to happen. You are correct, it is worse than ever. I took a free upgrade on my cable line and I know that it will take me weeks to cancel ti before I get stuck with it.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it awful? All in the name of saving money for corporations. Our furnace konked out, we phoned, got through and they are on their way. Small towns. Yay.
ReplyDelete