Outsourced Call Center Frustration

Bstndance

For the most part I have never had a problem with call centers based in India. Whenever there seemed to be an issue, I chalked it up to a communication issue. Today, however, is a different story.

I booked a trip on Delta but my frequent flier account is with Continental. The good news is I can earn Continental miles when I fly Delta but I have to call Delta. I call the 800 number and after a ton of voice prompts I get connected to somewhere halfway around the world and am asked all the same questions I just was prompted to answer. I then ask if I can add my Continental number to the reservation. Immediately the guy shuts me down and says I have to call continental. Why would I call them when I'm flying Delta? He wouldn't answer and proceeded to ask if I wanted to know rental car rates at my destination. Oy vey!

I humored him and called Continental. I was connected with a nice person in Houston who told me that I have to call Delta. I totally understand and told them how I was told to call them. I wasn't going to get upset at someone telling me the right info. I called Delta again ready for war. Well after all of the prompts I'm connected with a woman with a southern accent. She didn't ask me any of the info again and took care of what I needed in less than 20 seconds.

My experience wasn't that bad. But, I believe a company that actually cares about their customers would make sure that people wouldn't have to play call center merry-go-round.

Anyone else have bad experiences with outsourced call centers?

XJW4EVR

Out of country call centers was the reason why I dropped AOL.

LDH

Anyone else have bad experiences with outsourced call centers?

Mostly just cultural.

Like when they say my name 15 times during a one minute conversation.

"And Miss Davis we are please to tell you Miss Davis that blah blah blah Miss Davis does this sound like something you would be interested in Miss Davis"

For some reason that really chaps my behind!

Wordly Andre

once I called a company that financed something I bought I think it was from a furniture store, well Anyway, after a year of trying to get them to correct my name Andre not Andrea in that little form on the back of the payment slip, I called and got someone in India, when I told them that my name on the account was wrong they said that they couldn't help me because I was not Andrea, I said yes thats right I am Andre, they said sorry sir we can not help you we need to speak to the account holder, I said THERE IS NO ANDREA they said sorry sir. We can only give account information to account holder. I just paid off the account under my tranny name Andrea.

ellderwho

I saw a peice on this from Goodmorning America. They went to a call center in India and there was a giant banner that said " 40 equals 10"

When asked what that meant the tour guy says that the age, 10 is the mentality of a forty year old when trying to walk him through a computer problem. Nice huh.

I think the funny thing when getting India help is the person says there name and its always something like Jim or Bob or someother American sounding name.

Bstndance

I heard some places train their people by watching Friends so they can understand some of the cultural differences. I do feel bad sometimes because people are calling them for help with products and things that the people working in the centers can't afford.

Andre: I would have said, "one second let me get her" and then came back on with a high pitched voice. HAHA