Do you get really annoyed when you ring a company and NO-ONE speaks English?

Question

I have encountered this on many occasions when calling UK numbers (EG AOL, PC World, HSBC etc) and it is starting to annoy me!

If i called another country this wouldn't be a question i asked... I am not racist but just fed up with explaining myself over and over again as they are employed to answer an ENGLISH helpline etc they should speak the language!

Answer 1

No that's fine I don't speak English either.

Answer 2

I have not had very good experiences with telephone conversations with foreign sounding speaking representatives from companies that I deal with.
They are very narrow minded and company oriented people but at the same time they do not think or come up with solutions to problems as do English speaking American citizens do.
I usually dial up the company many times when trying to sort out a problem that I am having with different topics trying my luck at getting an English sounding speaking person with no foreign accent such as Indian(from the country of India),or any other nationality really.
The last thing in the world that I want to deal with when speaking to a representative from a company that I need to discuss in intricate details is a language barrier problem.
It doesen't matter that they speak ,"English",all that matters to me is that they understand the language and not have to repeat questios and answers that I may have about any kind of problem that I may be having at the time.
Yes I do get annoyed but realize that many foreign nationals are being hired to be customer representatives on the telephone these days,and the only solution that I have found is to hang up on them and redial the company until I get lucky enough to reach a company representative that speaks fluent English so that I may deal with any problem effectively and not have to deal with a language barrier problem.

Answer 3

Yeah. The really annoying one is when they're reading from a card and they say "I am John" (pronouncing it "Dchtownne" or something). It's not that I care what they are called, but why lie?

So you know what I do? I say, Okay, John, my name is Abduhl Mohhammed Khan... which really messes them up because they can't find you on the computer. You then try to explain to them that you were just having a laugh - and there's no phrase card in the office for that. They then have to get a supervisor to speak to you - and generally they can speak English a little better than the others.

Answer 4

I live in the USA . I have been told I have a mild southern accent and I know my voice is some what deep for a female. For some reason the people of India can not understand a word I speak!! And I am a slow typer!!! So if I try the Internet they hang up cause they think I am done !! I also look down when I type, I tell them all this FIRST and I get no where. They make my blood pressure go way up. Please could they get a clue!!

Answer 5

YES!!!! We run a mechanics workshop - we had a rep come around and tell us about their products - He was a Kiwi (we are in Australia) he left their product catalogue - I have rung this company twice now (I doubt I will ring again) every time the phone is answsered it is an Asian person (male once and female once) neither of these asian people could understand what car part I was after - I was being very clear eg I need a tail light for a certain car and they would not understand what I was asking for - a tail light how hard is that when they are the things they sell??? Im not racest at all in fact welcome anyone but when it comes to business and that company comes to you trying to sell their products and you try to buy them and they cant understand your order there is a problem.

Answer 6

This is an old question so I will dust off my old answer.
No I would be calling a foreign company or Quebec so no English would not be a surprise. I have never called anywhere else and got that. I would be thinking oops wrong number

Answer 7

OMG yes. I am so tired of not being able to communicate with companies that I do business with. I now ask for someone who speaks fluent English when I reach someone who can not. If we keep up the pressure they will have to notice the need for fluent speaking CSR's.... right? I am so tired of having to break things down into broken sentences and asking something to be repeated 12 times. I am busy just like everyone else and do not have time to educate their employees!

Answer 8

yes I think its digusting, the worst for this nowadays is Bt broadband helpdesk and Hutchinson ''3'' mobile network. You cant understand them and they cant understand you, its nonsense and no way to conduct a business, but it aint gonna change- its all about corporate greed as usual no one cares for the customers at all, yet we are the ones lining their big fat pockets. Mind you, even the customer lines in the uk, and they speak english are all so stupid they never have as clue what you are talking about, nothing gets done and you have to be on their case for about 6 months before you get your issue resolved, British gas have alot to answer for. Right, rant over! have a nice day now!

Answer 9

I have encountered the reverse of this and it REALLY winds me up. I am CONSTANTLY getting sales calls at home from people who are VERY obviously (by way of heavy ACCENT) 'Indian' saying "Hello my name is Malcolm and I'm from..." I have now reached the stage where I immediately say "NO - it's NOT. What is your REAL name? I won't speak to you unless I know who I'm really talking to!" More often than not they mutter a barely understandable apology and hang up! I have NO problem talking to foreigners - but I will NOT be lied to!

Answer 10

You know why?

Loads of call centers are now based in Asia (mainly India & Philippines), where wages are cheaper. The Filipinos (Philippines) are way more fluent in English & speaks with American accent as well.

Answer 11

Well I don't know from whence you hail,.but here in England I have never telephoned (ring sounds baby English) anywhere in this country and encountered an organisation that spoke any language other than English. Are you in the habit of telephoning foreign countries?