Advertising UK call centres...

[Rhi_Rhi1]

I don't know all i do know is that, whenever i get an offshore call center, they don't understand me at all ! i was with virgin for the longest time and no one in their offshore call center made any sense! it was horrendous, it only becomes an issue when u have problems and you need to explain, and if it isn't a word on their set script they are really really thrown and end up diverting you back to England anyways which takes AGES, its not a nice thing to say but if someone doesn't speak your language very well then you don't very well want to be stuck on the phone to them when you are in a bad mood trying to fix your internet.

 

[BabyJayne]

I don't think it's racist. If you are with a company that is insuring you in the UK, for use in the UK and you live in the UK, then advertising the fact that you have UK call centres is just that. There are often complaints that big companies are cutting jobs in the UK to set up call centres abroad as they are cheaper to run - I don't see anything wrong with saying that you don't outsource this service.

 

[vaniilla]

Generally speaking I don't have a problem with the offshore call centers - it's only the 118 directory ones that really annoy me because you're paying an extortionate rate per minute and you don't want to waste time spelling every word out - it's supposed to be a couple of seconds call sort of thing, the rest of it I don't mind as much since calls aren't too expensive. I think (or at least hope) that the advert is more about outsourcing than anything else.

 

[Fergie]

I've got a Scottish accent and I find that the Indian call centres are rubbish at understanding me and vice-versa tbh. I usually have to jump through various hoops to get put through to a native english speaker. Does my flipping head in

I agree. I once spent nearly 4 hours on the phone to BT in India, trying to get someone to answer a very simple question about my connection. In the end i found out that the person i spoke to first cancelled my order !. I would prefer to speak to someone who understands me and whom i can understand. In saying that though i've had issues with Londoners not being able to understand me and i'm not that broad scottish.

I don't find the advert racist, i do find the blooming dog hard to understand though .

 

[Foogirl]

Having worked in a call centre and hearing the many, many racist comments from customers about our offshore agents I do believe an advert like this will only encourage that racism.

I think to say it "encourages" racism is probably a bit of a misrepresentation. What it will do is give people who are already racist an opportunity to express that. These people will always be racist, whether they use a UK call centre or not.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I do prefer the UK call centres as they understand what you mean better. I am not racist and could have a face-to-face conversation with a native of another country but on the phone with someone you dont know is much harder. Definitely a language barrier.