Talking to India

So many times I have called customer service to talk to someone on the other side of the world. While I initally didnt understand peoples complaints about this, a very common occurance, this was short lived.

As I'm sure, more than one person has experienced this scenario, there is no point in restating the obvious, you call, you get someone who says their name is Steven or Michelle, even though you know it isnt. The conversation occurs, you hope you will get the answer you need. You hang up satisfied or more frustrated.

I first thought that to be against overseas customer service was ignorant or racists. I mean, they have the guide books and have been trained on the software, product, or service you are calling about. Right?

Well, I have realized that may not be enough. Americans are very demanding, and this has become an integrated part of our society. We move at a fast pace in general, always engaged in a 'rat race' mentality. 'If you can't help me, get out of my way'. This is perpetual, as it may not be us with the urgent need but our customers, and they are rushed because of their boss, which they have to listen to becuase they have to support their family, who is rushing off to soccer games and ballet. Not enough time for life, so rush the hours you have.

As an American who has been fortunate to have traveled across the pond, I realized that Americans and our country has had a profound effect on the world. This is made so obvious by the eonomic situation, we collapsed, they all collapsed. Our world is intertwined. No matter how much you may hate 'foreignors' (I will hold my opinion on that for a later blog), you cannot escape it. They live here, we live there, we are all a big mix! India included. While the majority of their population is Indian, born and raised, they talk to more Americans each day, further intergrating our societies. This is very difficult for both sides I think, as Americans most likely havent traveled to India, and most Indians havent traveled to the US. Americans more times than not, are not schooled on other cultures or socities, we are such a large country with such a mix of people that most do not feel the need to go outside of our continent. This is where the problem of Talking to India comes in.

When Americans call customer service, we are expecting answers...30 minutes ago. We are usually impatient and are not too happy, and to now have to 'deal' with huge cultural differences that we have no basis to understand. I try to be patient, realizing these poor people ( not poor money, but by being subjected to the attitudes of Americans) are making more money than they could have hoped for, doing a job most Americans find rather demeaning. I have done phone customer service and have had my share of yelling and nasty comments, but have come to realize that when customers called, they now had a free therapist to vent their frustration on, no matter that their issue is really about something else in their day, which they turn into more anger about the product or service they are calling about. I took it in stride and never took it home, luckily. I'm not so sure about the rep's in India... I have never gotten much attitude back, even during particularly stressful phone calls, but have had the few conversations that were of complete and utter shock to me.

The First: Called about a music player I use, it began to have issues and needed customer service to assist me in fixing it. During the conversation the rep (in India) began to ask me personal questions, which I cant remember now of course, but I do remember the shock I felt and how angry I was. I didnt yell at him, mainly due to shock, but did sternly tell him that was none of his business, to keep all our conversation professional. He did, but I have to wonder where he got the idea that this is how to interact with a caller? Especially a female

The Second: Called about a VOiP service, my phone wouldnt work and had been having alot of problems with it. I had called a couple of times before, again, no yelling, but getting to the point where a manager would have to assist as all other rep's didnt have enough knowledge or experience to actually help fix the problem. I spoke to a woman this last time; she went through all the basic introductions and questions one normally gets when calling into a large calling station over seas. I obliged, even though I had already expereinced all this and knew she couldnt help. She asked me to describe my problem, I did. She then began to lead me through all the solutions I already knew, had previously tried too many times to count, step by step. I explained I already did all of this, to please transfer me to a manager as no solutions provided after 3-4 calls has worked. The shock with this call: She WOULDNT let me go! She would NOT transfer me despite me asking her many many many times politely. I was in complete shock and awe at what was going on. She just kept telling me to describe my problem, she could fix it. I explained to her, she does not understand my issue, the solutions she is providing do not work etc... this continued repetitiously for 10 min. I finally, with no other alternative, told her I do not want to talk to her anymore, to transfer me immediately, even if it wasnt a manager. I couldnt talk to her anymore. She wouldnt do it, just kept repeating herself, "tell me your issue, I will assist you". After 15 min. of this, thinking maybe she didnt realize I was angry or mad and said in a loud voice again: 'transfer me now, I do not want to talk to you anymore'. It didnt work. I thought I was lost in the Twilight Zone, is this really happening? She cant help me, (and yes I knew this for a fact after trying for so long with so many rep's), and wont let me talk to another person.... The clincher: she wouldnt acknowledge any of my requests, even when I got loud, she ignored my part of the conversation and just kept asking what she could assist me with. I think there was something else amis with this rep., something perhaps psychological? her behavior was a bit strange, even if it's coming from a culture completely diffferent from my own. Obviously this one got to me, but out of shear and obsolute confusion and frustration. (and no, hanging up never occured to me, never had to hang up on a customer service person before)

While I feel both of these occurances may be rare, I have to wonder what is being instructed to them that either was allowed to happen? In the 1st instance: was he told to be personable with customers and thought asking personal questions was a part of that? In the 2nd instance: is the work ethic in India so strict or the management so dictating that she was really afraid to not be the person to assist me, to have to transfer her call to another rep, the most mortifying thing she could do? would she be punished greatly?

I have no idea as I didnt ask them. But I did realize after all this: Americans and India call centers dont get along the majority of the time because of culture. The differences are huge, and I'm very sure there are prejudices that go both ways. While big business is using this 'tool' because it is cheap and they work 24 hour call centers there, is it really meeting the needs of American customers? and what about the employees working the lines? are they benefitting in any way really other than money? Or is that another cultural difference that I dont understand? I have had many calls end with satisfaction, but too many that were uneeded frsutration, involving language barriers and culture differences, and no solutions. This does seem to be getting better as the call centers are becoming more educated and experienced with us, so maybe this will be a working solution in the years to come. To add: I have Indian friends...LOL... no but really... that have mentinoed this issue to me as well; but they are Americans in their culture and do not follow Indian cultural guidelines. It is not skin I'm pointing to in my Casual Observance, but a difference that is inherent, can't be taught with a book, a cultural difference that is engrained to both the caller and the representative. Maybe one day someone will have figured this out? I'm sure there is a book written on the subject.