Transfer me to America...NOW!

[MoonCat]

That guy was a jerk, but I don't think he was concerned about an accent. Many people in the US feel that US-based companies should not outsource jobs to other countries, and they think if they refuse to talk to someone off-shore that the companies will eventually bring those jobs back here.

He was being an ass about it, though.

[Chromatix]

I have to laugh sometimes when I end up talking to someone who is obviously in a different country. I had one tech guy spelling something out for me, but when he went to use the "A as in apple" approach, he started using cultural and regional words that I had NO idea how to spell. That, combined with the accent, made that a particularly difficult call for me.

Something like this, perhaps?

That is of course why the International Phonetic Alphabet exists. It is internationally taught to people who need to use radios, usually pilots, sailor officers and the military, and it's quite widely understood outside those groups as well.

[Seshat]

I have to laugh sometimes when I end up talking to someone who is obviously in a different country. I had one tech guy spelling something out for me, but when he went to use the "A as in apple" approach, he started using cultural and regional words that I had NO idea how to spell. That, combined with the accent, made that a particularly difficult call for me.

Once when I was ordering Indian food I spelled out my street name as 'Whiskey Alpha Romeo....' (and so forth). The Indian-from-India chap who was taking my order thanked me profusely for using the International alphabet for doing that.

Edit to add: Should I say 'Indian-Australian' or something? Whatever. He lived in Australia, his heritage was Indian and recently enough that while he speaks fluent English, he probably has primarily Indian cultural referents.

[Grrrrrrr]

What an ass.

It's funny. The only time that I've had any issues with accents have all been AMERICAN accents (and yes, I'm in the US).

I live in Central Florida and I have to contend with what I call the "Gainesville accent." When confronted with said accent I usually have to ask the person to repeat what he or she said at least twice.

[Ellain]

The guy in the OP sounds like my grandfather, though I think dear Gramps would be ok talking to a Canadian. The sucky call I overheard was him trying to set up a new electronic device, and the only call centers were in India. I can understand asking to speak to someone else if you honestly can't decipher their accent, but this poor lady who had to deal with him spoke quite clearly. *sigh*

Gramps is one of those guys that says stuff like, "I'm not racist, I know a very nice black couple."
*facepalm*

[Jay 2K Winger]

I agree. In Japan there are places that us Americans can't get into -- because, I am told, of things like drunk soldiers and overly American Americans such as you mentioned.

Ah, I see. They don't like Anna Murrkins (as in, "I'm Anna Murrkin! I wanna talk to Anna Murrkin, dammit!"). Well, I can understand that.

Eh, I can say I have dealt with that, AND I AM IN THE USA.... So instead my boss took the call as a transfer 'in his best Indian tech support accent he could muster." ahhhh.

That's glorious.

[BlaqueKatt]

I remember once taking an escalated call from one of my coworkers in my call center, she was a naturalized citizen of the US, originally from India. The person was b*tching about "not talking to an American", I explained that not only was she an American, she spoke 7 languages other than English, and she trained me to do my job, as she had 3 college degrees(one a master's in engineering)!

[depechemodefan]

International alphabet for doing that.

I remember spelling out a word for someone and I probably said, "Z like Zebra" and he started being an ass because I wasn't using International alphabet/Nato phonetic alphabet.

[MoonCat]

Funny thing about spelling out names: We don't read back most death notices anymore because we provide emailed or faxed proofs, but if the customer requests it, we do it.

So sometimes I'll be reading back something, and let's say the middle initial is "S." But the deceased person is a woman. I'll say "S as in Sam" and the person on the phone will say, "No! Her middle name is Sophie!"

Uh, yeah, I get that. I'm trying to make sure I have the correct LETTER....S as in Sam and not F as in Frank.

[Pagan]

I remember spelling out a word for someone and I probably said, "Z like Zebra" and he started being an ass because I wasn't using International alphabet/Nato phonetic alphabet.

Dumbass. I run into a lot of people that don't know it in the first place and get confused when I use it!

I have heard somebody here, though, using it to spell something, with a slight alteration. "J as in whooliet". Nobody batted an eye....

When I worked at the Victoria's Secret call center, we were forever getting questions about why they opened a call center in Mexico. And then complimented us on our English

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I remember once taking an escalated call from one of my coworkers in my call center, she was a naturalized citizen of the US, originally from India. The person was b*tching about "not talking to an American", I explained that not only was she an American, she spoke 7 languages other than English, and she trained me to do my job, as she had 3 college degrees(one a master's in engineering)!

The guy who sat two stations over from me was born and raised in Canada, but had the misfortune of sorts to be born PAKISTANI-Canadian. As a result he had an accent. Unfortunately he took a LOT of venom from customers who felt they were dealing with someone overseas who was just BSing them about being Canadian.

I can't say I blame them as I know overseas CSRs are often forced to used American sounding names and lie about where they are located.

But the poor guy...multiple times a day I would see him flagging down supervisors to take calls he was perfectly capable of handling.

[Zenova]

I get the EXACT. SAME. THING.
I work for a phone company at a call center in Northern Ireland. We deal with customers from the Republic of Ireland as well (The South of Ireland).
The town I work in is less than 10 minutes from the border.

Call on thursday:
Me: "good afternoon welcome to xxx business care, can I take your name and telephone number please?"
Customer: You sound very distant, where are you located, Australia?
Me: Im in Newry.
Customer: Jesus you may as well be in Afghanistan for god's sake!
Me: *looking at customers details on screen, he is in Dundalk* "Im only 10 mins up the road from you"
Customer: Well I suppose its better than those Indian ones I normally get, keep having to ask to get put through to Ireland. Takes forever!.....

After I helped him with his account and changed his package plan, international add-ons etc to save him almost 60euro a month, he was pretty happy he got through to Newry as in his own words "those shites I usually ask for in Dublin dont give a toss, they just want ye off the phone!"

[Moosenogger]

Something like this, perhaps?

That is of course why the International Phonetic Alphabet exists. It is internationally taught to people who need to use radios, usually pilots, sailor officers and the military, and it's quite widely understood outside those groups as well.

It was a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure at least one example he gave me was the name of a city.

If he had used that Alphabet, I'd still be confused, since I was never taught to use it. Considering a lot of ordinary people probably don't get training in it, either, it seems a bit ridiculous for IT people to use it when talking to dumb dumbs on the phone.

[wolfie]

Despite the vast majority of callers loving us for speaking clear English and being competent at our jobs, there were always a few "hardcores". Like this guy...

CC: Thank you for calling XYZ wireless, this is CC, how may I help you?
SC: Where are you located?

(Sidenote: You might be surprised how often this was the FIRST question customers asked us.)

CC: I'm in Southern Canada sir.
SC: Then transfer me to the United States please.
CC: Um...excuse me?
SC: Are you deaf or something? Transfer me to America!

In a situation like that, why not answer "I'm in a jurisdiction whose postal abbreviation is CA". If he demands to speak to someone in America, tell him that you are in America. It's the truth - not your fault that Canada and California have the same abbreviation, and you are in America (specifically North America).

f he had used that Alphabet, I'd still be confused, since I was never taught to use it. Considering a lot of ordinary people probably don't get training in it, either, it seems a bit ridiculous for IT people to use it when talking to dumb dumbs on the phone.

My first job out of University was in software development (doubling as "final line of support" for the product). One pirated game floating around the office was F-19 Stealth Fighter (manual had the phonetic alphabet), and I took to using it - after all, the spelling of commands was critical.

[Draevis]

American Test

I used to work a call center in the US as a supplement to the companies main customer service center in India. This one day I get a call on my line from one of our agents wanting to transfer a caller that insisted on speaking to someone in the US.

So I take the call and the caller would not let up on the idea that they would only be happy speaking to someone in the US. I assured the customer that yes, I was in the US, that I was at our office in Southern California. This caller would not accept that and get on with the call. So, they decided to give me a test for being an American, in the form of asking me about recent baseball and football results. Yes, I am a guy, but one that does not follow sports AT ALL. This caller would not get on with the call until I proved that I was an American.

I think I had to put the guy back in the queue until one of the ladies in the office could take the call who happened to follow sports enough to pass his American test.