From an article in "Mobile" magazine, sept '05... re: worker turnover...

[Deja Q]

"Indian call centers are now facing a new and unexpected problem: heavy turnover caused by abusive Brits and Americans who find the tech supporters' skills lacking. Some companies now face annual turnover of up to 70 percent, many of whom are reduced to blobs of quivering tears thanks to insensitive clods like us."

Oh yeah? How about the many US workers who do the same thing thanks to insensitive (and greedy) executives?

Welcome to our world, India. Aren't you glad you came? This is what you want. So like it or lump it. We have to. And as no American has no god-given right to a job, no worker has a right to a polite and friendly customer either; we in the industry for 10+ years damn well know that. So stop the spigot and get a kleenex. Wipe your nose and grow up. It's hard in their world. So conform. You have no choice. We don't. And most of us don't have jobs and all of us don't have a future, thanks to you. So shove it.

:rant:

[BuelahWitch]

1. Call center turnover almost always high

Customers are sold shoddy goods and services, management sets impossible quality and productivity standards and the poor call center rep gets caught in the middle. There are also just mean and hateful people in the world. They know you can't talk back to them so they take out their rotten life on the rep.

I can't hate or be spiteful to these poor workers who are having a tough time dealing with a**holes. The corporate greed is not their fault. They probably took the job because it offered fairly good pay, and learned that it really wasn't worth the emotional beating you get several times when you pick up that phone call.

[mzteris]

2. I try so hard

to be patient and understanding. Truly. I know what it's like to not be a "native speaker" of a language.

But geez lou frickin wheez when I keep having to say, "Pardon" "excuse me" "what did you say" "Could you repeat that" "I'm sorry, what was that again" etc. etc. etc....... especially when they give you crappy advice and you KNOW what they're telling you is just plain WRONG!!!

(I just went through this a couple of days ago - I spent - no exaggeration - nearly six hours on the phone with Linksys customer service - four of which is because the guy from the first two hours gave me totally bogus information which screwed my system way worse than it was when it started!!!)

[BuelahWitch]

3. That's understandable when they don't know

what they're doing. I blew my own top at an SBC rep who asked me if I'd moved my computer prior to experiencing a problem with my DSL. I told him "no" and he asked me "Are you SURE?" Now, I guess he couldn't have known that I'm short and out of shape so that moving the computer is a major undertaking I mostly avoid. I still thought it was arrogant of him to ask me that question when I told him no in the first place.

On the other hand I have had customers who were angry with me when I was able to help them. I figured they were just idiots who hadn't got laid in awhile.