Hi amanda
They're quite cosy - I don't want to spoil their fun, DOND is "good television", I can understand its appeal (I watch it!) and if someone is prepared to go through all that waiting, good luck to them.

Agree that the main way to improve call centres, is to complain, complain and complain again.
Had a Belfast one the other day and simply couldn't understand a word. I just gave up.

quote:

Originally posted by rothgar:
Hi OV,
(Sssh Sssh Whispers) - Banks are in business to maximize their profits, that's their raison d'etre. If it's more economical to locate call centres in India etc. they will do so. No mystery, no need to pretend they're doing it for any other reason. They're not charities.
Cost cutting leads to the best use of scarce resources.
As an employee of a bank, you are part of that
process.
That's the nature of the beast.
If you don't like working for a profit making outfit, work for a registered charity.

The more you pay for a service, the closer, geographically, its call centre should be?So the poor customers who don't pay very much, have to put up with a call centre in Timbuckto.

Hi Rothgar, thanks for your lesson in economics

I know how the world works and I wasn't trying to shock or say anything people didn't know already, however, there are certain things "behind the scenes" that people like Amanda are interested in.

With regards to those who pay more getting their accounts serviced in the UK, yes they do. In the case of where I worked, those whose custom which was regarded as too important to lose still came through to the UK. Those annoying automated systems that ask for your card number to be tapped into your phone would run a check on things like monthly spend, payment history, did they pay in full each month etc. Those at the top end of the scale came through to the UK. The ones they didn't care about went to India.

Hi OV
Thanks, interesting.
Perhaps those with "good" accounts are more potentially profitable to the bank and the expertise necessary to grab them isn't available in the Indian, say, call centres.
But, I don't think it follows that the ordinary customer is getting an inferior service, simply a service adequate to his/her needs.
Seems quite sensible to me.
For example, some companies have "New Business" Reps as opposed to ordinary reps.
The former has different skills.
But perhaps I'm talking gibberish.

...and you're still saying that a UK call centre is , by definition, superior to an Indian call centre.
Certainly not true in my case when I go to India for queries etc on my account.
Perhaps, there's an element of jingoism in your comments.
"They'e lovely, lovely, people but..." kind of thing.
Perhaps you have an irrational fear of foreigners.

Mods - many thanks, indeed, for editing my post as I tried to do unsuccessfully.
Thanks, have a nice day.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by rothgar:
Hi amanda
They're quite cosy - I don't want to spoil their fun, DOND is "good television", I can understand its appeal (I watch it!) and if someone is prepared to go through all that waiting, good luck to them.(Quote)

I agree, and I do not think for one minute, that Lindy's sarcasm is typical of her, I think, from reading her other posts that she is a kind type of person, just pushed a bit to the edge by us being as we are!

Generally the call centres in India and their staff are over polite and bend over backwards to be helpful, I think they value their jobs more than we do, as in our society we tend not to put up with any guff and just move out or on if we are not happy. I don't know if there is the same choice in India, paying what I assume are reasonable wages. Like I said before the problem comes when they know their job so well it all roles off the tongue like clockwork and leaves me behind a bit!

great presenters but could be doing with better material.

Just to comment on the call centres we have some Indians in my work at the moment (yes I work in a dreaded bank) who are learning some of the work to take back to India with them. They consider it an honour to work for a bank and have to have a degree to get the job!

..but will they be able to "master" Direct Debit.
It's not "in their culture" you know.

(see above )

My neighbour, 85 years, had a problem with his 'phone (not BT)
He was put through to a call centre in Bratislava.
The problem was sorted out immediately without any fuss.
But he is still extremely annoyed about speaking to someone in Bratislava.
Irrational fear of foreigners or what?

I think older people find it all quite incomprehensible. But if the problem was sorted, I wouldn't care if the call centre was on the moon. Are you watching Crufts?

Poor chap, can't really take it in.

No, its become a fashion show for the owners

My lest favourite bit is the dancing, on now. Awful. I love to see the dogs though. Can't say I had noticed the owner get ups much!

quote:

Originally posted by rothgar:
...and you're still saying that a UK call centre is , by definition, superior to an Indian call centre.
Certainly not true in my case when I go to India for queries etc on my account.
Perhaps, there's an element of jingoism in your comments.
"They'e lovely, lovely, people but..." kind of thing.
Perhaps you have an irrational fear of foreigners.

That's a rather sweeping and potentially offensive comment, however, I know you're just trying to be devils advocate. At least I hope so.

I don't know if you work, Rothgar and if not, how long it is since you did, what you did and where etc, however, your comment makes it sound like the typical office environment in Britain today is all "take a letter Miss Jones", "put your money in the box, caller" type stuff. It isn't. Pretty much all work places today, especially those in the bigger cities, employ a very diverse range of people. This because that is the society we live in. We don’t go to work in bowler hats, carrying “The Times” and umbrellas under our arms.

Therefore if I had an "an irrational fear of foreigners" or was in any way jingoistic, I would have to find a job that didn't involve dealing with people on any level at all.

I'm not like that, I just think that companies that operate out of the UK and offer a service of some kind to people who live here, should have the phone support here too. This provides jobs to people who have their home here, regardless of their origins.

Pretty cheap shot there, Rothgar.

I don't think that there is much question that a UK call centre for UK customers is considered optimum, in fact some companies have based their whole campaigns around the fact that they offer that service.

quote:

Originally posted by Occasional Visitor:

I'm not like that, I just think that companies that operate out of the UK and offer a service of some kind to people who live here, should have the phone support here too. This provides jobs to people who have their home here, regardless of their origins.

Pretty cheap shot there, Rothgar.

This is exactly what you were trying to say all along but trying to hide it.
We live in, and benefit from a global economy, you don't mind your shirts being made in China but you should, damn Chinese taking our shirt-makers jobs.
And damn Koreans making our computers.
No offence meant, but your attitude is skew-wiff economics.

quote:

Originally posted by rothgar:

This is exactly what you were trying to say all along but trying to hide it.
We live in, and benefit from a global economy, you don't mind your shirts being made in China but you should, damn Chinese taking our shirt-makers jobs.
And damn Koreans making our computers.
No offence meant, but your attitude is skew-wiff economics.

I'm not trying to hide anything, things may get misunderstood or taken out of context, but I don't have a hidden agenda.

I'm not an economist and don't pretend otherwise, I just give my opinions as I see things. It's just the point of view of an average man in the street.

It does bother me that nothing is "Made In Britain" anymore, but I guess that the operating costs would be too high, which would put the retail price up too much and nothing would get sold.

Take care in the storms all

No offence intended whatsoever OV
I was being deliberately provocative.
Even, inventing an 85 years old neighbour!!
Take care

It can be hard to tell sometimes, but thanks for clarifying

You can always rely on Roth for a lively debate.

On the subject of elderly neighbours a 84 year old that I know was worried about me taking the dog for a walk on my own through the woods. He insisted on teaching me SOS on a whistle and told me that if anything happened I could use that call and any one who had been in the war would recognise it and come to help!!!

quote:

Originally posted by amanda5653:
You can always rely on Roth for a lively debate.

On the subject of elderly neighbours a 84 year old that I know was worried about me taking the dog for a walk on my own through the woods. He insisted on teaching me SOS on a whistle and told me that if anything happened I could use that call and anyone who had been in the war would recognise it and come to help!!!

So that means that should you need help, ANOTHER 84 year old would come running (possibly) and assist you

Bless his heart for the chilvalrous thought.

Exactly! The chances of there being hordes of WW2 veterans lurking in the woods as I try to fend off a dognapper, are I fear, slim!