recently i made some calls to my credit card company because i had some questions about my account. the representative on the phone had a very thick Middle Eastern accent, and before i go on, let me make this disclaimer: I AM NOT PREJUDICED AGAINST ANYONE WHO IS NOT FROM THIS COUNTRY.
now then. as i said, this representative's phone manners were just plain RUDE. when i tried to ask a question, this person cut me off and spoke to me like i just got off the short yellow bus; very condescending, and seemed to get hightly insulted that i asked them to kindly repeat what they said because i couldnt understand them.
i just wrote a blistering e-mail to the card company telling them about this offensive behavior and i am seriously considering CANCELLING my account with them just on that purpose.
i dont give a damn if your ethnicity is Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, space alien or whatever. RUDE is RUDE regardless of ethnicity. if one has a job that deals with the public, via telephone or in person, that person should be THOROUGHLY trained in professional telephone/public decorum; if they have a thick accent, then they should be taught to speak CLEAR and CONCISE English so that they can be CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD, because that is how these businesses lose customers just on that notion.
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR RUDENESS. PERIOD.
10 comments:
It could be a cultural matter, but you are right: the companies which set up these help lines should ensure that the people who staff them understand English and our mores.
Otherwise there will be conflict.
But then, these are the people who think they can go into Iraq and make the people there into instant Americans.
Joel: my point exactly. thank you.
I hate rude people on the phone. This is why I don't do the phone business...my wife does that because I have "lost it" on more then one occassion with a "customer service rep."
My client that I work for right now has a lot of stuff done overseas. I think it's shitty-I look at St. Louis and see all the people out of work... : (
I think like the internet, being on the phone offers anonymity. In turn, some people take that as an invitation to try out their rude personalities because you don't know who they are and they feel safe.
I take comfort in the fact that if they call their credit card companies, they get the same.
I agree, I'm not prejudice either, but if someone is going to work with the public they should have appropriate manners and speak well enough to be understood. (Unless of course I'm going into an ethnic place of business that primarily serves that particular ethnicity..like El Mercado or something along those lines).
Heck even AOL, who has their customer service call center routed to India where English is not their primary language, requires that their reps speak clear English. You'd think a credit card company or other American business would at least do the same.
But you're right, rude is rude and there is really no excuse for it, especially from an employee having an interaction with a customer.
I agree with everyone. Rude people just suck! I mean, this bloke was being paid to do a job and promote the company, so how hard is it to act in a courteous manner. Geez! Good on you for writing that email.
Next time just ask to speak to someone who can speak and understand English heehe..if that doesn't get you anywhere demand that you speak to a supervisor.
Squid: Damn.
Missus: Duly noted.
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