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RichKid

RichKid

PlanYourTrade > TradeYourPlan
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I came across this on Whirlpool, nice sense of humour, got sidetracked doing research into IIN. This guy Malone's got some great posts in there, this is an issue which politicians often abuse.
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User #13083 2367 posts
Michael Malone
iiNet/OzEmail
ISP Representative


>>>>>There is a lot of frustration involved in calling an ISPs tech support and finding that the call is routed to another country where the staff are either not able to fix the problem as a direct result of their location, or because the caller has trouble understanding the response due to a thick foreign accent.<<<<

This is a good point. But the location doesn't really get you what you need. There are Indian and Asian staff in my call centre, and I'm sure you don't want to talk to them.

Maybe we could get broadband choice to require reporting of the ethnicity of staff at the ISP? So for instance, they might have to classify staff as:

- Australian (maybe with number of generations since arrival?)
- American
- Indian
- Asian
- Irish/British
- Continental Europeans (may have to separate French too, I've never liked them)

That sort of thing. Then consumers could decide which ISP to choose based upon the sort of people they like dealing with.

Hey, while we're at it, being Irish, I'd rather deal with Catholics. That's important to me, because those protestant buggers just don't understand my culture. I'm sure some of the contributors to the thread wouldn't be happy with having Muslims answer the phone either. You have to be careful dealing with Muslims you know. So how about ISPs also list the religion of their staff:

- Catholic
- Protestant
- Other Christian
- Muslim
- Hindu
- Christian
- Terrorist cult
- Jedi

To be complete, we should include sexuality too. I know that gays make some people feel a bit uncomfortable. Not me of course. In fact, some of my best friends are gay, so I'm not weird about it, ok. But seriously, isn't it terrible the way they are all so out there with their sexuality, pushing it in your face? I don't mind the discrete ones. What you do at home is your own business (except in Tasmania and WA). But we should include that in broadband choice too, to allow consumers to make truly informed choices:

- Heterosexual (conservative)
- Heterosexual (bit adventurous)
- Homosexual (discrete)
- Homosexual (regular Mardi Gras participant)
- Bisexual
- Asexual
- Presently under the age of consent

I think you're on to something here. I'm sure with this information, consumers could really work out what they want, based on racial and sexual stereotyping, instead of actually having to decide if the service is any good.

MM
posted 2005-Aug-6, 11am AEST

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=379418&p=1
 
no offence to ppl from south asia...but it's a bit hard to understand their english...when they talk it's like they got a big mango in their mouth...and they like shake their heads from time to time...again, it's just interesting; no offence
 
That was quite funny, Rich, but seriously, I do have a real problem with a lot of the Indians - just cannot understand them.

Re ISP's. Westnet never seem to have anything other than well spoken, helpful, polite and articulate Aussies.

Julia
 
I think I'm a fan of Mr Malone now, I've read other posts of his and he's got my respect for at least trying to answer direct questions without PR spin, just a shame the guy's having trouble wrestling with IINet, now that it's all grown up, no more back of the envelope calculations to figure out revenue!

And yes, they should try to improve communication training Julia, maybe more lessons in conversational English and pronunciation, I think the call centre standards vary, I saw a doco where some people from Indian centres were shown speaking excellent English and knew it all backwards, that centre mainly catered to US customers though. Maybe we our local co's don't ask for that much training when they outsource?

The trick is not to ascribe certain things on the basis of misconceptions, some other accents are damn confusing as well! Imagine what some of us sound like to those from abroad??

I sometimes don't understand American accents (it's a big place, the USofA), even though I watch so many American movies (if only they'd all speak like Clint Eastwood or Bruce Willis....you only need to know a few phrases like "asta la vista *&%$" (insert sound of a magazine emptying or something blowing up) ;)

So I'm kind of imagining an Indian Clint Eastwood accent, maybe my ISP should provide that as an optional extra? or a Jamaican..."yeahman". Now which option on the phone menu would that be? I think I'm being silly, time for bed...
 
I have been INUNDATED this week with call centre calls.

Telstra have rung me five times in the last two days to get me to transfer non locals calls back to them! The first time I explained that we didnt use the landline much to make phone calls. Then she said that my last bill was $240 (3 months for 2 different telephone lines) When I said that over 2/3 of that bill wasnt for telephone calls but Telstra's charges for having the 2 landlines etc, she said "I can save you $6 a month" - whooppee do - I will be rich! I said she had just wasted $6 of my chargable time in just taking this call and hung up! Why dont they just save me the money and not ring up to tell me about it! She was very much Australian sounding too!

And India - three times I have an Indian Lady who calls herself Carol (happens to be my name btw) and I laugh and then hang up. I am sick of explaining I dont want to bundle my communications accounts because I already do that! :banghead:

One more bundle conversation today and I will explode.......but am not answering the phone anymore so that should help :D
 
Prospector

One option is to let the answering service pick up the call. The call centre people never leave messages. I never answer the phone between 5pm and 8pm which is when most of them call.

Easy to check for messages straight away and if it's someone you want to talk to you can phone them back.

Julia
 
Prospector,
I`ve started asking them ,do you use the service that you are trying to sell me?Yes,how did you find out about that?did someone ring you?no!really!well then when I need to use this service I`ll do what you did,I`ll go looking for it,one woman apologised and said ,sorry you maust be very busy,I`ll call back later,I said no,I simply dont want my time wasted by these silly phonecalls ,should I need this service I`ll call myself,Oh.bye.

Another good one is to simply hang up.After all the people who call arent respecting your privacy so bother respecting them,I know its a job,but I`m sick of getting phone calls that informs me ,you have won a phone because you are such a good costumer of nokia,its totally free,only 10dollars a month,if the phone is free why the ten dollars,what they are selling is a phone plan locked in for 24 months.My 18yr old son actually got trapped until I stepped in, they even lied to me,repeatedly,I made sure that they knew if the phone landed on my doorstep I would be sending it back piece by piece.
 
When I receive one of these calls, I say, " hold on one moment, i'll be back ", when I get back, at my leisure, they've gone. Remember your in charge and there is no need for you to speak to anyone.
 
LOL be careful when being rude to call centre staff - remember they have your number.

during my uni days I worked in one and boy did i have some paybacks for customers.

If they hung up on me I would call them back straight away, when they finally answered I would say "it's not nice, is it?" to which the person on the other end would say "what isn't" to which I would hang up on them hehehee

Or I would call them back and in a slightly different voice ask if they remembered the name of the person who called them. 9/10 people would say no to which I would give them a serve about just doing my job and no need to be rude etc most people would then apologise stating stress or cooking dinner etc... those that argued or got abusive I would hang up on and put them on a 20min rotational call back!

remember call centres are private numbers - you can't call back!

Sam - the call centre commando :cool:
 
He he, I have been so blonde in my life! I have been brought up to be polite to everyone! But in the last few years I start off polite and continue that way unless the recipient is really aggravating me, then look out! i can be such a bi%#h!

In the last week it really has only just occurred to me that I can just hang up on them! And I only got the nerve to do that because I found out that a machine actually dials my number, and when it is answered then someone receives a connection on their monitor with my details, which explains the gap when you answer. As soon as I realised that a person doesnt actually dial my number, then I felt free to hang up on them! What a twit I am :eek:
Blame my repressive childhood!
 
sam76 said:
LOL be careful when being rude to call centre staff - remember they have your number.

during my uni days I worked in one and boy did i have some paybacks for customers.

If they hung up on me I would call them back straight away, when they finally answered I would say "it's not nice, is it?" to which the person on the other end would say "what isn't" to which I would hang up on them hehehee

Or I would call them back and in a slightly different voice ask if they remembered the name of the person who called them. 9/10 people would say no to which I would give them a serve about just doing my job and no need to be rude etc most people would then apologise stating stress or cooking dinner etc... those that argued or got abusive I would hang up on and put them on a 20min rotational call back!

remember call centres are private numbers - you can't call back!

Sam - the call centre commando :cool:
Click to expand...


Dammit - now you have freaked me out again..... :swear:
 
sam76 said:
LOL be careful when being rude to call centre staff - remember they have your number.

during my uni days I worked in one and boy did i have some paybacks for customers.

If they hung up on me I would call them back straight away, when they finally answered I would say "it's not nice, is it?" to which the person on the other end would say "what isn't" to which I would hang up on them hehehee

Or I would call them back and in a slightly different voice ask if they remembered the name of the person who called them. 9/10 people would say no to which I would give them a serve about just doing my job and no need to be rude etc most people would then apologise stating stress or cooking dinner etc... those that argued or got abusive I would hang up on and put them on a 20min rotational call back!
remember call centres are private numbers - you can't call back!
Sam - the call centre commando :cool:
Click to expand...


Sam,thanks for validating my point,
and by the way ,why do you feel that you were hard done by,you were the one ringing people who werent even interested in whatever you had to sell!Therefore invading their privacy,
Now that you are all grown up do you sometimes feel a little dirty,just asking. :swear:
 
ooops, didn't mean to freak you out, Prospecter. :D

I have found that if you ask them politely that you would like to be removed from their contact list they will comply. remember 80% of people they call are rude and aggressive. It's a breathe of fresh air to have someone be polite to you when you do that job. most call centres have the facilities to block a certain number for re-contact.

Or disconnect your home phone alltogether...

I haven't had a land line for 8 years now.
 
Yes, things can get out of hand with phone calls. I recollect a work colleague getting so annoyed with calls that he blew a whistle down the line. He accidentally blew the whistle when a friend phoned up and he returned the call by blowing a trumpet. In the end everyone was afraid to call him.
 
sam76 said:
ooops, didn't mean to freak you out, Prospecter. :D

I have found that if you ask them politely that you would like to be removed from their contact list they will comply. remember 80% of people they call are rude and aggressive. It's a breathe of fresh air to have someone be polite to you when you do that job. most call centres have the facilities to block a certain number for re-contact.

Or disconnect your home phone alltogether...

I haven't had a land line for 8 years now.
Click to expand...


Sam how do you reckon people have got to this junction,politely asking them to remove your phone numbers means exactly nothing,if it did ,the majority of people would now be removed.

I had to email Christine Nixon in order to stop people involved with KIDSMART ringing asking for a donation.These are the people who raise money for blue light disco,the federal police were ringing,the ambulance people were ringing,God only knows whoever also,refused to stop so I went straight to the top and voila,Unfortunately my husband then went and did another donation to KIDSMART and what do you know the phone calls started again,this time I told them one more phone call and blue light disco can go and get stuffed.

By the way Christine Nixon is the police commisioner for Victoria.
 
sam76 said:
ooops, didn't mean to freak you out, Prospecter. :D

I have found that if you ask them politely that you would like to be removed from their contact list they will comply. remember 80% of people they call are rude and aggressive. It's a breathe of fresh air to have someone be polite to you when you do that job. most call centres have the facilities to block a certain number for re-contact.

Or disconnect your home phone alltogether...

I haven't had a land line for 8 years now.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess your post just confims just how our privacy is truly invaded by call centres!

In the few minutes since my last post I have just had ANOTHER call from Telstra!

And without a landline, how do you access the Internet?
 
Prospector,they get these numbers because Telstra sells them,or the people who sell your the phone sell them,or if you advertise.
My husband now lets his mobile phone go straight to message bank if he doesnt recognise the number. As soon as they hang up without a message he knows it was a wasted phone call.
 
Wireless broadband, prospector.

Have a look at Unwired - I used them in Sydney now have inner city coverage in Melbourne (ASX: UNW)

Don't go Telstra - 1GB allowance amonth and expensive plans.
 
sam76 said:
Wireless broadband, prospector.

Have a look at Unwired - I used them in Sydney now have inner city coverage in Melbourne (ASX: UNW)

Don't go Telstra - 1GB allowance amonth and expensive plans.
Click to expand...

What plan are you on?
How about speed compared with landline broadband?
Can you use internet telephone eg. Skype?

Finnsk
 
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