From the Call Centre
Although we still have Snowy Wastes here, I've had a really lovely afternoon with some first-year groups of student doctors whose thoughtful presentations about their current work with patients would renew anyone's faith in doctorkind.
On a completely unrelated topic:
This morning I was in the agency's office and an actor friend of mine sent me this conversation, with a call centre somewhere in India:
Call Centre Man: "Can I speak to David Ansdell?"
David: "Who's calling, please?"
Call Centre Man: (quite irritated): "Can I speak to David Ansdell?"
David: "This is David speaking."
Call Centre Man: (very cross) "Unfortunately, you asked me who is calling. DON'T ASK ME WHO IS CALLING!"
The line went dead.
Thanks to David for this interesting anecdote. So now we know how to do it. How to make them go away. A few searching questions. What's your name? How much is your mobile bill? Where do you live? Or - - one tried with some success by my friend John - What can you see out of the window?
Actually I feel sorry for anyone who works in an Indian call centre as their whole lives must consist of being sworn at and hung up on by almost all the population of Britain. No wonder they get a bit grumpy.
It's not their fault. It's the fault of the people who think it's a good idea to save money by setting up call centres abroad, where people are paid less.
We all hate these call centres. Has anyone ever said "I was rung up by someone in a call centre in India, and it was really useful?" I very much doubt it.
So I suppose the answer is to keep right on saying "No thank you" and hanging up, until the employers get the message.
On a completely unrelated topic:
This morning I was in the agency's office and an actor friend of mine sent me this conversation, with a call centre somewhere in India:
Call Centre Man: "Can I speak to David Ansdell?"
David: "Who's calling, please?"
Call Centre Man: (quite irritated): "Can I speak to David Ansdell?"
David: "This is David speaking."
Call Centre Man: (very cross) "Unfortunately, you asked me who is calling. DON'T ASK ME WHO IS CALLING!"
The line went dead.
Thanks to David for this interesting anecdote. So now we know how to do it. How to make them go away. A few searching questions. What's your name? How much is your mobile bill? Where do you live? Or - - one tried with some success by my friend John - What can you see out of the window?
Actually I feel sorry for anyone who works in an Indian call centre as their whole lives must consist of being sworn at and hung up on by almost all the population of Britain. No wonder they get a bit grumpy.
It's not their fault. It's the fault of the people who think it's a good idea to save money by setting up call centres abroad, where people are paid less.
We all hate these call centres. Has anyone ever said "I was rung up by someone in a call centre in India, and it was really useful?" I very much doubt it.
So I suppose the answer is to keep right on saying "No thank you" and hanging up, until the employers get the message.
posted by Daphne at 6:27 pm
4 Comments:
I've tried asking who is calling but it doesn't always put them off, not the persistent ones, anyway.
I think your friend David has the right idea. These call centre people have scripts to follow but we should anarchically thwart their scripts with proactive contributions that mean we, the involuntary targets of their calls, take charge. Perhaps we could offer them good deals or try to sell on old paperbacks and holey Y-fronts.
Holey Y fronts? Too much information, YP!
But I have problems with call centres on Merseyside and Tyneside - don't just blame the poor people in the Indian sub-continent.
Lucy
Post a Comment
<< Home