tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664160868176688099.post8836906927663671019..comments2023-06-08T08:35:04.841-04:00Comments on MarketnewsGadgetTalk: Do You Outsource Your Call Centre?Marketnews - Christine Persaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07167737260687333147noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664160868176688099.post-7262278847607633702008-11-04T14:10:00.000-05:002008-11-04T14:10:00.000-05:00I have had dreadful experiences with Microsoft and...I have had dreadful experiences with Microsoft and Bell recently for this exact reason. They seemed like very nice people who tried very hard to help me, but the communication was torturous.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18318576370157471313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-664160868176688099.post-51013312896213134052008-10-30T14:31:00.000-04:002008-10-30T14:31:00.000-04:00I was directed to your blog by a friend, the lovel...I was directed to your blog by a friend, the lovely and talented Lee Distad. He told me that someone was posting a topic near and dear to my heart.<BR/><BR/>An open letter to the vendor from me, the customer:<BR/><BR/>First and foremost, we are all God's children and each and everyone of us is special in our own unique and endearing way. Having said that, I am what you would call a misanthrope. I don't care where you come from, who or what you pray to, your nationality or the color of your eyes, hair and skin -- I don't like you (2nd person plural - not you the blog master). Once I get to know you on a personal level, that may change...but at a distance...you live your life and I will live mine.<BR/><BR/>Having said all that. I am the customer. I purchased your product in a given location and paid for it with the currency of the relm. If I need service and support, I rightfully have an expectation to have that service conducted in the language in which the initial commerce took place. You the vendor have an obligation to provide to me, either as a part of the warranty offered with the purchase or by our mutual entering into a supplimental contract, service and support in the language in which the original commerce took place.<BR/><BR/>Just because you can speak the language or read transliterated text hoping to catch a key work or phrase from my lips doesn't mean in anyway you can effectively communicate with me, the customer. Effective communication is fluid and often jargon laden, especially when you are talking about CE. When I refer to the AC adaptor of my laptop as a "brick", I expect the Dell representative at the other end of the IP phone in Bangalore to know excatly what that is. You can be a native English speaker and be a far cry from being able to effectively communicate...hell just look at President Bush. <BR/><BR/>A poor service experience creates a long lasting negative that takes a long time to over come. Why? Because at that point, I am out the cash and have been led to believe you the vendor would be there for me. Once I am out the cash, I am pretty much helpless in that I have little to no leverage. Assigning someone who may be perfectly intelligent but fully incapable of communicating with the customer in the language in which the initial commerce took place does nothing for a vendor. You saved a buck, but at what cost? At that point all I can do is bitch. And bitch I will. <BR/><BR/>My favorite tactic with Dell is to call the sales line until they assign me someone at a US call center. They sales rep says over and over again, they can't help me...they just sell. I tell them, when you are talking to me you aren't making sales. Get me to where I need to be and you can contiune taking orders. I can, at no monitary cost call as much as I want. You, Dell can do nothing about it.<BR/><BR/>It is the only way I can create a sense of power (as artifical and limited as it may be) and feel good I am sticking it to Dell for making me deal with people who can not effectively communicate with me, the customer.<BR/><BR/>I will gladly pay more (imputed in the product price - not the gold and silver level contract tiers that Dell offers) to have quality service. <BR/><BR/>Service gets repeat business. Service builds loyalty. Service represents commitment.<BR/><BR/>Offer that service in the language in which the initial commerce took place. (the reason I keep hitting that is if I went to Japan to buy some cool CE and called the tech support line from my home in the US, I would have no expectation for English speaking support...nor should I.)<BR/><BR/>-CFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com