Originally Posted by pjammin
Wow, this is a tough crowd here. I thought I was just nicely asking for advice as a newbie and not prepared nor expecting some of the responses I've received.
warbo, I am very sorry as I certainly didn't mean any offense to our friends across the pond. My spouse is English (we met in London) so trust me when I say I have no problem understanding the British. I was trying to be politically correct without singling out the ethnicity of the USAir reps that I couldn't understand but I feel as if the responses are making me feel as if I'm the one difficult to understand. The representatives I was connected to yesterday must have all been in a call center in India. Not only were they difficult to understand, they were not knowledgeable with regards to using Dividend Miles for a Biz Class ticket to Europe. I received answers that had nothing to do with my question.
chowder. thank you for your helpful and sincere answer.
pjammin:
I fully understand your fustrations. I live in Atlanta and when Delta outsourced almost all their csa's to India, I decided it was better to go to the airport and talk to someone in person. The guy from England was very much off base. Perhaps outsourcing hasn't reached England yet the way it has the U.S. My primary problem with this whole thing is that these large corporations are outsourcing to save money but are failing to properly train these people or to make sure that they speak English. It seems as if the airlines are teaching these people to listen for "key" words and they then use cards with set phrases to respond. An example that I like to use is when the airlines decided to start charging us for booking on the telephone using an airline agent. Well, at the time I was trying to use Delta miles to book on Continental, so I called Delta and after being on hold for 25 minutes, an agent with a thick accent came on the line. I ask "Since I have no access to availability on Continental using my Delta miles, will I still have to pay. Response "Yes beginning (read me the date) travel booked on the phone at this telephone number will be charged ." My response: "Yes, but I am not able to book a reservation on Continental @ Delta's website. Response: There will be a charge of $10 accessed on all reservations made...and she read the same info to me again. At that time I ask to be connected to an American agent. She put her supv on. Her understanding was no better. She simply repeated what the 1st agent had read. Reluctantly, she transferred me to an american agent that was here in the U.S. Now, the agents in India are trying new tactics to keep Americans from asking for someone in the U.S. They answer with "Delta airlines-this is Susan. same heavy accent. I ask where are you located? Answer: I work for Delta airlines and we have offices in many cities . o.k but where are YOU? India mamam. Now they are informing me to call back to try and get connected to an American agent.
