"May I call you by your first name, sir?"
Mar 11, 2018, 1:21 pm
#46
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
That 80% consonants may explain things. It wouldn't be too easy to pronounce it, even if they ask how.
I'm assuming from the high constants % it's not exactly easy to pronounce. For many "foreigners" (as in non-native of the area of origin of one's name) that's probably about as stressful as being asked to pronounce "Bydgoszcz" right the first time without being told how it's pronounced.
Mar 11, 2018, 1:29 pm
#47
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 614
I don’t think employment laws played any part either. Along with most of my collleagues, I was regularly called out on “coachings” for not asking if I can use a customers first name. But the point was quickly dropped when we said a good number of callers did not appreciate the question, and even when we reverted to “Mr/Mrs Smith”, the “damage” was done. We even suggested script changes which fell on deaf ears.
What I suspect made the difference, was that in the UK, we were directly employed by the company, and such script deviations were easily justified. In an outsourced environment, employees are going to be targeted on a % adherence to script, with potential pentalties for non-compliance for the outsourcing vendor.
Are BA agents in India direct BA employees? Or employed by an offshoring company?
Mar 11, 2018, 1:35 pm
#48
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NCL
Programs: UA 1MM/*G. DL Gold for one more year.
Posts: 5,305
Mar 11, 2018, 1:44 pm
#49
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 614
Indeed! Which may answer the initial premise of your question. Talking to any offshore agent, regardless of location, will mean they are probably much more faithful to “the script” than an agent who is a direct employee and has a little more latitude to feel their way through the call.
So does the question become why do BA (and others) insist on this in their script? Why not simply improve their CRM with the addition of a simple field in BAEC profiles for “preferred form of address” and have all agents use that?
</sarcasm>
So does the question become why do BA (and others) insist on this in their script? Why not simply improve their CRM with the addition of a simple field in BAEC profiles for “preferred form of address” and have all agents use that?
</sarcasm>
Mar 11, 2018, 1:46 pm
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Both the UA and AA boards have a thread for "the most insignificant thing one can complain of. Perhaps this board ought to have such a thread too. Or perhaps they ought to all be merged.
Times change. More and more people prefer a given name and as time goes on that number will increase. Hence the question. If as A B, you want to be called "Mr. B" and not "A" just say so when asked. There, it wasn't so hard.
Times change. More and more people prefer a given name and as time goes on that number will increase. Hence the question. If as A B, you want to be called "Mr. B" and not "A" just say so when asked. There, it wasn't so hard.
Last edited by Often1; Mar 11, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Mar 11, 2018, 1:55 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 614
Personally, I agree Often1. But titles, forms of address and the surrounding etiquette is one of those topics that either mean a great deal to people, or is something people couldn’t care less about.
Much like Gold member greetings, lounge access, CE catering...
is there time to consolidate the entire BAEC board to a single thread?
Much like Gold member greetings, lounge access, CE catering...
is there time to consolidate the entire BAEC board to a single thread?
Mar 11, 2018, 1:57 pm
#52
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,143
One strategy used by some companies is to include a field in the profile details for preferred form of address, so individual customers can indicate if they'd prefer Mr. Jones, David, DJ Jazzy or whatever... have that pop up on the call centre agent's screen, and we're set.
Mar 11, 2018, 3:18 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2016
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 50
Just had to make two calls which were routed to the Indian Call Centre. Both agents asked me this question, which I've also been asked by other ICCs for Three Mobile and such like (who knows, maybe by the same agents).
Is this a term of endearment in India? I just find it intensely annoying, as I find that asking me whether I want to pretend to be their friend or a bit of a dick is both in itself a discourtesy and waste of time, and I and tend to just snap back that they call me whatever they like. This genuinely is my attitude in this matter, but I still find the question very annoying, because for the rest of the call, they either don't address me by anything at all (as a normal person would), or they insert my first name in every goddamn sentence they speak. Are they actually paid more the longer the call drags on? That would explain a lot.
Is this a term of endearment in India? I just find it intensely annoying, as I find that asking me whether I want to pretend to be their friend or a bit of a dick is both in itself a discourtesy and waste of time, and I and tend to just snap back that they call me whatever they like. This genuinely is my attitude in this matter, but I still find the question very annoying, because for the rest of the call, they either don't address me by anything at all (as a normal person would), or they insert my first name in every goddamn sentence they speak. Are they actually paid more the longer the call drags on? That would explain a lot.
Mar 11, 2018, 3:34 pm
#55
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: MidSouth
Programs: AA; Delta GM
Posts: 728
I would not mind if someone asked me if they could call me by my first name instead or Mrs. Aquamarine, but I HATE it when customer service people go straight for my first name as if we're great friends already.
Mar 11, 2018, 4:04 pm
#56
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol, UK
Programs: HH D, Rad Plat
Posts: 5,352
A week later in the post some information came addressed to Sir BotB... Still makes me laugh to this day, cultural differences are interesting and make the world go round...it would be boring if there were no issues during communications. (not addressed to the quoted FTer, rather a general comment.)
I do love the forum for these navel gazing exercises...and long may they continue to cause a wide variety of reactions...
Mar 11, 2018, 4:29 pm
#57
Join Date: May 2016
Location: London/Frankfurt
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 181
The authority on this subject can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcE...2KzEw
Mar 11, 2018, 6:42 pm
#60
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,262
That 80% consonants may explain things. It wouldn't be too easy to pronounce it, even if they ask how.
I'm assuming from the high constants % it's not exactly easy to pronounce. For many "foreigners" (as in non-native of the area of origin of one's name) that's probably about as stressful as being asked to pronounce "Bydgoszcz" right the first time without being told how it's pronounced.
I'm assuming from the high constants % it's not exactly easy to pronounce. For many "foreigners" (as in non-native of the area of origin of one's name) that's probably about as stressful as being asked to pronounce "Bydgoszcz" right the first time without being told how it's pronounced.
