Poor customer service from Bonvoy agents [Retitled by moderator]
Jul 15, 2019, 6:45 pm
#31
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
Lastly there’s the suggestion that Indians in call centres can’t speak English. Not sure how many call centres in India someone making the claim would have visited or even come into contact with, but English is not just some random foreign language in India, at least not in corporate environments in Bangalore, Hyderabad and elsewhere where most call centres are based.
Which is to stay that we're still waiting on an answer for:
Jul 16, 2019, 1:04 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium; WN A-list; UA Silver
Posts: 484
Call center quality has far more to do with oversight of contractors (or management if one of the few remaining in house call centers, even most domestic call centers are outsourced), the goals given by the company to the call center, and how much you pay for the call center than location or anything else.
I have gotten amazing service from individuals with fairly obvious accents and totally crap service from clearly american call center workers. Generally if you can get an actual employee of the company -- remembering that even a lot of domestic call center employees are outsourced -- you will have the best luck, which has little to do with nationality.
I have gotten amazing service from individuals with fairly obvious accents and totally crap service from clearly american call center workers. Generally if you can get an actual employee of the company -- remembering that even a lot of domestic call center employees are outsourced -- you will have the best luck, which has little to do with nationality.
Jul 16, 2019, 10:09 am
#34
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
The "speak English!" bit is a super old, tired, common racist trope, often used with people who are, in fact, speaking English - either as a 2nd language or just with the accent of a non-white region like India.
I've worked in Hyderabad. Most of our people there speak excellent English, but a few of them are hard to understand or don't pick up on all of the idioms and slang of our particular industry. Whenever I run into this, I remind myself that this person likely knows 3 languages, which is a solid 1.5 more than I do if I give myself very generous credit for some rudimentary Spanish. He/she can function in my business world, whereas I'd have zero hope whatsoever of functioning in his, or any other non-English environment in the world.
Jul 16, 2019, 11:48 am
#35
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: YQR
Programs: Nexus/GE, UA/MPG, Bonvoy Tit, LTP
Posts: 1,294
I am generally right wing politically but also noticed the casual racist undertone in the original post. I agree that the accusation of racism is made too lightly by many who are easily offended but in this case I feel that the observation was accurate and calling it was justified.
Jul 16, 2019, 12:57 pm
#36
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Oh come on. While this is true on paper, I would check with any English speaker who has been to India on how that worked out for them in practice on the ground.
Jul 16, 2019, 12:59 pm
#37
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
The problem is that the call center the OP spoke with *was* actually speaking English. OP didn't like the answers he was getting, perhaps because Marriott's call centers often suck for Marriott reasons, and immediately went to the fact that the call center reps were Indian. He even points out in the post that his problem is with being passed from Indian to Indian.
The "speak English!" bit is a super old, tired, common racist trope, often used with people who are, in fact, speaking English - either as a 2nd language or just with the accent of a non-white region like India.
I've worked in Hyderabad. Most of our people there speak excellent English, but a few of them are hard to understand or don't pick up on all of the idioms and slang of our particular industry. Whenever I run into this, I remind myself that this person likely knows 3 languages, which is a solid 1.5 more than I do if I give myself very generous credit for some rudimentary Spanish. He/she can function in my business world, whereas I'd have zero hope whatsoever of functioning in his, or any other non-English environment in the world.
The "speak English!" bit is a super old, tired, common racist trope, often used with people who are, in fact, speaking English - either as a 2nd language or just with the accent of a non-white region like India.
I've worked in Hyderabad. Most of our people there speak excellent English, but a few of them are hard to understand or don't pick up on all of the idioms and slang of our particular industry. Whenever I run into this, I remind myself that this person likely knows 3 languages, which is a solid 1.5 more than I do if I give myself very generous credit for some rudimentary Spanish. He/she can function in my business world, whereas I'd have zero hope whatsoever of functioning in his, or any other non-English environment in the world.
Jul 16, 2019, 1:00 pm
#38
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Call center quality has far more to do with oversight of contractors (or management if one of the few remaining in house call centers, even most domestic call centers are outsourced), the goals given by the company to the call center, and how much you pay for the call center than location or anything else.
I have gotten amazing service from individuals with fairly obvious accents and totally crap service from clearly american call center workers. Generally if you can get an actual employee of the company -- remembering that even a lot of domestic call center employees are outsourced -- you will have the best luck, which has little to do with nationality.
I have gotten amazing service from individuals with fairly obvious accents and totally crap service from clearly american call center workers. Generally if you can get an actual employee of the company -- remembering that even a lot of domestic call center employees are outsourced -- you will have the best luck, which has little to do with nationality.
Jul 16, 2019, 1:16 pm
#40
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
I also note that you didn't answer the question:
Jul 16, 2019, 1:26 pm
#41
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
I have no idea what you're trying to say here. As someone who was formerly an Indian citizen, I both speak English and have spent quite a bit of time on the ground in India. American English and Indian English are both dialects of the English language.
I also note that you didn't answer the question:
I also note that you didn't answer the question:
Jul 16, 2019, 1:28 pm
#42
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
When it's an American calling in, I would say so. I imagine the same is true for any other nationality. It's an easier customer service experience when you are speaking to another native speaker of your language from your country. Is it not?
Jul 16, 2019, 1:41 pm
#45
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Let’s stay on topic with Marriott. I can’t help noticing that anyone who needs their travel package changed is advised on here to call the UK help desk, and as an Ambassador customer I try to call during the times staffed by what appear to be Japanese Ambassadors as they are the most competent. In conclusion I would say no, I don’t believe someone’s citizenship plays a large part in the customer service they are proving, and I don’t believe that there is a great nativist advantage that exists from working with suppliers who were born in the same country as you.