Boy, those SQ phone agents really struggle!
Sep 8, 2012, 6:48 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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Boy, those SQ phone agents really struggle!
I thought the UA offshore agents were tough. But they are the Ritz compared to the agents SQ contracts.
I wanted a B fare NRT-LAX. Can't get in online, as the SQ site only shows that lowest fare available.
It took FOREVER for the agent to give me the Y fare from SIN to SFO. Then another long while for him to give me the E fare ICN-SFO.
Finally, after 45 minutes, we got the Y fare NRT-LAX. Another 10 minutes for the B fare.
Getting him to understand the spelling of my name was next to impossible. I would begin to spell (using the phonetic alphabet table). Every every two letters, he would say "yes?" While he talked, he couldn't hear, and he got it wrong five times.
I finally had to literally say, "Stop talking until I finish spelling!"
Over an hour later, I have my ticket!
I wanted a B fare NRT-LAX. Can't get in online, as the SQ site only shows that lowest fare available.
It took FOREVER for the agent to give me the Y fare from SIN to SFO. Then another long while for him to give me the E fare ICN-SFO.
Finally, after 45 minutes, we got the Y fare NRT-LAX. Another 10 minutes for the B fare.
Getting him to understand the spelling of my name was next to impossible. I would begin to spell (using the phonetic alphabet table). Every every two letters, he would say "yes?" While he talked, he couldn't hear, and he got it wrong five times.
I finally had to literally say, "Stop talking until I finish spelling!"
Over an hour later, I have my ticket!
Sep 9, 2012, 6:06 am
#3
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if you have problems try calling an SQ office in another country that is native english speaking - like the UK or Australia. I have never had any problems with something like a seat assignment - takes all of about 1 minute.
Sep 9, 2012, 3:46 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Sep 9, 2012, 9:01 pm
#6
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SQ call centre is located in India.
If you want to talk to the Singapore call centre, you have to press Mandarin and follow the prompts. Can't tell you what it is.. but there, all the agents understand English and are so much nicer to deal with than the Indian Call Centre.
Sep 10, 2012, 3:10 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Posts: 1,182
Thanks I will try this next time.
Irrelevant.
SQ call centre is located in India.
If you want to talk to the Singapore call centre, you have to press Mandarin and follow the prompts. Can't tell you what it is.. but there, all the agents understand English and are so much nicer to deal with than the Indian Call Centre.
SQ call centre is located in India.
If you want to talk to the Singapore call centre, you have to press Mandarin and follow the prompts. Can't tell you what it is.. but there, all the agents understand English and are so much nicer to deal with than the Indian Call Centre.
Sep 10, 2012, 5:39 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,298
Irrelevant.
SQ call centre is located in India.
If you want to talk to the Singapore call centre, you have to press Mandarin and follow the prompts. Can't tell you what it is.. but there, all the agents understand English and are so much nicer to deal with than the Indian Call Centre.
SQ call centre is located in India.
If you want to talk to the Singapore call centre, you have to press Mandarin and follow the prompts. Can't tell you what it is.. but there, all the agents understand English and are so much nicer to deal with than the Indian Call Centre.
Irregardless of where the english is spoken india or singapore or australia (even) he would be hardpressed for them to understand him as it is not their "native" english as it were...
my point was that english ought to be dropped altogether ( even as a so called international language of "business") which means OP would then need to find some other way to communicate or dont fly SQ or other airlines that outsource their call centre functions
dont take it for granted that those non native speakers of english have to speak the Queens' english ...or in his case american english. or have to understand the american drawl .
It may be frustrating but there is a reason that it is outsourced ...
the english speaking world expects non english speaking countries to speak english ...and understand perfectly....to the extent of not making concessions .
heck , i sometimes struggle to understand the deep australian and american accents but with patience it usually works out ..i dont go posting in flyertalk and ranting !
sick of the underlying innuendo in the OP post
i urge OP to learn another language or travel to foreign lands more.
Sep 10, 2012, 8:46 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,158
very relevant when taken in context of the OPs post ..if i am not mistaken he is saying that they cannot comprehend the english spoken.
Irregardless of where the english is spoken india or singapore or australia (even) he would be hardpressed for them to understand him as it is not their "native" english as it were...
my point was that english ought to be dropped altogether ( even as a so called international language of "business") which means OP would then need to find some other way to communicate or dont fly SQ or other airlines that outsource their call centre functions
dont take it for granted that those non native speakers of english have to speak the Queens' english ...or in his case american english. or have to understand the american drawl .
It may be frustrating but there is a reason that it is outsourced ...
the english speaking world expects non english speaking countries to speak english ...and understand perfectly....to the extent of not making concessions .
heck , i sometimes struggle to understand the deep australian and american accents but with patience it usually works out ..i dont go posting in flyertalk and ranting !
sick of the underlying innuendo in the OP post
i urge OP to learn another language or travel to foreign lands more.
Irregardless of where the english is spoken india or singapore or australia (even) he would be hardpressed for them to understand him as it is not their "native" english as it were...
my point was that english ought to be dropped altogether ( even as a so called international language of "business") which means OP would then need to find some other way to communicate or dont fly SQ or other airlines that outsource their call centre functions
dont take it for granted that those non native speakers of english have to speak the Queens' english ...or in his case american english. or have to understand the american drawl .
It may be frustrating but there is a reason that it is outsourced ...
the english speaking world expects non english speaking countries to speak english ...and understand perfectly....to the extent of not making concessions .
heck , i sometimes struggle to understand the deep australian and american accents but with patience it usually works out ..i dont go posting in flyertalk and ranting !
sick of the underlying innuendo in the OP post
i urge OP to learn another language or travel to foreign lands more.
I made quite a similar experience as the OP. Its a mixture of non native english speaker which tries to communicate with a non-native english speaker in a call centre via a bad quality telephone line (SQ is obviously using one of the cheap VoIP-Lines).
I know a few languages but it doesnt help me really.
Sep 10, 2012, 9:50 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
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Posts: 38,257
...
dont take it for granted that those non native speakers of english have to speak the Queens' english ...or in his case american english. or have to understand the american drawl .
It may be frustrating but there is a reason that it is outsourced ..
It may be frustrating but there is a reason that it is outsourced ..
As for the rest ... you sound entirely oblivious to the whole situation: any Australian or American would understand you if you talked insular English ... and you'd understand them. This presumption doesn't hold with many of the call centers.
I have however not had language problems with SQ agents, I must admit - it always seemed to be the system or an unwilling sup rather than the language barrier.
Sep 10, 2012, 10:30 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,298
Denial as a solution? Sounds like something SQ or UA or one of these carriers with cheap call centers could actually come up with
The reason is evident. But for SQ not-outsourcing would not even address those issues. That makes this thread so hilarious.
As for the rest ... you sound entirely oblivious to the whole situation: any Australian or American would understand you if you talked insular English ... and you'd understand them. This presumption doesn't hold with many of the call centers.
I have however not had language problems with SQ agents, I must admit - it always seemed to be the system or an unwilling sup rather than the language barrier.
The reason is evident. But for SQ not-outsourcing would not even address those issues. That makes this thread so hilarious.
As for the rest ... you sound entirely oblivious to the whole situation: any Australian or American would understand you if you talked insular English ... and you'd understand them. This presumption doesn't hold with many of the call centers.
I have however not had language problems with SQ agents, I must admit - it always seemed to be the system or an unwilling sup rather than the language barrier.
i am only oblivious to one thing ... insular english ? whats that ?
Sep 10, 2012, 11:13 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Singapore
Programs: HH Diamond, Accor Gold, SQ*G, MH Platinum, Marriot Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire Ambassador
Posts: 346
Sep 11, 2012, 2:17 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 106
If you call SQ's toll free U.S. number, it goes to the call center in India. From my personal experience, one will get a local SQ agent, instead of at an outsourced center if one is a krisflyer member and enters her/his krisflyer number.
Again, from personal experience, talking to agents in India, were, at times, very challenging (when BTC and at the same time, getting a seat assignment changed amongst other things). It's as though they did not fully understand English. Some were downright rude. That's when I would ask to speak to a supervisor. I've been made to wait up to 20 mins for one. But hey, I am a very patient person. I will make it a point to wait for a supervisor, to put forth my point, if I feel I've been treated rudely. No reason for bad manners.
I've never had problems with understanding the english of local agents (singapore call center), and vice versa. The problems I ran into were largely agents being "obtuse", rude or just plain unhelpful. Some of their spoken english may be accented, but I find them to be perfectly understandable and competent. I am pretty certain that Singapore's local lingo is neither teochew of fukienese (however it's spelt).
Singaporeans, or at least the ones I know or the ones I've come into contact with, feel very comfortable speaking singlish to one another. They are too, perfectly capable and competent with "proper", understandable english, albeit accented. Then again, there's nothing wrong with accented english, other than the popular (in my opinion) American or British accented ones.
Some of the outsourced call centers when calling US carriers or some other matters, I have to admit that it's like pulling teeth! May as well tranquilize me! UA has call centers in India and the Philippines (when I called). India call centers agents - same problem with english, like SQ's agents (some). Philippines call center - nerve-wrecking rudeness! (just my personal experience).
When it's outsourced, i.e. India, it's not just SQ agents struggling. It's the "struggle" of any airline /business agents (my personal observation and interaction). And please pardon my grammatical errors. Just got off a long-haul flight.
Again, from personal experience, talking to agents in India, were, at times, very challenging (when BTC and at the same time, getting a seat assignment changed amongst other things). It's as though they did not fully understand English. Some were downright rude. That's when I would ask to speak to a supervisor. I've been made to wait up to 20 mins for one. But hey, I am a very patient person. I will make it a point to wait for a supervisor, to put forth my point, if I feel I've been treated rudely. No reason for bad manners.
I've never had problems with understanding the english of local agents (singapore call center), and vice versa. The problems I ran into were largely agents being "obtuse", rude or just plain unhelpful. Some of their spoken english may be accented, but I find them to be perfectly understandable and competent. I am pretty certain that Singapore's local lingo is neither teochew of fukienese (however it's spelt).
Singaporeans, or at least the ones I know or the ones I've come into contact with, feel very comfortable speaking singlish to one another. They are too, perfectly capable and competent with "proper", understandable english, albeit accented. Then again, there's nothing wrong with accented english, other than the popular (in my opinion) American or British accented ones.
Some of the outsourced call centers when calling US carriers or some other matters, I have to admit that it's like pulling teeth! May as well tranquilize me! UA has call centers in India and the Philippines (when I called). India call centers agents - same problem with english, like SQ's agents (some). Philippines call center - nerve-wrecking rudeness! (just my personal experience).
When it's outsourced, i.e. India, it's not just SQ agents struggling. It's the "struggle" of any airline /business agents (my personal observation and interaction). And please pardon my grammatical errors. Just got off a long-haul flight.
