It’s back to the Dell’s Direct2Dell blog to see what they’re up to these days. I was enlightened to see that they’ve become very detailed in addressing customer service issues such as shipping delays, call center outsourcing, and their telephone system.
Of course, there are customers who will still be unsatisfied with Dell’s customer service and outsourcing to countries like India is at the top of the list when it comes to peeves. One person commented that they’d rather wait longer to talk to someone in the U.S. than to get right through and talk to someone in India.
But who’s to say that someone in the U.S. can address customer issues better than someone in India? Ok, sometimes the accent does get in the way. There has been a time when I’ve talked to someone in India and could only understand every other word they said. However, that’s happened with someone in the U.S. as well. If you were in Target or Outback Steakhouse and an Indian with an accent is helping you, do you ask that someone from the “U.S.” help you instead?
Yes, I’m taking offense to this and I’m not even from India... I take it as these complainers are prejudiced and bigots. Bottom line.
Perhaps some Dell customers feel that the offshore phone reps don't understand the American colloquialisms, or other turns of phrase Americans use.
I know I've spoken to quite a few offshore Dell service reps whose spoken English is excellent, but they don't understand English as well as they speak it. No matter how simply I stated an issue, or how many times I rephrased it for clarity, some of the offshore reps simply couldn't conceptualize the problem well enough to address it. These were often very simple issues too, such as being charged for something not received.
Also, many US citizens are pissed off that a US company is taking US dollars and using that money to hire non-US workers. Globalization is a good thing, when it doesn't hurt you at home.
And, the real problem is that the occurance of dissatisfaction with offshore rep interaction is highly frequent. There are some offshore reps who are quite capable. I've encountered one or two. Unfortunately, I've encountered far more poorly trained, disinterested, dispassionate "script reading zombies" than I have proficient representatives from Dell, based in offshore call centers. But this is what they are supposedly spending a portion of that $100 million service investment on.
And of course, I've enountered just as many local US based poorly trained, disinterested, dispassionate "script reading zombies" from companys such as Cingular.
But, at least they understood the problem I was having, and could more frequently handle the simple stuff. Not to mention, their tax dollars and spending were staying in the US. Unless they were buying Dell.
-DL
Posted by: Dell Lied | September 7, 2006 9:02 AM | Permalink to Comment