FabSwingers.com forum: UK Call Centres

By *LCC OP Couple
over a year ago

Cambridge

Does it appeal to you when a company says they only use UK call centres? Would you pay more for a service to have its call centre in the UK?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Not really. I try to avoid all phone contact. Even in work.

If a company has good email response times or even better, a good messaging service. I'm in.

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By *ercuryMan
over a year ago

Grantham

I have the same trouble understanding someone in Swansea as I do in India!

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By *lexer007ukMan
over a year ago

Dewsbury

Shouldn’t have to pay more just so you can speak to someone in the UK.

The people who work in overseas call centres tend to be highly educated with most having to obtain degrees to land a job in a call centre, whereas in the UK it is not the case.

I blame to poor training and support provided by companies to these people, seen it 1st hand.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Does it appeal to you when a company says they only use UK call centres? Would you pay more for a service to have its call centre in the UK?"

Why do you ask?

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By *LCC OP Couple
over a year ago

Cambridge

"I have the same trouble understanding someone in Swansea as I do in India!

I worked in a call centre in Cardiff several years ago. Lots of the staff were South Asian, and quite a few Somali as well as Cardiff has quite a large Somali population.

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By *LCC OP Couple
over a year ago

Cambridge

"Does it appeal to you when a company says they only use UK call centres? Would you pay more for a service to have its call centre in the UK?

Why do you ask?

A new broadband package from BT is more expensive because it has a UK call centre, they seem to think it's a big selling point.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I don't care where they are, so long as I can understand them and vice versa

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By *parky4gMan
over a year ago

Cambridgeshire

I agree nothing wrong with foreign call centres but can be difficult to understand somtimes.

Can be quiet difficult when your trying to fix a computer

Many years ago a Indian dell call centre maneged to get me to take a computer side panel off and remove and refit a component

The old fashioned way of turning it off and back on again

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'm not fussed where it's based. People useually find it hard to understand my accent even if I'm just down in Carlisle!

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By *ophieslutTV/TS
over a year ago

Central

I've generally found UK call centre service to be better than when UK businesses have outsourced theirs to overseas. It's often not the staff overseas at fault but how the company controls them, giving them rigid scripts and insufficient power to completely resolve many issues. It's a very tough job for anyone to do and especially if the employer puts little power and trust to you.

I have services from overseas that outsource to other countries and it's never as bad as when UK businesses do it.

I'll continue service with them longer when service is good, would potentially pay a tiny fraction more for service but generally I see no reason for delivering bad service except for scorn for me as a customer - if that's the case I'm not staying long.

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By *parky4gMan
over a year ago

Cambridgeshire

I think people tend to dislike non Uk call centres as it seem a lot of spam comes from them ppi accidents etc

I don’t have a problem with non Uk centres but can struggle with the accent

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By *rontier PsychiatristMan
over a year ago

Coventry

Yes, but not enough to pay more. To be fair the location is of little importance, but the ability to clearly understand me and the the words I use is important.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I worked in a call centre once and the girl who sat next to me was from Pakistan and had quite a strong accent. The amount of abuse she got and people who would just hang up on her would suggest it's a big selling point for a lot of people.

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By *ecadent_DevonMan
over a year ago

Okehampton

"Shouldn’t have to pay more just so you can speak to someone in the UK.

The people who work in overseas call centres tend to be highly educated with most having to obtain degrees to land a job in a call centre, whereas in the UK it is not the case.

I blame to poor training and support provided by companies to these people, seen it 1st hand.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8016843/University-graduates-taking-jobs-in-call-centres.html

1 in 3 people working in Uk call centres has a degree (2009)

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By *ophieslutTV/TS
over a year ago

Central

I've paid more for products with UK only customer service centres. It's generally good service though I've had amazing service from overseas centre staff. I like to keep employment here as high as possible

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By *orny PTMan
over a year ago

Peterborough

Calling a foreign language country like Wales, is bad enough.

do we seriously have to wait until 2030 until covid stops being used as an lame excuse for not employing more call centre staff?

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By *rontier PsychiatristMan
over a year ago

Coventry

The guys at EE have always been great. However cost is king. I probably wouldn’t move to EE for that. The main reason I'm with EE in this competitive market is because I've been with them years and I always negotiate a great deal with them.

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By *idnight RamblerMan
over a year ago

Pershore

Depends on the query. If straightforward it doesn't matter, but more complicated topics need clear mutual understanding.

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By *ynecplCouple
over a year ago

Newcastle upon Tyne

I just want good quick and efficient service. I have experienced good and bad customer service from call centres in the UK and abroad. The main issue for me is the person must speak good clear English regardless of where it is based otherwise I will just hang up. I have actually found webchat customer services to be some of the best.

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By *htcMan
over a year ago

I prefer email or live chat. Call centre staff are normally reading scripted text anyway, rude and just want to hang up the phone. I never look where there call centre is, as does not matter.

Like call TV licensing, UK based staff are the rudest people on the planet worse than BT or Vodafone call center staff in Romania.

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By *ools and the brainCouple
over a year ago

couple, us we him her.

Regardless of where the call center is.

Those answering the phone should be able to understand you and respond in perfect English.

Times I've talked to someone on virgin media and asked them to repeat what they are saying several times is an absolute joke.

It's got zero to do with being racist.

I wouldn't get a job in a call center responding to people in France when all I know what to say in French is.

Where I live,what my name is and what the name of my dog is!!

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By *orny PTMan
over a year ago

Peterborough

Naturally the Bank of Scotland does feature a lot of Scottish accents.

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By *agneto.Man
over a year ago

Bham

If they said, we exclusively use live chat for all your customer problems then I'd be all over them.

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By *orny PTMan
over a year ago

Peterborough

"If they said, we exclusively use live chat for all your customer problems then I'd be all over them. "

Why does their chat screen have to be so small and fixed to the bottom of the screen on desktop screens?

Can't they tell their IT Dept to fix this? I hate the shift to mobile/portait position only.

Wait until the TV stations go this way.

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