Yesterday while I was getting ready to leave, my colleague who mans the support desk called out for me and said “Dhiman a call for you”. My manager who sits in the cube next to me looked up in awe and said “a caall for you on support linea ??”, well I myself was surprised as I donot support any applications. I replied to my friend “Are you sure its for me” he got angry and retorted “Ya man she’s asking for you. Do you think I am joking?” I knew he cannot joke with support calls, so I started walking towards his desk wondering who could “she” be asking for me directly ?
Hesitatingly I picked the receiver and spoke “Yes Dhiman here, How may I help you?” trying to sound like a support desk personnel, the caller responded “can you be little clear I can’t understand you” I repeated the same this time a bit louder and slower as I had seen the support guys speak slowly while on call. The line was crackling with lot of disturbance and I couldn’t listen anything but thought she said “Can I speak with Dhiman” I said “Yes ma’am Dhiman here, How can I help you” then she said “No no I am looking for Dhiman”, I was getting irritated it was already late and I am stuck here with somebody who’s playing pranks or what anyway I controlled myself and politely said “Ma’am you ARE speaking to Dhimaaan” to which she replied “I am asking for Dhiman i mean D-A-I-M-Y-N, a lady does she work there ?” I was stunned for a moment and didn’t know what to say or do and quickly said “Oh ma’am I am sorry I think you got to a wrong line, there’s nobody by that name here” hearing it she promptly apologized and disconnected. I kept receiver and scolded my colleague “Hey this call was for someone else and you called me” He smiled and said “Man you spoke to her yourself tell me how do I figure out who she means”. Then he laughed and said “Just see what we have to deal with everyday”.
Well he was right I myself had spoken with her. I smiled back to him and said “yeah I understand” and returned to my seat. Then started thinking about the plight of thousands of “call center agents” who have to deal with this kind of accents whole night yet provide great service. No doubt they are trained but still its really difficult. At the same time I felt bad for the caller as she had to waste so much of time just to know that she had got to wrong number. I was told by my collegues in US, UK about the hard time they have talking to Indian counterparts but they never faced any difficulty with me.
Anyways this was a freak incident and the caller was patient enough and didn’t get annoyed but with the ‘agents’ sometimes it does get worse.Thank God that I don’t need to take calls directly but kudos to these ‘agents’ who do it day in out and yet are able to chill out.
May 13, 2009 @ 02:01:20
Your article should be required reading for all new agents. This is a great description of the world they are about to enter. It applies no matter what country they are from, or accent they have.
May 13, 2009 @ 08:49:46
Thanks Todd for dropping by and commenting, you are very correct new agents should know what to expect and the callers also need to show a bit more empathy towards these agents!!!
May 13, 2009 @ 11:41:04
Well i think it’s more the recruiting ppl’s responsibility than the agents’… to ensure they get ppl with the right accent (neutral accent!) to take calls! It’s really no fault of the agents if they hv been put in a voice based process if their accent is not fit for it. But they are the ones who later suffer for the HR ppl’s mistakes! It’s no one’s dream to be on the receiving end of aggravated customers who get even more aggravated if they find they can’t understand what you are saying!
May 13, 2009 @ 13:52:47
Kaddu, thank you very much for dropping by and commenting. You are right this is exactly the concern behind the article, that its the organization’s responsibilty to train ppl for ‘neutral accent’ not only to the ones who are in support functions or the ones who take calls but also anybody who has to deal with western clients.
May 14, 2009 @ 09:52:40
I can only imagine working in a call center. It is sometimes challenging answwering regular incoming calls on a daily basis. Many people interact by computer and have lost the patience to communicate verbally.
May 14, 2009 @ 10:16:51
Yeah Jackie you are right but I think the ‘call center agents’ take it as any other job as I was told by some of my Call center friends ….
May 15, 2009 @ 04:41:39
yes i agree with you ,cc job is also difficult its not just talking and having all the time fun.
May 15, 2009 @ 14:45:48
You are absolutely right. Call center job has lots of pains as well.
May 17, 2009 @ 19:35:33
hi ji it is good
Apr 02, 2010 @ 07:52:46
Dear Friends, Happy April Fool’s Day!!!
Two women were in a hair salon talking about their home lives when the subject of flighty husbands came up.
“It’s unbelievable,” one woman said. “I can never figure out where he goes at night.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” said the other woman. “One second he’s in the house, and the next he’s gone without a trace.”
“Well,” says a woman eavesdropping nearby. “I always know where my husband is.”
“How do you manage that?” the other two women ask.
“Easy,” she replies. “I’m a widow.”
Happy April Fool’s Day!