Posted on 01/16/2005 2:35:05 AM PST by withteeth
"Q: I'm curious as to what kind of responses you have been getting. Do you use curse words at them?
A: I made an Indian woman cry and promise to quit her job in 60 seconds. You can do it too!"
MUMBAI: This is only a random (and printable) selection from the thousands of messages in cyberspace calling for a campaign to harass Indian call centre operators, to put an end to the offshoring of jobs.
The same person goes on to describe some more of his experiences while calling these call centres, an activity to which he promises to devote "one hour every day".
"Actually the usual response is confusion...I get the impression these are not the brightest bulbs in India's chandeliers. Often, they give me a 'courtesy laugh' as if I were joking and ask how they can help me.
Usually, I limit the calls to 60 seconds anyway, so I can call back and really hammer them. I've been doing this about 20 minutes a day. It's great fun!" The person goes on to give the names and numbers of some popular MNCs with Indian call centres.
In the last few months, and particularly since the US presidential elections, people working in call centres in the country say that they are receiving more abusive and racist phone calls than ever before.
"Earlier, people would get abusive if we didn't answer their questions satisfactorily. Now, I get calls—on some days up to five a shift—from people who are calling only to abuse," says Shalini J, a 22-year-old engineering graduate who works in a major call centre in Malad.
Continued...
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com ...
If only they would.
When was the last time you actually got an answer from "tech support." For me, it was sometime around when I stopped believing in Santa Claus.
At least a straighforward "Cut the crap and give me an answer or give me an RMA number so I can FedEx this crap back where it came from." is well deserved on most tech support calls.
Or look at it this way: Why do you think the lack of any tech support for open source software has been no impediment? Tech support is a bad joke. Some people have their own way of responding to that. But don't call it a "job."
Thanks for posting this!
As someone who has lived outside the US and will be living outside the US again, I have seen the effects of these types of actions. All it does is create hostility towards the country the person is from. Absolutely nothing good comes out of it besides some cheap thrill this idiot must get. Long after this moron has forgotten what he has done, the consequences are still there. Not only does it make him look bad but all Americans.
HP's tech support for printers works like a charm - a 13 month old printer stopped working - I called the hot-line - the very polite Indian on the other end spent 10 minutes asking questions - we repeated everything I had already done - it was determined to be a 'mechanical failre' - the solution was easy - HP doesn't provide parts for printers worth less than $350 - junk the printer - buy a new one - be sure to buy the extended warrenty so you can get 'something' when the printer fails.
I have become a big fan of extended warranties. I bought a Dell 2 years ago... it scrogged... Dell shipped me a better model FREE....
See? See? It's all Bush's fault!
Nope,because Kerry took a more stronger stand against outsourcing.Since he lost,someone decided to play this prank/or vent their frustration.
In short,it's got nothing to do with Bush.
Nothing personal but for years I've responded to the "they work harder / smarter / or both and then some!" posts with a simple question.
Got proof? Like in valid sources.
In fact, given the cost of living differences do they really work cheaper? Relatively speaking. Those jobs pay pretty good given India's pay scale, I believe.
BTW, I knew there'd be this kind of blame Americans in general after those two DJ clowns in Philadelphia (?) had their "fun" with a call center. I bet the Congressional India caucus is drafting "hate crime" legislation to set up monitors on every American's telephone. A little sarcasm there, but only a little. We have not seen the end to what those two DJs wrought.
Oh great, now "withteeth" (or is that wiffteef?) can't live with the implication of his Elton John CD collection and Tivo full of Oprah.
He's probably "straight" so you see what I mean about it not having to do with what people do in bed.
Excellent point!
Besides, where's the proof that the "harassment" is not merely FRUSTRATION?!
(To wit, except for those two DJ clowns who started this -- I wonder if they were paid to start this so these PR plants could flood our MSM and lead to hate crime legislation making it a crime to get FRUSTRATED!)
Not to mention that it now seems impossible to even mention the central theme of Team America if one whiney fweeper pings the admin.
What did Clemenza come up with as a passable euphemism (AND NO, ADMIN MOD, "euphemism" does not derive from "fem.")? "Friend of Dorothy?" Yeah. That'll have to do.
I'd take this article with some salt.... Mind you the source: Times Of India - RUKMINI SHRINIVASAN !
This sounds like propaganda
Bill
US RJs threaten Indian BPO worker
Arun Venugopal in New York | January 11, 2005 11:12 IST
An abusive call made by two prominent radio jockeys to a call centre in India has outraged listeners and prompted demands for the duo's resignation.
The live call, made during the Philadelphia-based morning show of RJs Star and Bucwild, ended with one of the RJ's repeatedly calling the female call centre employee a 'bitch' and a 'rat eater' and threatening to choke her.
Star, whose real name is Troi Torain, initiated the call under the pretext of inquiring into an order he had placed for a product known as 'Quick Beads', hair beads marketed primarily to girls outside the black community (Star and Bucwild are black). Midway through the call, Star became aggressive with the call centre representative, Steena.
Star: This call has been outsourced to India?
Steena: That's right.
Star: Well, ma'am, what the eff would you know about an American white girl's - uh, uh - hair, and quick beads?
Steena: Just to inform you, ma'am, we're a national chain services company. And we're just taking calls on the opposite.
Star: Listen, bitch! Don't get slick with the mouth! Don't you get slick with me, bitch!
Steena: Now if you continue to speak this language, I will disconnect the call.
Star: Listen to me, you dirty rat eater. I'll come out there and choke the eff out of you (laughter).
Star: You're a filthy rat eater. I'm calling about my American six-year-old white girl. How dare you outsource my call? Get off the line, bitch (laughter, applause, end of call).
This is not the first time the RJ's have provoked listeners. In 2001, after the death of the R&B singer Aaliyah, their show attempted to make light of the tragedy by playing the sound effect of a plane crashing, along with the sound of a woman screaming.
That segment, according to some reports, drew as many as 80,000 signatures to a petition and led to the duo being fired from their station at the time, New York's Hot 97 FM. Their latest segment has inspired a number of bloggers and online activists to rally against Star and Bucwild, initiating a letter-writing campaign to the station, WUSL-FM (Power 99), as well as to its corporate parent, Clear Channel, and the Federal Communications Commission, which monitors the broadcast media.
Although the station pulled the segment from their website, one blogger posted the audio file on his own website: http://www.sideangleside.com/cgi-bin/redirect.cgi?dest=http://www.sideangleside.com/sas/media/power99_call_to_india.mp3
Another blogger posted the full transcript: http://www.edrants.com/reluctant/001697.html
In a form letter sent to some protesters, the station's general manager, Richard Lewis, said the station did not condone the use of offensive language.
'This situation has been discussed with the people in question and I am confident nothing of this nature will happen again,' wrote Lewis. 'I sincerely regret any discomfort this may have caused you or any friends and family.'
However, Lewis hasn't agreed to either of the demands protesters were looking for: a public apology from the shock jocks or even their suspension.
'Again I apologise to you personally for this and I understand your point of view,' he wrote, in closing. 'I do appreciate your taking the time to let me know your thoughts.'
http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/jan/11bpo.htm ^
from another website
I would suspect that this clown might enjoy browbeating low-ranking people but lacks the guts to talk to anyone in some position of authority who might talk back.
No worries, FRiend. You actually used the correct title. The first-time post didn't.
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