Are there still customer service reps in the US?

Don M.

Don M.

SF VIP
Location
central Missouri
In recent weeks I've contacted a couple of companies about their products, and most recently I made a hotel reservation for a Son-in-Laws upcoming 50th birthday party where we will be staying overnight. In all cases, I have been redirected to a rep who is obviously not in the US, and barely speaks English. It seems like the calls are answered by an AI recording, then routed to someone in India, or the Philippines, etc., where it is very hard to conduct any meaningful dialog with them.

It looks like many US companies are "out sourcing" their customer service to nations where the wages are lower....but any interaction with them is becoming difficult.
 

I was just in a chat with the utility company attempting to find out why my account is one month past due. (I’ve been on automatic payment since 2019.)

It was a useless and frustrating experience trying to find words and phrases that the computer could understand.

No more 24 hour customer service, now it’s 9-5 M-F.

I should probably just wait and see if it corrects itself or if the lights eventually go out.
 

Thanks yoo for yoor call toodayy. May I call yoo bye yoo first name please?
Oh thanks yoo so mooch. Wat kan I doo foor yoo tooday?
Sure, no probleem. Pleeze to hold for return okay? Thanks yoo.
..................and on and on and on......

I have found that rudeness and foul language can often get me transferred to a more fluent English ....uh... "representative." 🤭
 
Don M. said:
In recent weeks I've contacted a couple of companies about their products, and most recently I made a hotel reservation for a Son-in-Laws upcoming 50th birthday party where we will be staying overnight. In all cases, I have been redirected to a rep who is obviously not in the US, and barely speaks English. It seems like the calls are answered by an AI recording, then routed to someone in India, or the Philippines, etc., where it is very hard to conduct any meaningful dialog with them.

It looks like many US companies are "out sourcing" their customer service to nations where the wages are lower....but any interaction with them is becoming difficult.
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I had the same problem when I put in a claim to my homeowner's insurance for my basement flooding. I called the local office only to be informed that they don't handle claims there and was transferred to "the central office". That agent spoke in a heavy accent, I couldn't understand only about every third word, then she messed up the info - put the wrong date of the incurred damage and also what type of damage. She also indicated it was wind when it was water.

I was telling my dentist about it and he agreed that outsourcing was now almost taken over the business world. The local insurance office is only for sales, not claims.
 
At some places, I ask for the next level without talking to them. At Target, for example, their 2nd level often speaks English but not always.

English speakers aren't always better though. Many of them are working from their home. You can hear dogs and babies in the background. Sometimes it seems like a random person that speaks English is picking up the phone.

To be fair, Target's 2nd level is often pretty good.

Phone companies and streaming online companies have the worst customer service, English speaking or not.

A cable company which shall remain nameless (so I don't get my internet cut off lol) is notorious for bad customer service. The lying is outrageous. When you catch them in a lie, they'll defend lying.
 
Aunt Bea said:
It was a useless and frustrating experience trying to find words and phrases that the computer could understand.
Click to expand...
I completely sympathize with that. Automated systems drive me nuts, I usually just start repeating 'operator' or 'representative' over and over until it transfers me to a real person. Sometimes the automated systems are sneaky and say they think I want to talk to a representative and ask what subject so it can transfer me to the right one, then they grab onto the topic I say and tell me I can do that through the system. :eek:

Though the worst is when it records what I say I'm calling about and play that recording to the real person when it connects. I always sound like an old scatter-brained person.
 
Yes, customer service pretty much doesn't exist any more. You are already not too happy when you have to call and then you have to go through all of that.

I think the problem is a couple of major companies that have almost a monopoly hold on online sales. Customers are often treated with contempt and a take it or leave it attitude. They don't care that you can't understand the rep. They are just hoping it will make you and your problem go away.

If you were calling a sales office I bet the phone would be answered by someone you could understand.
 
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