India: Why Apple Walked Away

[MacBytes]

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Category: Apple Services
Link: India: Why Apple Walked Away (http://www.macbytes.com/link.php?sid=20060619232539)
Description:: Apple Computer Inc. has shelved plans to build a sprawling technical support center in Bangalore, even as IBM (IBM ) and other tech powers are ramping up. Just three months back, Apple appeared to be on the same trajectory, and there was talk of the company hiring 3,000 workers by 2007 to handle support for Macintosh computers and other Apple gear. Many in India even speculated that Jobs might travel there this year to publicize Apple's commitment to the country.

Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)
Approved by Mudbug

[Jopling]

not to be racist, but maybe it was because I could never understand what they were saying...

[swingerofbirch]

As I recall Jobs in his early life found a great deal of inspiration (read hallucinogens) in India.

I used to only have bad things to say about Indian tech support, but I recently had a good experience with a man who I assume was Indian for a tech support call with Microsoft.


My faves by far are the Apple Canadian support agents. They always sound so HOT too (I'm not kidding).

[WildCowboy]

There's not a whole lot of "why" in that short article...just a few thoughts that are likely just speculation. There's no story here.

[j_maddison]

not to be racist, but maybe it was because I could never understand what they were saying...

I can't say that I've had a problem understanding anyone from one of the Indian call centres. I have found that you either get excellent service or poor service where the person the other end isnt listening.

I think its a bit of an urban myth to say you can't understand them, and dare I say its a popular thing to say at the moment.

When I first left university I did a stint in a call centre, it was quite popular at the time to say you couldn't understand Scotish or Japanse people. I can't say I had a problem understanding either group, just takes a bit of patience and understanding. I'm not having a go at you Jopling, so I hope it doesn't come across that way.

Jay

[Arnaud]

I think its a bit of an urban myth to say you can't understand them, and dare I say its a popular thing to say at the moment.


Uh, I'll support Joplin there, though... Very often, I've had simple problems communicating with Indian people, usually in Indian restaurants (UK, NL mostly).
I don't know which region they came from, but there were clear problems, them not understaning my requests, and me not understanding their explanations.
I don't think it's only a myth.
However, there must certainly be restrictions about a proper level of "International English" when it comes to call centers.

Besides, I'm French, but I have the same problem with some Canadian people: even speaking French, the accent can put me off; I estimated once losing 1 sentence out of 3.

(NB: Before comments pop up... My understanding of English is not a problem with people from UK or US). ;)

[winmacguy]

There's not a whole lot of "why" in that short article...just a few thoughts that are likely just speculation. There's no story here.
I think this story was out last month.

[fixyourthinking]

I think its a bit of an urban myth to say you can't understand them, and dare I say its a popular thing to say at the moment.

Jay

It's not an urban myth! And you must be Indian because it's "Urban Legend" ... and by stating such - you proved the case against you. English is not an easy 2nd language and most "other languages" have a lot of metaphor in their speech. Indians in particular have the hardest time learning 100% proper English.

Tech Centers in India are scripted ... so bad that if you deviate from the script they are lost ... and therefore you end up getting frustrated.

[Jopling]

Seriously though, nearly every time I had gotten a person with an Indian accent on apple's help line the call has become extremely dragged out because I can't pick up on anything they are saying. A job for English tech support should be filled out by the most qualified people, which would be someone who speaks English as their first language.