Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

clayj

macrumors 604
Jan 14, 2005
7,619
1,079
visiting from downstream
Absolutely good news.

If Apple (or Microsoft, or Dell, or anyone else) want to open a support center in India for the purpose of supporting customers in India and nearby countries, then that's great. But when I call an American company for tech support from here in the US, I expect to talk to someone in the US (or Canada at the very least). This isn't racism or anything; I'd have just as big an issue with it if they hired Highland Scotsmen to man the support lines. I can't understand people with strong non-American accents, and when I am calling in for tech support, the last thing I need is any sort of communication barrier between myself and the support tech.
 

Eraserhead

macrumors G4
Nov 3, 2005
10,434
12,250
UK
clayj said:
when I am calling in for tech support, the last thing I need is any sort of communication barrier between myself and the support tech.

I totally agree with this point, it's generally more difficult to communicate with people from another country as they don't understand your culture and colloquialisms, especially by phone, and the job must suck, especially as a lot of people probably treat them badly.
 

Kardashian

macrumors 68020
Sep 4, 2005
2,083
2
Britain.
clayj said:
I can't understand people with strong non-American accents, and when I am calling in for tech support, the last thing I need is any sort of communication barrier between myself and the support tech.

100% agree. That is exactly how I put it when I have one of my rants about FOREIGN (Not Indian) tech support.

Canadian/American, Most European, and British/Irish = I can understand fine.

When I have a problem that someone cannot help me with physically, and verbal communication is the only way of solving it - the last thing I need is a language barrier, or someone who cannot pronounce my name.

"Jishena Timas" (Joshua Thomas) :eek:
 

irmongoose

macrumors 68030
Well that's too bad for the locals... I had hoped that the introduction of Apple into the Bangalore support centers would have instigated some sort of awareness-program in India. I guess India will forever be Windows World. :eek:

But I give a pat on the back to Apple - no need to be a part of the rudimentary PC-ness of support outsourcing.




irmongoose
 

Sdashiki

macrumors 68040
Aug 11, 2005
3,529
11
Behind the lens
Im not racist, im just customer service oriented.

And when you get an Indian Call Center, there is always a 2sec delay from when you talk and they hear, so you CANT have a two way conversation, which is usually what CS is all about.

Not to mention that the "training" these people recieve is to speak "english" and I must say they all need to go back to school.

http://www.illwillpress.com/tech2.html
http://www.illwillpress.com/tech3.html
 

Dont Hurt Me

macrumors 603
Dec 21, 2002
6,055
6
Yahooville S.C.
clayj said:
Absolutely good news.

If Apple (or Microsoft, or Dell, or anyone else) want to open a support center in India for the purpose of supporting customers in India and nearby countries, then that's great. But when I call an American company for tech support from here in the US, I expect to talk to someone in the US (or Canada at the very least). This isn't racism or anything; I'd have just as big an issue with it if they hired Highland Scotsmen to man the support lines. I can't understand people with strong non-American accents, and when I am calling in for tech support, the last thing I need is any sort of communication barrier between myself and the support tech.
You are 100% right and it looks like Apple agrees.:)
 

longofest

Editor emeritus
Jul 10, 2003
2,925
1,693
Falls Church, VA
Apple Pulling Support Center Out Of India



According to the IndiaTimes, Apple is deciding against placing its previously reported foreign support center in India.

At a meeting on May 29, Apple announced its decision to lay off all its [Indian support] employees. Apple officials told them that "the company is reevaluating its operations and has thought of pulling back its Indian operations".

Apple is giving these employees a severance package of two months salary. It will settle all claims on June 9. When contacted, Steve Dowling, an Apple spokesperson, said, "We have re-evaluated our plans and have decided to put our planned support centre growth in other countries."
 

FragTek

macrumors 6502
May 29, 2006
377
1
Fredericksburg, VA
MacsomJRR said:
Woohoo! If only Dell were so smart.
Dell relies too heavily on tech support. It's completely unfeasible to try and give US based tech support for a company so large with as many crappy products as they have which constantly need troubleshooting.

Dell would probably go out of business if they were to try and open support centers in the US to take place of all of the Indian based centers rofl.
 

Mord

macrumors G4
Aug 24, 2003
10,091
23
UK
i like the phone support in the UK, i usually get an irish person, and the irish accent is the most soothing accent for phone support, i dont mind who gives phone support as long as they are good.


tbh i like microsofts indian support, generally if you call them up with install or activation issues they will just issue annother CD key
 

mmmcheese

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2006
948
0
Some of the worst tech support I've ever had (as far as language barrier) was with someone with a really thick southern US (Texas?) accent.
 

Willis

macrumors 68020
Apr 23, 2006
2,293
54
Beds, UK
Sdashiki said:
Im not racist, im just customer service oriented.

And when you get an Indian Call Center, there is always a 2sec delay from when you talk and they hear, so you CANT have a two way conversation, which is usually what CS is all about.

Not to mention that the "training" these people recieve is to speak "english" and I must say they all need to go back to school.

http://www.illwillpress.com/tech2.html
http://www.illwillpress.com/tech3.html

lol, i love that site. small medium or large was good.

Tech 1 was good if you ever saw it. Foamy was telling the guy a possibility of how to answer a problem and it was bios dealings. the words 'Get a Mac' came to mind.

However, in the UK, we get Scottish Indians on our call centres for TV and or mail order things. Really bizzare. And they cant pronouce Italian names to save their lives!
 

Willis

macrumors 68020
Apr 23, 2006
2,293
54
Beds, UK
Hector said:
i like the phone support in the UK, i usually get an irish person, and the irish accent is the most soothing accent for phone support, i dont mind who gives phone support as long as they are good.


tbh i like microsofts indian support, generally if you call them up with install or activation issues they will just issue annother CD key

i must remember that one :D

OR, do what i did. Install it on the laptop, take it back to the store, and say "my CD drive wouldnt read it, yet read everything else." the girl gave me another box... saved myself £130
 

FleurDuMal

macrumors 68000
May 31, 2006
1,801
0
London Town
I've had some perfectly smooth experiences with technical support based in India. However, I've also had horrendous experiences.

There's nothing wrong with the principle of outsourcing customer support to India, or anywhere in the World. It's when the standards of recruiting are so poor that they don't seem to require that they have an easily understandable accent in order to take a job where communication is everything.
 

Collin973

macrumors 6502
Mar 29, 2006
259
0
Way to go apple. Maybe sometime some jobs will be given back to Americans...though, sadly yes, it is incrediably cost effective to have tech support in foreign countries...
 

59031

macrumors regular
Sep 29, 2005
113
0
Thank God.

I am totally against outsourcing, esp tech support to India.

I want U.S. or Canadians (at most) only.

Not Apu who tells you his name is "James".
 

dmw007

macrumors G4
May 26, 2005
10,635
0
Working for MI-6
Thank You Apple! :) :) :) :)

Glad that you are not going the route (outsourcing of tech support calls to people who can not understand you and vice-versa) of Dell and all of those other wretched PeeCee companies.
 

Stella

macrumors G3
Apr 21, 2003
8,838
6,341
Canada
Customers are getting fed up with support staff who cannot speak english well ( or any other language that is being supported ).

AS many companies have discovered, initially, it may seem like the company is saving money.. but in the long run customers will go to another company for better customer service.
 

floriflee

macrumors 68030
Dec 21, 2004
2,707
1
As someone who provides Tech Support for a living I can give a little insight into this. First of all, just because the call center is getting closed down in India doesn't necessarily mean that you will never have to deal with a "foreign" accent again. There are several foreigners that have come from various parts of the world that have worked as Tech Support Engineers for the last two companies I've worked for here in the U.S. They live and work in the U.S., but they still speak with their foreign accent (albeit, it may not be as strong as it could be--at least for some). So in a globalized world such as ours this is something that we all need to get used to to some degree. Honestly, I've found that some of the better support that can be given has come from my foreign co-workers. They really can be top-notch at their job, and I'd venture to say that some of the locals could learn a thing or two from them. :)
 

BlackLilyNinja

macrumors member
Dec 28, 2004
41
0
clayj said:
Absolutely good news.

If Apple (or Microsoft, or Dell, or anyone else) want to open a support center in India for the purpose of supporting customers in India and nearby countries, then that's great. But when I call an American company for tech support from here in the US, I expect to talk to someone in the US (or Canada at the very least). This isn't racism or anything; I'd have just as big an issue with it if they hired Highland Scotsmen to man the support lines. I can't understand people with strong non-American accents, and when I am calling in for tech support, the last thing I need is any sort of communication barrier between myself and the support tech.

I appreciate the canadian nod.... and I agree for the most part with the principles of communication between support and customer. I once worked for an outsourcing company for US internet support. Its just as silly when a non spanish speaking English or french Canadian can not communicate with the Spanish/non-english or french speaking customer. I don't know why there are not more choices for customers.

However..
(off-topic)
the hurricanes will lose... condemning 4 edmonton souls to be humiliated by their hometown team.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.