I lost it!

I am a patient man. I try not to let little things upset me but sometimes they get the best of me. Take yesterday for example. I am interested in getting my son’s phone added to my family plan. He wants to keep the same phone number because he uses it in his plant business and has business cards and signs made with that number on it.

So I called my cell phone company with only one question. The conversation went like this:

Me: Hi, my name is Greg. I want to add my son to our family plan……(she cut me off)
Her: What is the primary phone number on the account?

I gave her the number and waited while she looked up the account.

Her: Yes you can add a phone on that account.
Me: I knew that. My question is can he keep the same number. He already has a phone with another company.
Her: You will have to speak with “new accounts”. They can look up the number and see if it is transferable.
Me: That sounds great, can you connect me?
Her: Yes sir. Is there anything else I can do for you today?

I said no but I am thinking; She hasn’t done ANYTHING for me yet.
She connects me with “new accounts”. Enter new customer service rep.

Her: Elloow, cun eai hav eur full nam an phon number?
Me: Excuse me.
Her: eur nam?
Me: Greg C.
Her: an eur number?
Me: Wait, I just have a simple question. I want to know if my son’s phone number can be used if I add him to my plan?
Her: I will ned eur phon number.

I gave her the number, knowing full well I was headed for a dead end.

Her: Can I have eur secret code?
Me: Maam I don’t know my secret code.
Her: I can have a new code sent to you.
Me: (getting angry now) Please I just want to ask about this new phone number
Her: Sir I will need your code.
Me: (raising my voice) Look I just want to ask about this new number. I don’t want to add it now, I just want to know if it is possible. Do you understand?
Her: Sir I will need your code.
Me: You mean to tell me that you can’t look up this other phone number and tell me if it is compatible?
Her: Not without your code.
Me: I really don’t think you understand what I am asking for.

There is silence then she says:

Her: Would you like me to have a new code sent to you?
Me: ( this is where I lost it) No, what I want is to speak with someone that can understand English. Do you understand what I am saying? (no answer) DO YOU SPEAKA ANY ENGLISH! (no answer) Are you English? (no answer) Where are you? Where do you live? Very quietly she said “Argentina.”

At this point I am steaming. So I just said. I am sorry you can’t help me and I hung up.
I don’t know why these American companies have to use foreign people as customer service representatives. Does it really save that much money? Everyone I have talked with doesn’t like it. I know I don’t. Not that I have anything at all against foreigners in fact I usually like most of them I meet. It is just that speaking English and understanding it are two different things.

I felt bad after getting angry with her but I wasted all that time and left without getting my question answered. I am over it now though.

Have a great day,
Greg

Comments

Celticspirit said…
That sounds familiar. You don't have Nextel do you? We have had such problems in the past. Maybe you should call back and ask for a supervisor, one that speaks English.
Celticspirit said…
That sounds familiar. You don't have Nextel do you? We have had such problems in the past. Maybe you should call back and ask for a supervisor, one that speaks English.
Unknown said…
Greg, don't feel bad. I've had to go through the same thing, and I was on the phone with AOL one time for 30 minutes and finally said to the guy, "Can you get me a supervisor so someone that can speak English?" He said, "Don't you want me to help you?" I yelled, "YES BUT YOU'RE NOT!!!!" He got quiet, gave me what I wanted and that was that.

Man it makes me so angry!!!!!
Lori said…
That's very frustrating. It's very sad with all of the outsourcing today. Every company is trying to save a buck so the jobs are going abroad.
Happyone said…
Times like those are certainly frustrating, but a lot of times the English speaking people are no better. I think customer service has been deteriorating over the years and just keeps getting worse.
Janice Thomson said…
At least you got to talk to someone. Here there is so much voice automation with even the small businesses that one gets really annoyed when all you want is just an answer to a simple question by a real person.
I can understand totally your frustration.
I get that way every time I have to call Verizon!!! I hate hate hate them!! haha

HP is the worst for getting reps that barely speaka english!

Funny post, but I could feel the blood boiling!!
Lilli & Nevada said…
Greg,
I totally agree with you, and what i really hate is the automated phone calls i get,WE own a business so we get alot of calls that are automated. Trying to get you to refinance or loan you money. You never get to speak to anyone even when you hit the number that says would you like to speak to a rep. and then when you click the number were it says this will remove you, HA that hasn't happend yet.
So yup i totally understand.
My other gripe is all these places that call and what you to donate to this and that. You tell them no i can't afford it they just keep on rattling on till you have to get rude and hang up.
Angie said…
My mom is a VP for a well known mortgage company. They are in the process of letting go of all of her workers and outsourcing the work to people in India. So sad.
Anonymous said…
Greg, your post made me think of this article.

I think it's sadder that the quality of life overseas is such that it's a huge financial boon for companies to outsource there. If our foreign counterparts demanded the money we do, the businesses would stay put. As it is, corporate America is taking advantage of a social inequality.
sandy said…
oh yeah!! I bought a Dell laptop and immediately need repairs (piece of C***...anyway...Someone in Manilla I believe, MADE me take screwdrivers and open it up and work on it from my end as she instructed me on what to do. What an irritating experience because I could barely understand her and she told me if I didn't do it, then they couldn't determine what the problem was and how to help...

well I could turn this into a book, but I hear ya!

sandy
Jazz said…
Try explaining to the Air Canada rep in India that you lost your bagage on the way to Iqualiut. It's an interesting experience.

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