Another Example of Failing Foreign Call Centres......

[GlasgowBandit]

Today Esure announced that they are ending their contracts with their out-sourcing centres in India.

I'm not sure if this is a direct result of much of the constant agnst amongst the UK based employees. 

Things haven't been great since Esure moved work to India, too many problems caused by the fact the staff just don't know the job.  Language barriers and also the fact that customers are continuously complaining and overseas agents are making silly mistakes, although I have no doubt that the company made great savings when the insurance market hit a bit of a troft.   Long term though I feel  that this was going to cost more as we have recently seen a trend where by we have been awarding customers compensation and writing off huge ammounts of money due to advisor error corrections.

I feel that Esure along with other UK companies including Abbey and Direct Line have taken a step in the right direction and I hope many other companies follow suite.  Unfortunately I don't see many more companies putting customers wishes before profits.

We live in hope.

[Claw75]

I didn't actually realise Abbey had gone down this route, but am very pleased to hear it.  I gave up telephoning them a long time ago after a string of very frustrating telephone conversations with the Indian call centre where I basically ended up telling them what they had to do!  The service before it was outsourced was very good, so hopefully things will get back on track.  Which reminds me, I really must do something about those bank charges....

[Rooky9]

I absolutely detest foriegn call centres

[Bongo]

I feel that Esure along with other UK companies including Abbey and Direct Line have taken a step in the right direction and I hope many other companies follow suite.  Unfortunately I don't see many more companies putting customers wishes before profits.

If the customers' wishes were that strong then they'd have no customers to profit from...

[tikay]

Well many will view this with enthusiasm, the Call Centres are returning to the UK, & it's easy to understand why, but hold your horses.

Here's a little initiative test for you.

You want to speak to the really rather excellent Travelodge in Feltham, Middx, where you are, let's assume, booked to stay tonight, but are going to arrive late. It's a new one, opened a few weeks ago. You don't have the number, & are travelling, so you decide to ring Travelodge's Central Number to seek the number of their Feltham Hotel.

The Travelodge Central Inquiry & Reservation Number is 0870 085 0950.

Off you go, give that a try. Oh, & give my love to Lisa.

[Newmanseye]

These centers are so well marketed though its hard to see their demise happening all too soon even after the recent anger over Indian staff selling details to be used for Identity theft purposes.

It does pose an interesting question however, if the Indian outsourcing market lost its credibility entirely would the American companies that invested so heavily bring back the outsourced work? We already see it happening here.

[ripple11]

 

...Travelodge featured on Watchdog last night.....they(like airlines) overbook, so even if you've paid and have a confirmed booking... you arrive late and the hotel is full....TOUGH!!!...enjoy the car park

[BrumBilly]

I detest having to call 'call centers' wherever they might be. In my experience (limited thankfully) it makes little difference whether they're UK based or not. That said, I've found the 'Indian' staff A LOT less rude despite being equally incompetent as their UK peers.

[tikay]

...Travelodge featured on Watchdog last night.....they(like airlines) overbook, soeven if you've paid and have a confirmed booking... you arrive late and the hotel is full....TOUGH!!!...enjoy the car park

...BUT...have you tried to get the telephone number from the Automated Call Centre?.....

Bring back foreign Call Centres!

[tikay]

I detest having to call 'call centers' wherever they might be. In my experience (limited thankfully) it makes little difference whether they're UK based or not. That said, I've found the 'Indian' staff A LOT less rude despite being equally incompetent as their UK peers.

Top Post!

[Royal Flush]

Well many will view this with enthusiasm, the Call Centres are returning to the UK, & it's easy to understand why, but hold your horses.

Here's a little initiative test for you.

You want to speak to the really rather excellent Travelodge in Feltham, Middx, where you are, let's assume, booked to stay tonight, but are going to arrive late. It's a new one, opened a few weeks ago. You don't have the number, & are travelling, so you decide to ring Travelodge's Central Number to seek the number of their Feltham Hotel.

The Travelodge Central Inquiry & Reservation Number is 0870 085 0950.

Off you go, give that a try. Oh, & give my love to Lisa.

0870 191 1819

xx

I have given up with them tbh, i dunno if thats the idea. If i get overcharged £10 for something for example i can't be bothered to go through all the hassle to get it back

[Claw75]

Flushy's post has reminded me of another company that needs some bad press - datakits. co.uk.  Don't use them.  On 23 September I placed an order with them for a replacement phone charger - total cost inc deliver just over a tenner.  I get an email back a couple of days later saying it's been dispatched - so far, so good.  It finally turns up a week later, but that's probably more to do with the post office to be fair.  Anyway, out it comes of the packaging and I plug in my phone to charge it up, but it doesn't work   I check their website to find out about returns and replacements, but says not to return anything without first getting a reference number, and giving an email address.  So, I email them, and get an automated reply saying they aim to respond within 48 hours.  5 days later, still no response so I send another.  Same automated reply and no reply to either original or chasing email over next 3 days.  I sent a further email about 2 weeks ago saying I've had to buy a replacement elsewhere and now want a refund - can I please have a return number?  Still nothing other than the automated acknowledgement.   They do have details on their website of how to complain, but you can't do that buy phone or email - has to be in writing. My printer's playing up so not been able to print off the emails and send them, but I will.  I'm not going to contribute £10 to their shoddy business even if it ends up costing me more to get it back 

[SupaMonkey]

Claire, ask your bank to reverse the transaction and then get a friend to witness you posting it back to them.

[GlasgowBandit]

I detest having to call 'call centers' wherever they might be. In my experience (limited thankfully) it makes little difference whether they're UK based or not. That said, I've found the 'Indian' staff A LOT less rude despite being equally incompetent as their UK peers.

Top Post!

Having worked in many call centres and worked for companies who outsource much of their work to call centres I'd take humbrage to that remark.  I am sure there are incompetent staff in call centres but lets not lable them all with the same brush.

I think the majority with most of the call centres is the customers, in general in my experience people call into a call centre and don't really know what they want.  Instead they try and blame everything on big bad company and expect the staff to be psychic

[Newmanseye]

I detest having to call 'call centers' wherever they might be. In my experience (limited thankfully) it makes little difference whether they're UK based or not. That said, I've found the 'Indian' staff A LOT less rude despite being equally incompetent as their UK peers.

Top Post!

Having worked in many call centres and worked for companies who outsource much of their work to call centres I'd take umbrage to that remark.  I am sure there are incompetent staff in call centres but lets not lable them all with the same brush.

I think the majority with most of the call centres is the customers, in general in my experience people call into a call centre and don't really know what they want.  Instead they try and blame everything on big bad company and expect the staff to be psychic

Gary you took umbrage to a generalisation then continue to do the very same thing 

As for the quality comparison, there have been independent studies, polls and so on conducted to find out not only the attitude of the general public but also the quality of work completed home and abroad, the domestic Centers whilst ahead were only ahead marginally.

I still believe we should keep the simple jobs in this country as opposed to shipping them off abroad, we have people in this country currently on the unemployment line that can be retrained to successfully fill these positions.