a grind my gears thread...

[map]

...because there doesn't appear to have been one for a while (I used the search).

Plus I know it's an Americanism, that's another point to discuss but...

...writing this as just been put through to British Gas's Indian call centre

Now I wouldn't mind if it was good service but it's not!
They can't understand what I say.
They don't listen to the replies.
If I ask something that's not on the script I'm the one who gets shouted at!
All in all a horrible experience.

Not the first time however. I also use Barclaycard that uses Indian call centres. I actually complained once and got a call from someone handling the complaint from, you've guessed it, an Indian call centre*

I am in Britain, I speak English with a bit of a Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, lazy accent. Is it too much to ask I can speak to someone who might understand me and actually be helpful! God knows how these people deal with a genuine Glaswegian, Liverpudlian, Geordie or the like (I gather west country accent can be fun).

<and here endeth the rant>

Please add your own experiences, I'd like to see how bad it can be (just to cheer me a little you understand).





* plus I know some muppet will play the racist card with me saying it's an Indian call centre. Frankly I'd be saying this regardless of the location (UK/Eire/America/Jamaica/etc.) and had such bad service.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[oldpink]

try getting through to them when you have a Scottish accent
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I have become comfortably numb

Theory & hazard 24-may 2016, CBT 8th June 2016, MOD 1 2nd Aug 2016 Mod 2 2nd-Nov 2016 - Current bike CBR 600 RR

[Rogerborg]

Indeed, I've had to translate between Mumbling Mumbai and Angry Weegie before; I should billed both parties for my services.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Slacker24seve...]

When my wallet got pinched I cancelled my Capital One card on the spot as they were so shit. Barclaycard, though Indian, were good.

Lloyds however were English and brilliant. Quite refreshing after the other too.
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[WannaBeDude]

Yeah - i have to change gearbox oil far too regular to have decent changes
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Jogging on, destination living.

[mentalboy]

Oi Map,
there'm nuthin wrung noor mssund'standble bout thee way'm we speek daan wes'cuntry, speshly when arvest bin baad and there'ms no straaw too chu, too
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Make mine a Corona.

[Suntan Sid]

I've come to the conclusion that the whole point of call centres is to piss you off so much that you eventually give up!
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[fatjames]

Do you know what grinds my gears? Most fucking call centres. Especially the one I work in. Ran by spastics on a power trip with no real accountable person in charge. No real decisions can be made and it's the poor front line staff that take the brunt and get paid the least.
I think "contact centres" and "customer service centres" are completely fine though! So well done to the consultant who came up with that over priced idea! Cunt!


Thanks, I do feel better.

[map]

[mentalboy]

Yerr all prodoose aczepted. sterling didn't laast long yurr. Mostly zloty and renminbi nowdays.
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Make mine a Corona.

[mentalboy]

Oh, and they'm Wurzels be North'ners
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Make mine a Corona.

[killa]

I often thought, from hearing stories of call centres, that I’d just been lucky with services over the phone.
Then I realised that more than often the person on both ends of the conversation have no idea what they’re doing.
There is a certain way of obtaining information and getting something done by the person on the end of the phone, regardless of nationality (providing they speak your language of course). The introduction must be clear and formal, the question you have, short and to the point.
Also it is a good idea to learn from any bad experiences to use certain language, certain key phrases, to get where you need to be. Most of my conversations/calls with these people are pretty short and I tell them to put notes on the system, for me, so i don’t have to waste any time, next time.

Right now...Audi drivers, the new ‘Beemer prick’. Often up your rear end, shaking their head, tight around the collar getting all red faced from their excess amounts of coffee and shitty Ginsters packet food from the BP. Something about the interior of an Audi must make you feel like being a cunt. This would never happen pre 2000, I have no idea what changed it.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[blurredman]

Call in the afternoon, then you'll get Canada.

Colonies FTW!
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[mentalboy]

Sometimes it's proper hard work understanding the folks at the other end. I've found that emails work best, or good old pen and paper. I give an old number when signing up for anything new and don't speak to anyone on the phone nowadays. They don't like it but there's always a different option to trading pleasantries with a gentleman in Delhi. They always ask how you are, weather etc and it is usually comprehensible. Start talking problems and they suddenly resort to silly speak, I reckon they do it on purpose. Tip - early on get them to repeat something, feign misunderstanding and after about six attempts you'll get put on to an agent with a British degree and polished English.
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Make mine a Corona.

[Alpha-9]

I used to sell windows and doors cold calling, now that;s a shit job

My friend sold windows and doors door to door, most of them had doors and windows already though


What grinds my gears? People who brake for no reason; people who are terrified of roundabouts and don't go when there's clearly space and I expect them to, leading to me doing some crappy jolt forward, people who brake because there are cars at either side and an oncoming car is coming, to let them pass, when there is very much space for the cars to pass each other, leaving me waiting behind them like a cunt unless I overtake them which rages them off
DAS wonderboys on brand new GSX-Rs going 30 in a 50, I didn't overtake him because It would seem like i'm making a point of it but fuck, I don't want to be up your arse for 2 miles because you can't use the throttle yet

What else oh yeah,, cars braking hardcore for no apparent reason then putting their indicators on at the last second to turn, so i'm like Y U BRAKING behind them, followed by Y U NO INDICATE

Also new one since living further out now, dead rabbits, everywhere, every day.
Yesterdya there was an alive rabbit hopping around on the road next to me as I pulled up to a big roundabout
I picked it up and threw it into the grass much to the amusement of the family people carrier full of kids staring and lolling


Maybe i'm too impatient on my ride home
LET ME HOME HOME HOME NOW HOME HOOOOOME!!!
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Fzr-600 1999

[Andy_Pagin]

[LustyLew]

I could sit here and list so many things, I'd probably die before I finish, so I'll keep it short.

1. Corporate America. My company is American and all day I have to listen to the latest buzz words and spend half an hour discussing something that should have only taken 5 minutes.

2. Over-keen-to-be-nice motorists. You know. The ones who flash you to let you turn right across their path, yet there is not a single thing behind them. I love waiting to cross the road, I'm on the pavement and someone is turning into the side road I want to cross, they will start frantically waving for me to cross (even though I'm safely on the pavement) so I just stare at the queue building behind them. Just go! Don't keep waving at me, the more you wave, the more I'll stand and stare... Retards...
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Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls

[yaigi]

[TheDonUK]

What grinds my gears is this Sarah Storey, Cyclist in the paralympics,

She was born without a left hand...

And this affects her cycling how?
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[oldpink]

[Benno]

[TheDonUK]

[oldpink]

[Ariel Badger]

JWs knocking on my door
Me "Go away please."
JW " We have good news for you."
Me "We have our own good news, most of us are Muslim but there are also the odd Hindu, Atheist and Satanist in the road. We do not wish to send our souls to hell by the heresy of calling the Prophet Jesus the son of God."
JW "we will pray for you"
Me "Pray for me and I will sue for assault"
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[bikertomm]