The Evils of Globalisation(off-topic query for RPDers from the UK)

[TylerDurden]

Just an off-topic query. Basically, I was trying desperately today to find a solution to a rather serious problem a mate of mine had abroad, and needed to call directory enquiries to find a company in London to sort things out. Now, UK directory enquiries have been privatised in the last few years, so that there are several different numbers available. The only one I remembered was "118 118" from the godawful adverts one can't always avoid in newspapers etc.. Unfortunately, the person at the other end was clearly a Hindu from the Indian Subcontinent given the very, very  badly Indian-accented English, and I took ages to get her to understand the simple concept of "Kentish Town" and "Camden" not being towns in themselves but simply parts of London. In the end, I didn't even get a number despite being promised one, no doubt because I may have inadvertently  given the impression I thought the person at the other end was just a tad ill-suited  to her job!

I'm deeply irritated about this. Of course, I realise that some of those companies have, for unscrupulous profit- and technology-related reasons, used cheaper staff from the Indian Subcontinent to make bigger profits. What I would be interested in is if any of the various new directory-enquiry companies mostly hire local UK staff so that I no longer have to spend precious expensive minutes over the phone trying to explain rather simple concepts such as "Kentish Town", in future. Any suggestions welcome.


At any rate, I've always been a big fan of buying produce from local areas as I always feared being ripped off, re greater  expense or lack of genuine quality, when buying from abroad. The above experience simply illustrates my previous stance.

[ys]

join the club.  i get that all the time.  most support centers are outsourced to India, Philippines and few other third-world English speaking countries.

if i do not like it, i will not deal with that company.  that's all, no need to get pissed.  we all have choices.

in your case, you got what you paid for.  there are professional info hunters, they charge more but they will give you exactly what you want.  it's just a matter if you want to pay for it.

i used to be irritated by this as well, but not anymore.  i completely understand that you get what you paid for.
i bet if you open your own "118 118" service and hire locals you won't survive the competition.

globalization, just like everything else has its own pluses and minuses, otherwise we'd be living in utopia.

[TylerDurden]

Well, perhaps finding out the old BT directory enquiries might work. I'm sure they have a higher standard re training etc. than the other smaller competitors.

[cherimoya_kid]

if i do not like it, i will not deal with that company.  that's all, no need to get pissed.  we all have choices.

That is incorrect.  Many telecom and cable companies (and other utilities) have partial or total monopolies in certain geographic areas, and the quality of their customer service SHOWS IT.

Do you not know those facts already from life experience?

[TylerDurden]

Yes, but the US has better telecoms services than other western countries from what I've heard(cheaper calls etc.) We were forced to have competition by various UK anti-monopoly laws which allowed competitors like the 118118 number to counter BT. This seems to have proven a total disaster, though, as directory enquiries by phone used to be very efficient before that point.

[ys]

That is incorrect.  Many telecom and cable companies (and other utilities) have partial or total monopolies in certain geographic areas, and the quality of their customer service SHOWS IT.

Do you not know those facts already from life experience?

This is not true anymore.  There is no more monopoly in the telecom.  I work closely with telecoms and there are many many choices to choose from.

And  I was talking about Support Call Centers in general.  There are many choice there as well.

[cherimoya_kid]

This is not true anymore.  There is no more monopoly in the telecom.  I work closely with telecoms and there are many many choices to choose from.

 I know that there are still monopolies in many geographic areas, for cable TV and cell phone and landline service.   There are also product monopolies.  Only AT&T has the iPhone, for instance.  That phone is so desirable that AT&T Wireless would be in serious financial trouble without it. Take away the monopoly, and AT&T would be hurting.

Customer service in the US for any public utility with a monopoly is terrible. As soon as there is real competition, it gets 10 times better, like when cable companies started offering home phone service.  However, the customer service in markets without competition is still terrible.

I work in a support call center for AT&T.  Call in sometime, and you might speak to me.

[William]

There is no more monopoly in the telecom. 

In my area Bell owns the telephone landlines, so there is no cable TV or high speed internet.
A Quebec company (subsidiary of Bell) has the monopoly on internet service.

[ys]

I work in a support call center for AT&T.  Call in sometime, and you might speak to me

this is funny, i do deal with ATT a lot actually, but enterprise services exclusively, things like high-speed data circuits DS-3s and Gigabit access, both data and IP telephony.  and  the minute ATT does something we don't like, VZ is right there waiting with open arms, others as well.  we took a good chunk of business from ATT to other providers,  because we have choices.

it is true, there are some services where it is difficult to get alternatives.  gas, water, electricity deliveries would be the ones.  phone service is not of them.  i can choose from landline, 4 different cell providers, 2 or more IP telephony providers, heck, there is satellite service too.

oh yes, the iphone, if i really wanted it i can get unlocked iphone.

back to the original post, i could use my mobile 411 service, or i can call free ones like 800-FREE411 or 800-GOOG-411 or others.
the point is if there are alternatives, ditch the service you don't like, no need to blame globalization.
globalization is the reason all of us from different countries are in this forum.   but that would be another thread probably in the different forum.

[cherimoya_kid]

it is true, there are some services where it is difficult to get alternatives.  gas, water, electricity deliveries would be the ones.  phone service is not of them.  i can choose from landline, 4 different cell providers, 2 or more IP telephony providers, heck, there is satellite service too.

oh yes, the iphone, if i really wanted it i can get unlocked iphone.

back to the original post, i could use my mobile 411 service, or i can call free ones like 800-FREE411 or 800-GOOG-411 or others.
the point is if there are alternatives, ditch the service you don't like, no need to blame globalization.
globalization is the reason all of us from different countries are in this forum.   but that would be another thread probably in the different forum.

I live in an area with only 1 cell phone provider, Verizon.  They know it, too, and will ignore me if I ask to cancel. They know all about the fact that they are my only choice.  I work at AT&T, and they are very aware of customers who have other choices.  That statistic shows up on my screen when I take calls.  I can see it 40 times a day, on every call.

The only way to get a legitimately, safely unlocked iPhone is to pay 700 or 800 dollars, for one that was bought  unlocked new.  Jailbreaking the iPhone makes it so your iPhone cannot be updated.  It's risky for the phone software.  Also, Apple and AT&T will not help you with iPhone problems for a jailbroken iPhone. I know, because I work there.

[ys]

I live in an area with only 1 cell phone provider, Verizon.

I agree, when you don't have much choice it sucks.
I guess there is a price to pay to be in those areas.

I live in highly urban environment and there is lots of choices for everything you can think of.  While the choice is nice, I would really like to move somewhere remote, maybe 100+ acre ranch.  While the benefit is obvious, the downside is there would be very little services available of any kind.

Everything has it's own pluses and minuses, nothing is perfect.