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butterflydreamingIt is not always true that outsourced customer service is bad. However, I can think of a few where the call center probably is in another country and the customer service is very much not good, and one example where the customer service has been quite good from employees who sound like English is their first language.
Bad: Intuit (Quickbooks) for activation of new software. The call takes forever. The last time I had to do this, I finally had to ask, "Do you have my validation code yet?"
Bad: Citibank for ANYTHING. I spent over a half hour today with three different people, in order to get my address updated. I had to call to activate a card for an account I don't use for purchases, to start with, so that I could update my information, including payment account info, online. It is not possible to update info online without an activated credit card.
The best part? They kept insisting on my "secret password", going so far as to *give me a hint* that is started with F. (WTF?) I asked, wasn't there another way to verify my identity? This went on and on, even with the fraud department. At the end of it all, I realized: THEY HAD SPELLED MY PASSWORD WRONG. Last time that I called (2 years ago) and they made me create one, they spelled it with an F, not an S. This discovery happened while the fraud dept. guy was resetting that secret answer. He kept spelling it wrong, even though I gave it to him as "S as in Sam...", etc.
Unlike other credit cards, Citibank does not use automated activation. You always get shuttled to customer service. Last time, I told the woman right off that I was at work, on a break, and only had 5 minutes. She still started rambling on and on about services. I had to cut her off. I know that they are required to trot out these offers, but I had clearly stated from the beginning that I needed to make it quick.
I hate Citi so much now. But I have debt, so I am stuck.
Good: BECU. I've locked myself out of online banking a couple of times (again, due to those stupid security questions) and I've had either cheerful and helpful or tolerant customer service. I didn't find my voice volume increasing or end the call feeling sour.
Middling: Chase. I never have to talk to them at all. I can do it all online! Of course, they have still screwed up written instructions.
What are your experiences? Who has a good call center?
Bad: Intuit (Quickbooks) for activation of new software. The call takes forever. The last time I had to do this, I finally had to ask, "Do you have my validation code yet?"
Bad: Citibank for ANYTHING. I spent over a half hour today with three different people, in order to get my address updated. I had to call to activate a card for an account I don't use for purchases, to start with, so that I could update my information, including payment account info, online. It is not possible to update info online without an activated credit card.
The best part? They kept insisting on my "secret password", going so far as to *give me a hint* that is started with F. (WTF?) I asked, wasn't there another way to verify my identity? This went on and on, even with the fraud department. At the end of it all, I realized: THEY HAD SPELLED MY PASSWORD WRONG. Last time that I called (2 years ago) and they made me create one, they spelled it with an F, not an S. This discovery happened while the fraud dept. guy was resetting that secret answer. He kept spelling it wrong, even though I gave it to him as "S as in Sam...", etc.
Unlike other credit cards, Citibank does not use automated activation. You always get shuttled to customer service. Last time, I told the woman right off that I was at work, on a break, and only had 5 minutes. She still started rambling on and on about services. I had to cut her off. I know that they are required to trot out these offers, but I had clearly stated from the beginning that I needed to make it quick.
I hate Citi so much now. But I have debt, so I am stuck.
Good: BECU. I've locked myself out of online banking a couple of times (again, due to those stupid security questions) and I've had either cheerful and helpful or tolerant customer service. I didn't find my voice volume increasing or end the call feeling sour.
Middling: Chase. I never have to talk to them at all. I can do it all online! Of course, they have still screwed up written instructions.
What are your experiences? Who has a good call center?
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Date: 2010-08-28 08:21 pm (UTC)My Corporate Masters use an outsourced call center for "Tier 1", the easy stuff (then send the tougher ones back to the US). i supply part of the training materials for them - the recurring issue is that they can't think flexibly or go off script. it appears to be a confluence of cultural differences and our different dialects of English.
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Date: 2010-08-28 08:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-28 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-28 11:37 pm (UTC)Comcast has local call centers, but they seem to have big blocks at dealing with the most routine of stuff. Most of the time I feel like the rep is TRYING very hard to be helpful, but their internal system inhibits that.
Oh and our credit union - Watermark has amazing customer service, as does our mortgage company, Home Street Bank