Your opinion appreciated pls - just written this complaint letter to Barclays Bank

alfiesmum

Hi Chris,
I sypmathise with your situation, but would agree with another poster that you perhaps think about removing the 'foreign accent' part. If it were to help the complaints department identify the lady you dealt with, then fair enough, but you have her name for that. If it is to paint a true picture of the scene, then you need to equally describe your own accent that you were using.Not relevant either really is it. It does come across that you're angry that it could not have been a british accent that told you they couldn't help. Saying in a later post "....foreign accent when they're also incompetent..." indicates that having a foreign accent is as negative as the incompetence. Do you see what I mean?

I think in a way you're lucky not to have invested in a company that you feel so strongly are so lacking in customer service. Just do what the rest of us do, vote with your feet, and take your business somewhere else.

I think some of us are getting weighed down with wanting compensation for, well, nothing really. By all means tell them why they've lost your business, but wanting them to pay you for it is a bit, erm unusual I think. Just my opinion.

johnmoney05

I have some questions after going through these posts:-

1. Must a "foreign accent" person be competent in his work? Otherwise, his accent will be his fault?
2. Could a "British accent" person be incompetent in his work and acceptable to you?

christopher_h

johnmoney05 wrote: »

I have some questions after going through these posts:-

1. Must a "foreign accent" person be competent in his work? Otherwise, his accent will be his fault?
2. Could a "British accent" person be incompetent in his work and acceptable to you?

this is getting silly - come on how many of us Brits have called a British company and got transfereed to a call centre where the person at the other end of the phone is 5000 miles away and barely speaks English - no one likes it and a lot of people complain about it. Their broken english is an issue especially when you want something simple.

Anyone agree ??

christopher_h

alfiesmum wrote: »

Hi Chris,
I sypmathise with your situation, but would agree with another poster that you perhaps think about removing the 'foreign accent' part. If it were to help the complaints department identify the lady you dealt with, then fair enough, but you have her name for that. If it is to paint a true picture of the scene, then you need to equally describe your own accent that you were using.Not relevant either really is it. It does come across that you're angry that it could not have been a british accent that told you they couldn't help. Saying in a later post "....foreign accent when they're also incompetent..." indicates that having a foreign accent is as negative as the incompetence. Do you see what I mean?

I think in a way you're lucky not to have invested in a company that you feel so strongly are so lacking in customer service. Just do what the rest of us do, vote with your feet, and take your business somewhere else.

I think some of us are getting weighed down with wanting compensation for, well, nothing really. By all means tell them why they've lost your business, but wanting them to pay you for it is a bit, erm unusual I think. Just my opinion.

Bloody good point alfiesmum - I should show my disapproval with my feet, but I didn't wanna let one idiot spoil me getting their good ISA rate - that person is not representative of 'Barclays' - just one bad apple. I know what you mean about compensation too but I was so angry after what happened and my time is valuable and I thought - they/she has caused me stress and upset.

I ultimately feel I'm probably wasting my time even complaining but let's see what happens ;-)

Konisberg

Sorry. I have to agree with other posters. If you can't understand what somebody is saying to you then perhaps it is fair to mention an accent which is foreign to you. But the fact is that you did understand what the person said, you just didn't agree with it. And neither do I for that matter! These places just don't seem to bother training their staff to offer any sensible explanation for their actions. Hope you get some compensation for your time.

johnmoney05

Seven of the 10 wealthiest billionaires living in Britain come from overseas, according to this year's Sunday Times Rich List.

"foreign accent" doesn't mean anything.

gelato_cat

The song says everyone should admit they're a little bit racist - so are you admitting it then? FWIW, I think it's true that many people are a little bit racist but of course would never admit it!

I'm sick of race being brought into it when it has nothing to do with it. Stupidity is stupidity, it doesn't matter what the h3ll colour the person is or how they speak.

Suze

christopher_h wrote:

I had wondered if my "foreign accent" comment would provoke a politically correct reaction ? I bet there are loads of us who feel the same though - I'm not racist/predjudice in any way but in a situation like this - it's difficult to ignore someone's foreign accent when they're also incompetent. There's a great song that deals with this subject brilliantly in the new West End musical 'Avenue Q' - which is called 'Everyone's a little bit racist' - I think the strong audience reaction of approval said it all really.

In my case "in a foreign accent" was used more to help paint the true picture of the scene - but I can see how it could be construed. Anyway I've sent the email now so lets see what happens.

MarkyMarkD

christopher_h wrote: »

this is getting silly - come on how many of us Brits have called a British company and got transfereed to a call centre where the person at the other end of the phone is 5000 miles away and barely speaks English - no one likes it and a lot of people complain about it. Their broken english is an issue especially when you want something simple.

Anyone agree ??

And I've phoned Citibank and spoken to incredibly helpful, polite, competent members of staff who were definitely in India, but who gave me absolutely excellent service. I don't see the point in generalising.

Companies can employ poorly trained, impolite, call centre staff anywhere in the world (including the UK). And they can employ well trained, polite, call centre staff in India.

The issue is training and empowerment, not location, IMHO.

bristolleedsfan

funny thing is when i took my isa application into local barclays all they was interested in was photocoping my driving licence photo card and me giving them a personal cheque, they refused to look at my utility bills etc