UK call centres

macman

Yes, plenty do: EDF, Ovo, BG to name just three.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

JJ_Egan wrote: »

OVO its all in Bristol UK .

The last time I spoke to OVO I spoke to "Britney", who had a distinctly North American twang.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

sniggings wrote: »

It's not just the accent tho is it...when I ring BG and get an Indian call centre the accent is just half the problem, then you have to deal with them not reading from the correct script, I have just posted a question on here asking for help, even tho I was speaking with an Indian call center for 10 mins, after the call I was more confused than I was before ringing.

And whilst you are correct we have a lot of accents here, we tend to understand them far easier, as we have heard them on TV etc...but as said it's more than the accent it's cultural too,there is more to a language then a straight translation.

Not sure why you mention they may find it hard understanding us, we are the customers, if that is a concern, maybe BG should spend some of their huge profits employing people from this country in UK call centres.

This "script" nonsense is just a load of !!!!!!!!. I worked in a BG call centre (I'm also not Indian by the way), the only time we had to read from a script was if we were reading a contract - ie. someone was signing up for Energy/Homecare. The rest of the time we were free to ad lib as much as we wanted.

teddysmum

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

This "script" nonsense is just a load of !!!!!!!!. I worked in a BG call centre (I'm also not Indian by the way), the only time we had to read from a script was if we were reading a contract - ie. someone was signing up for Energy/Homecare. The rest of the time we were free to ad lib as much as we wanted.

I think it's the foreign call centres that have the scripts to follow and had a distinct impression of this , when with BT. I was trying to report a line problem, obviously caused by a high wind , but because the call centre person's accent was thick and his understanding poor we went in circles, the conversation reminding me of following a flow chart.

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

teddysmum wrote: »

I think it's the foreign call centres that have the scripts to follow and had a distinct impression of this , when with BT. I was trying to report a line problem, obviously caused by a high wind , but because the call centre person's accent was thick and his understanding poor we went in circles, the conversation reminding me of following a flow chart.

When I spoke to our overflow call centres in South Africa and Portugal, they also told me they didn't have scripts.

I don't know if the Indian sites had scripts. I do know that the same chap that trained me when I started at BG (many moons ago!) had also spent 18 months training at the Indian call centre. He said they were by far the most educated sub sector of BG - every single call centre operator had at least a bachelor's degree.

Maybe some people have communication difficulties, I have to say whenever I've spoken to an Indian callcentre (HSBC, never energy), they've been nothing but helpful. I suspect for many in the UK the communication barrier is just a self fulfilling prophecy, they simply don't like foreigners.

kingstreet

Co-op Energy is based in the Midlands but in three years, I've never had to call them once.

I submit monthly meter readings online and have requested direct debit alterations by email. I get the bills online too.

Maz

I imagine the smaller energy suppliers will mostly have UK call centres, just google them and do a bit of research.

Cardew

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays wrote: »

I don't know if the Indian sites had scripts. I do know that the same chap that trained me when I started at BG (many moons ago!) had also spent 18 months training at the Indian call centre. He said they were by far the most educated sub sector of BG - every single call centre operator had at least a bachelor's degree.

Maybe some people have communication difficulties, I have to say whenever I've spoken to an Indian callcentre (HSBC, never energy), they've been nothing but helpful. I suspect for many in the UK the communication barrier is just a self fulfilling prophecy, they simply don't like foreigners.

I agree absolutely that most of the Indian call centres I speak to(both from the UK and USA) have well educated and extremely polite operators. My difficulty is that sometimes their accent makes it very difficult for me to understand.


Certainly the BT internet call centre in India for technical problems stick religiously to a script. For a couple of years I had an obscure and recurring fault with the line from the exchange into my house.


No matter how much you try and explain the background, their script must be followed.


They firstly insist that the fault is with my computer, despite telling them that it is exactly the same on 4 computers - using XP, Vista and Win 7.


The next 'culprit' is the router(BT Hub) - I have been sent 7 new hubs. etc etc

MillicentBystander

Cardew wrote: »

I agree absolutely that most of the Indian call centres I speak to(both from the UK and USA) have well educated and extremely polite operators. My difficulty is that sometimes their accent makes it very difficult for me to understand.


Certainly the BT internet call centre in India for technical problems stick religiously to a script. For a couple of years I had an obscure and recurring fault with the line from the exchange into my house.


No matter how much you try and explain the background, their script must be followed.


They firstly insist that the fault is with my computer, despite telling them that it is exactly the same on 4 computers - using XP, Vista and Win 7.


The next 'culprit' is the router(BT Hub) - I have been sent 7 new hubs. etc etc

Hmmmm...interesting post here.