Are member calls being outsourced to India now?

[Pixie_Dust]

Or is it a coincidence that that person who answered my call today sounded like they were from India? It took her a lot longer to look up the information than usual, and she kept backtracking to where she kept getting it wrong, like she could only follow a script and couldn't deviate from it even though she kept looking up things I didn't need to know (e.g., weekend points, and unavailable resorts that I had already looked up online) - not only was she not flexible in communicating, but she also didn't seem to realize what she was doing. It really felt like an India call.

 

[Debby7]

My call today went very smoothly with a perky young sounding lady named Amber. My wait time was only 3 minutes as the new automated requests for member number and phone number was in effect. Maybe you did have a newbie. Best thing to do if you are not communicating well is to end the call and try back in hopes of a different cm.

 

[disneynutz]

Nothing would surprise me, I have wondered if "chat" is outsourced because they often can't help you in the end and they tell you to call MS.

Bill

 

[Minniesgal]

I haven't noticed anything like this. I called a couple of days ago with a problem with a reservation that turned into an IT issue that meant a cancel and rebook and they fixed it really well. The member was American.

 

[southerngirl528]

Members Services has grown exponentially over the years. When I worked there, I don't think there were more than 45 advisors total! Now there are many, many more. I happen to know for a fact there are at least a couple of folks that are of east Indian ethnicity that work there. The one I know best has been there for years with a lovely British accent. There are Japanese advisors, and advisors from all over the place. I neither believe nor have heard of any outsourcing for MS. I can tell you this though….there's a new class of trainees almost all the time at MS. Call centers are notorious for turnover. So it is not uncommon to get someone that is pretty new, or may actually be training during your call to them. It's okay to ask questions if you think you have someone in training. Just ask 'em!

 

[bumbershoot]

Or is it a coincidence that that person who answered my call today sounded like they were from India? It took her a lot longer to look up the information than usual, and she kept backtracking to where she kept getting it wrong, like she could only follow a script and couldn't deviate from it even though she kept looking up things I didn't need to know (e.g., weekend points, and unavailable resorts that I had already looked up online) - not only was she not flexible in communicating, but she also didn't seem to realize what she was doing. It really felt like an India call.

Companies outsource when it makes financial sense. I don't think it would to MS.

However there are cultural communication issues even when people move here. DH works mainly with men from India who are now in Seattle, and it takes awhile for most of them (India is so huge, and some states there seem to have an easier time of it than others, from what DH has noticed) to get used to American culture and casualness. If you have seen The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, they touch on that. Well they touch on the communication being different than even British culture but the scene resonated with DH, who helps to train these guys. They run into different cultural issues with the guys from Japan as well. In your case I would just assume it's someone originally from India who is still adjusting to work and speech customs here. And maybe she was new.

 

[DebbieB]

My company has alot of people from India who work here in the US. Just because she has an accent doesn't mean she's actually in India.

One way I can tell a call center is loud background noise, they are crammed together in a small room.

 

[gonzalj1]

Accent does not equal location. Lots of immigrants here that speak with an accent. In IT I see it all the time.

 

[AllyBri]

Unless something has changed very recently calls still come into Celebration.

 

[caracarn]

I have called in the last couple months and did not feel it was a foreign call center. Got the same wonderful service I have for the last 10 years.