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0 pointsprotocolture1mo ago0 comments

>Changing an accent doesn’t change the content the person on the other end receives it with. Most of my issues with overseas support is that they have no real context for my problem. It’s not just a language barrier, it’s a culture barrier.

Its not for the person on the other end.

I used to do phone tech support, and:

1. Lots of my female coworkers would end their shifts in tears because men would yell at them for no reason. A male voice would absolutely make the job more bearable for them.

2. Singaporeans hate Australian accents more than anyone over here hates indian accents. I had a nearly 100% strike rate with singaporeans demanding local tech support, calling me names and hanging up.

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8 comments · 3 top-level

AussieWog931mo ago· 3 in thread

>Singaporeans hate Australian accents more than anyone over here hates indian accents.

No way, I've never heard of this before.

Does anyone know why this is? Do they have a bad experience with Australian colleagues? Do we harrass them in public the way that the British backpackers do here?

protocoltureOP1mo ago

I think its partially the australian reputation for being assholes overseas, and partly a sort of unionistic culture that tries to demand locals do everything to maximise employment. I got a similar vibe from people in the phillipines, just not to the same extent.

pyuser5831mo ago

That may be true, but I find Australian accents the most beautiful.

fragmede1mo ago

The stereotype is of Australians going over to Singapore for a holiday and being drunk and rude. It's a stereotype, but that's where that hate comes from.

idle_zealot1mo ago· 1 in thread

Something seems very wrong with observing that people are shitty and terrible to each other and proposing interposing a machine between them to make communication bearable.

DANmode1mo ago

It’s either that, or letting more people meet their demise for rudeness.

duskdozer1mo ago· 1 in thread

I suspect the main culprit here is company policy/choice resulting in angry callers. Not to say there aren't other factors, but people generally don't call companies because they're having a good time. If Telus is anything like American TV/phone/internet companies, then I'm even more convinced of this.

edit: And if people are able to detect this and suspect they're not even talking to a human at all, it might even make verbal abuse more common.

protocoltureOP1mo ago

It would often happen to me mid escalation. The local SEA attendant escalating for the purposes of higher level technical support. Most calls like this the caller was relieved to be away from the level 1 support person.

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