Are you outsourcing to the UK, Australia, America, Canada, and other English speaking countries? How many staff members does your company have who speak good English? The boss? I thought so. Anyone else? No? You are in trouble. What do you do when you have an inquiry and the boss is not around.
Company 1’s performance (F)
Austalian client: Ring ring….
Employee: Hullo (in a dull and muffled tone)
Australian: Good day mate… How are things going?
Employee: Hmmm? Going? No, I am at work. Manager not here. Call back later.
Australian: Gee, that was very unprofessional and unhelpful how this employee dealt with me. Why am I outsourcing to this company? Probably because the others ones are just as bad!
But, what if your outsourcing company was the one company that had a few workers who could answer the phone and do translations when your clients want to talk to a staff member, or have a question answered? You might gain market share. Imagine the following conversation.
Company 2’s performance (A)
Australian client: ring ring.
Employee: Krishna’s outsourcing service, this is Surya here, may I help you?
Australian: Good day mate… How are things going?
Employee: Things are great mate. How are things down under?
Australian: Wow, you know our slang… Nobody else in India knows this. I’m impressed. I had a question about my SQL server mate. Were you able to assess the server speed?
Employee: Could you tell me which person was responsible for that project?
Australian: Yes, I believe it was Rikesh
Employee: One moment… he is sitting to the right of me… I’ll ask….
(30 seconds later)
Employee: He said that the speed today averaged 10 megabites per nanosecond.
Australian: Wow, that was the quickest answer I have ever gotten. Normally I have to send ten emails, and make five phone calls, be put on hold, disconnected, repeat the process, and then three weeks later after pulling teeth get an answer. With you, all I had to do is make one phone call, ask and in 45 seconds get an answer. Amazing! I’m hiring YOUR company for all of my SQL needs for the rest of my life!
See the difference?
Is your company more like outsourcing company 1 or company 2 — be honest — I can tell if you are stretching the truth!
You might also like:
If you do outsourcing, your programmers need English
http://bpo.123outsource.net/2013/10/11/if-you-do-outsourcing-your-programmers-need-english/
Customer Service, What Americans Want
http://bpo.123outsource.net/2013/09/12/customer-service-what-americans-want/
Luckily here in the Philippines most Professionals in the Outsourcing Industry converse well in English.
I know the point you are making though, It really does hurt a company’s image if their phones are answered by poor English speakers.