Felt Bad About It / myLot

@AmbiePam (120630)

United States

September 14, 2020 5:54pm CST

I received an important phone call, but was dismayed when I couldn't understand a word of what the man was saying. His accent was so heavy I kept asking him to repeat himself. I think he knew he was hard to understand because he patiently repeated himself. This wasn't a call center, it was someone who lives locally. I was frustrated although he didn't know it because I would never make someone feel badly. I know he must have to call people all the time, but it made me wonder about his bosses. I feel like they put him in a bad spot. Have you ever had that trouble? It's not like he wasn't trying, poor guy. He seemed very nice.

23 people like this

25 responses

Vicki, #1 Creek Girl

@1creekgirl (44560)

• United States

15 Sep 20

I've had that experience many times. The last time I realized that with my hearing loss and his heavy accent, I told him as nicely as I could that I was sorry, but just couldn't understand what he was saying. He gave the phone to another employee and she was almost as hard to understand as he was!

4 people like this

Amber

@AmbiePam (120630)

• United States

15 Sep 20

I usually get the heavy accents from places you can tell outsource jobs. This one shocked me because it was local.

4 people like this

much2say

@much2say (57760)

• Los Angeles, California

15 Sep 20

I hate to say it, but I have that problem with one particular friend. I can understand her when we are face to face, but over the phone, it's like talking the adults in Charlie Brown's world . . . muffled, on top of the accent. Thank goodness we mostly text these days

4 people like this

YoghurtGal

@flapiz (23530)

• United Kingdom

15 Sep 20

Well I think now I’ve got a skill in deciphering accents after 4 years of nursing in different countries.

3 people like this

Juliaacv

@Juliaacv (56227)

• Canada

15 Sep 20

I have customers that call in and start by thanking me for speaking so clearly and without an accent. That always makes me feel bad because those who have accents cannot help it, and they do their best. I know that you would not have made him feel uncomfortable.

3 people like this

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381875)

• Rockingham, Australia

15 Sep 20

It's a shame that he has been given this job. He was probably frustrated too. It was good of you to be so patient. Not everyone is.

4 people like this

meowhisper

@meowch (2220)

• United States

15 Sep 20

Mines was a voicemail I got from the doctor’s office. I couldn’t understand the message. She had an accent. Even the words that was translated on the voicemail didn’t help. I need to call to find out what’s going on.

3 people like this

Mpho Ashworth

@Lushlala (4028)

• Gaborone, Botswana

21 Sep 20

When I lived in the UK, I worked in contact centres. I come from an English speaking country, so I've spoken English all my life. But I have an accent (Southern African) - I mean we all have accents. Anyway, although the company I worked for was all about equal opportunities, we were all trained to speak slowly (not so slow you sounded condescending LOL) and clearly. However, this was such a huge global company that I could be talking to someone with a broad American accent one minute and then one with a thick Scottish accent the next. It was challenging but exciting - sometimes we'd have to transfer calls between ourselves if we found ourselves or the customer struggling to understand. So I know exactly what you mean.

1 person likes this

Amber

@AmbiePam (120630)

• United States

21 Sep 20

I bet you did a great job.

1 person likes this

Mpho Ashworth

@Lushlala (4028)

• Gaborone, Botswana

24 Sep 20

@AmbiePam Thanks - I hate to blow my own horn, but yes, I did and would smash all the targets

But a lot of UK companies outsourced contact centre jobs to India to save costs but it was ultimately counterintuitive because the customers were frustrated because they couldn't understand the Indian accents and vice versa. If you've not lived in the UK, you might struggle to understand some of the thicker regional accents and/or certain aspects of UK life - something these companies failed to account for.

1 person likes this

Sharon

@simone10 (54180)

• Louisville, Kentucky

18 Sep 20

I just had this problem a few days ago. I kept saying I had a bad connection on my end because I could tell she was frustrated at having to repeat herself. I know, I lied but I didn't want her to feel bad

1 person likes this

Amber

@AmbiePam (120630)

• United States

18 Sep 20

I know what you mean. I have pretended to have bad hearing before because I was face to face with someone, but I couldn't understand their heavily accented English.

1 person likes this

Sharon

@simone10 (54180)

• Louisville, Kentucky

21 Sep 20

@AmbiePam I would have done the same. You can tell when they get frustrated and I don't want to add to it.

1 person likes this

Courtney

@Courtlynn (67089)

• United States

15 Sep 20

No. Not that i remember anyways.

2 people like this

NJ Chicaa

@NJChicaa (127123)

• United States

15 Sep 20

Poor guy. He was trying.

3 people like this

Thelma

@thelme55 (79311)

• Germany

15 Sep 20

I have that trouble when I listen to an Indian youtube channel. The Indian strong accent (speaking in English) is very hard for me to understand.

2 people like this

April

@thislittlepennyearns (68246)

• Defuniak Springs, Florida

15 Sep 20

I really don't get that many phone calls other than the kids, the kids schools or my MIL. But yeah every once in awhile I do.

2 people like this

CarolDM

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

15 Sep 20

Yes many times I have.

2 people like this

Adie

@Adie04 (17405)

•

15 Sep 20

Maybe you may ask him to send an email to you? There's a case too with me similar here. I ask them to send email because I don't want to keep repeating words.

2 people like this