Comments on: Refreshing https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:03:37 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/#comment-9575 TB Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:26:29 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=5934#comment-9575 <p>I guess I get used to it.</p> Where I live, just in my day-to-day shopping and stuff, an "American" accent is what sounds weird. On a trip to the Midwest, I went into a McDonalds. It was actually almost creepy. Everyone was white, either young people or older ones mostly. The little freckled redhead serving my burger was affecting me like she was something from Mars. I guess I get used to it.

Where I live, just in my day-to-day shopping and stuff, an “American” accent is what sounds weird.

On a trip to the Midwest, I went into a McDonalds. It was actually almost creepy. Everyone was white, either young people or older ones mostly. The little freckled redhead serving my burger was affecting me like she was something from Mars.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/#comment-9545 bowser Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:39:10 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=5934#comment-9545 I bought a computer for a friend from Dell. He was paying for it, wanted me to order the thing. It took hours. The lady was from somewhere, I don't know. Her accent was heavy. We got through it, finally, and it wasn't easy. I'm still getting mail to "Mr. Dowser". At the end she thanks me as the most patient customer she'd had. And I thanked her for her patience with me. And I wouldn't do it over again. I bought a computer for a friend from Dell. He was paying for it, wanted me to order the thing.

It took hours. The lady was from somewhere, I don’t know. Her accent was heavy. We got through it, finally, and it wasn’t easy.

I’m still getting mail to “Mr. Dowser”.

At the end she thanks me as the most patient customer she’d had. And I thanked her for her patience with me.

And I wouldn’t do it over again.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/#comment-9543 TB Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:17:22 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=5934#comment-9543 It's important to remember that the person you're talking to on the phone in these cases, whether it's tech support, a survey taker, or someone trying to sell you something, is not personally responsible for your annoyance. They're getting paid -- often not much -- to do this for a living. It's hard sometimes, but we have to stay polite. It’s important to remember that the person you’re talking to on the phone in these cases, whether it’s tech support, a survey taker, or someone trying to sell you something, is not personally responsible for your annoyance. They’re getting paid — often not much — to do this for a living.

It’s hard sometimes, but we have to stay polite.

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/#comment-9541 bowser Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:03:24 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=5934#comment-9541 I have to admit to some frustration myself. While the people who are providing customer service are trying very hard and are undoubtedly good to their parents, I am frustrated. I do not know what "wh-aah" means. It could mean "what", could mean "who", could mean "why does it do that", could mean "have" but generally it means I am not going to be understood and neither is the lady on the other end of the call. I hope the CIA understands it. Maybe their analyst could call me back with the answer. When an obvious foreigner answers a customer service call I could say "Ahmed" and "A-bomb" and "Allah". The person on the other end would say "Wh-aah", and I'd ask the CIA agent to call me with the results of this call. Then I'd ask my question, the agent would answer and I could hang up and wait for the CIA. Arf I have to admit to some frustration myself. While the people who are providing customer service are trying very hard and are undoubtedly good to their parents, I am frustrated.

I do not know what “wh-aah” means. It could mean “what”, could mean “who”, could mean “why does it do that”, could mean “have” but generally it means I am not going to be understood and neither is the lady on the other end of the call.

I hope the CIA understands it. Maybe their analyst could call me back with the answer. When an obvious foreigner answers a customer service call I could say “Ahmed” and “A-bomb” and “Allah”.

The person on the other end would say “Wh-aah”, and I’d ask the CIA agent to call me with the results of this call.

Then I’d ask my question, the agent would answer and I could hang up and wait for the CIA.

Arf

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/#comment-9503 TB Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:01:15 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=5934#comment-9503 If an overseas tech support guy can perfectly fake an American accent, command of the language, and knowledge, what difference does it make to my quality of service if he's lying about it? If an overseas tech support guy can perfectly fake an American accent, command of the language, and knowledge, what difference does it make to my quality of service if he’s lying about it?

]]> By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2011/12/14/refreshing/#comment-9502 Robert Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:15:45 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=5934#comment-9502 <p>Uh, Tom...</p> When you consider why those tech support jobs were shipped overseas in the first place, their return is <i>not</i> good news for Americans. Besides, why would you expect people who adopt American names and affect American accents to tell you the truth about where they're located? Uh, Tom…

When you consider why those tech support jobs were shipped overseas in the first place, their return is not good news for Americans.

Besides, why would you expect people who adopt American names and affect American accents to tell you the truth about where they’re located?

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