Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
script.

Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
their helpdesks to India?

Nope. I've had poor luck getting someone from MS (or many other companies)
that can speak english at least somewhat well. And if you find a group that
does boycott them, let me know. It does get very frustrating talking for 30
minutes and the first 25 minutes are them reading from the paper until you
get to the answer...

--

Dustin Harper
[email]dharper@vistarip.com[/email]
[url]http://www.vistarip.com[/url] | Vista Resource & Information Page


<edspyhill01******.com> wrote in message
news:3ec54ff1-639f-45d9-9058-a628740c2aec@n75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
> script.
>
> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
> their helpdesks to India?[/color]

"Dustin Harper" <dharper@vistarip.com> wrote in message
news:FCE447B5-8529-47B1-841D-D681C364D606@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> Nope. I've had poor luck getting someone from MS (or many other companies)
> that can speak english at least somewhat well. And if you find a group[/color]
that[color=blue]
> does boycott them, let me know. It does get very frustrating talking for[/color]
30[color=blue]
> minutes and the first 25 minutes are them reading from the paper until you
> get to the answer...
>[/color]


Though I never have called tech support at MS ...
I did have to call SBC's tech support and got the same kind of lengthy
scripted responce.
(My DSL line went down...there was no signal at all...but they needed to
know my operating system...
then told me how to check things in the control panel.)

After about the 3rd call I got smart and insisted on talking to a
supervisor...
and I would not let them get a single word in until a supervisor got on the
phone.

Of course...most of the supervisors were fairly useless...
The most amazing answer I got was a lot of that real dumb "yuk-yuk"
laughing as he simply replied: "I don't know how to help you, I guess you'll
have to find somone smarter than me."

At least that part was easy. There are over 6 billion people on the planet
smarter than that guy.

In my case, the problem was some faulty wiring up on the telephone pole.
After several days of phone calls,
SBC was finally convinced that the problem was (maybe) on their end...and
they would have someone from "the telephone company"
check out the line. Maybe I should have mentioned to SBC that they *are* the
telephone company.


Sheesh!

Good luck to you...
I'm sure it's just a simple problem that you can solve by going into the
control panel !!!!!!!!!!!!!![color=blue]
>
> Dustin Harper
> [email]dharper@vistarip.com[/email]
> [url]http://www.vistarip.com[/url] | Vista Resource & Information Page
>
>
> <edspyhill01******.com> wrote in message
> news:3ec54ff1-639f-45d9-9058-a628740c2aec@n75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
> > Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
> > speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
> > script.
> >
> > Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
> > their helpdesks to India?[/color]
>[/color]

On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:56:14 -0700 (PDT), "edspyhill01******.com"
<edspyhill01******.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
> script.
>
> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
> their helpdesks to India?[/color]


Over the years I've spoken to people on help desks from many different
companies. Some were Indians, and some of them spoke English well;
some spoke it poorly. Same as with other non-Indian speakers of
English. I've run into many people on help desks who were clearly
native Americans, but I couldn't understand their accent at all.

I have no problem at all with Indian people on help desks. I *do* have
a problem with those people who have such a heavy accent (whether
foreign or local American) that I can't understand them. Indians have
no monopoly on that.

The same is true regarding their knowledge. Most help desk people are
not technical experts and read from scripts. That's true regardless of
where the people are located. I've seen no poorer knowledge in India
than elsewhere.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

I thought we South Africans had the monopoly on racism!
Thys

<edspyhill01******.com> wrote in message
news:3ec54ff1-639f-45d9-9058-a628740c2aec@n75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
> script.
>
> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
> their helpdesks to India?[/color]

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:tmrau31bkd9diusipkcimh6qts2g8jma1g@4ax.com...[color=blue]
>[color=green]
>> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
>> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
>> script.
>>
>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>> their helpdesks to India?[/color]
>
>
> Over the years I've spoken to people on help desks from many different
> companies. Some were Indians, and some of them spoke English well;
> some spoke it poorly. Same as with other non-Indian speakers of
> English. I've run into many people on help desks who were clearly
> native Americans, but I couldn't understand their accent at all.
>
> I have no problem at all with Indian people on help desks. I *do* have
> a problem with those people who have such a heavy accent (whether
> foreign or local American) that I can't understand them. Indians have
> no monopoly on that.
>
> The same is true regarding their knowledge. Most help desk people are
> not technical experts and read from scripts. That's true regardless of
> where the people are located. I've seen no poorer knowledge in India
> than elsewhere.[/color]

Decent words, but then I would go further, if you consider the huge
percentage of Indians working in high positions in Silicone Valley. IT
Helpdesk jobs are not ever going to keep the most competent employees, when
they can move onto better positions.

ss.

ss.

What's the OP's post have to do with racism?
That's BS and you know it. If you call for help and cannot understand
whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language and has
NOTHING to do with race or anything else. I've been in this business for
many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a English
speaking person. I don't think the OP should has used the word "friggin",
but I can understand their frustration.
--
All the best,
SG

ALEX NICHOL
(1935-2005)
[url]http://www.aumha.org/alex.htm[/url]
You will never be forgotten my friend

"Thys" <thyswessels********.com> wrote in message
news:DF30C360-35DD-46E5-B331-4D393711C9F4@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I thought we South Africans had the monopoly on racism!
> Thys
>
> <edspyhill01******.com> wrote in message
> news:3ec54ff1-639f-45d9-9058-a628740c2aec@n75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
>> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
>> script.
>>
>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>> their helpdesks to India?[/color]
>[/color]

"SG" <sorry@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:uemWdKHjIHA.4868@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
>>> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
>>> script.
>>>
>>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>>> their helpdesks to India?[/color]
>> I thought we South Africans had the monopoly on racism![/color]
>
> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?
> That's BS and you know it. If you call for help and cannot understand
> whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language and has
> NOTHING to do with race or anything else. I've been in this business for
> many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a English
> speaking person. I don't think the OP should has used the word "friggin",
> but I can understand their frustration.[/color]



Er..
[color=blue]
> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?[/color]
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>>> their helpdesks to India?[/color][/color][/color]


Are you saying that the OP's post does not involve prejudice of a certain
race??

ss.

I don't think it's prejudice that's the issue here. If a company, any
company outsource their support to any country that cannot provide
understandable people for most user then a boycott my be justified and that
my be the only solution to make a change within that company. In the USA
under freedom of speech you can burn the Flag, but if you say something
about a boycott of a certain Country it's prejudice? , no that's BS. Oh well
this is my last reply so have at it.

--
All the best,
SG

ALEX NICHOL
(1935-2005)
[url]http://www.aumha.org/alex.htm[/url]
You will never be forgotten my friend

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMsyndrome.me.uk> wrote in message
news:eM6AdTHjIHA.5968@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> "SG" <sorry@nomail.com> wrote in message
> news:uemWdKHjIHA.4868@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
>>>> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
>>>> script.
>>>>
>>>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>>>> their helpdesks to India?
>>> I thought we South Africans had the monopoly on racism![/color]
>>
>> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?
>> That's BS and you know it. If you call for help and cannot understand
>> whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language and
>> has NOTHING to do with race or anything else. I've been in this business
>> for many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a
>> English speaking person. I don't think the OP should has used the word
>> "friggin", but I can understand their frustration.[/color]
>
>
>
> Er..
>[color=green]
>> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?[/color]
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>>>> their helpdesks to India?[/color][/color]
>
>
> Are you saying that the OP's post does not involve prejudice of a certain
> race??
>
> ss.
>[/color]

On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:16:01 -0400, "SG" <sorry@nomail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?[/color]


His post was *clearly* racist.

[color=blue]
> That's BS and you know it.[/color]


Not at all.

[color=blue]
> If you call for help and cannot understand
> whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language[/color]



Absolutely right. I'm with you 100% on that.

[color=blue]
> and has
> NOTHING to do with race or anything else.[/color]



But that's nonsense. He wasn't complaining about someone's ability to
speak English (which has very little to do with where he's from), but
about "friggin' Indians." That term, cxo9mbined with his statement
that he wants to "boycott companies that outsource their help desks to
India" is clearly racist.


[color=blue]
> I've been in this business for
> many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a English
> speaking person.[/color]



As have I. My complaint is with the company who hired someone with
inadequate English skills, regardless of where he's from, not with his
nationality.

[color=blue]
> I don't think the OP should has used the word "friggin",
> but I can understand their frustration.[/color]


I can understand frustration too. But blaming the frustration on the
person's being Indian, instead of the company, who hired someone who
can't speak English understandably, is racist.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

>>>His post was *clearly* racist.<<<

That's your opinion. If he had just said "Indians" that would have been OK,
right? but by placing the word "friggin" in front of it makes it racist. I
may be wrong Ken, but I think it was a heat of the moment that brought on
those words and that sure as heck don't make someone racist. You and no one
else here cannot tell me that at some point in your life that you haven't
made similar statements when in anger.
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>But that's nonsense. He wasn't complaining about someone's ability to[/color][/color]
> speak English<<<[/color]

He wasn't? then I've missed something here. It's clear to me at least that
he's complaint was because he could not understand the person/persons to
whom he was trying to get help from. That brought on the anger and as I said
he shouldn't have said the word friggin, but it's been said and that's that.
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>That term, cxo9mbined with his statement that he wants to "boycott
>>>companies that outsource their help desks to India" is clearly racist.<<<[/color][/color][/color]

Again that's your opinion and we simply disagree. If one feels strongly
enough about what treatment they are getting from a helpdesk or anything
else then he/she has the right to boycott, picket, write letters, post their
feelings on the web or whatever.
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>>I can understand frustration too. But blaming the frustration on the
>>>person's being Indian, instead of the company, who hired someone who
>>>can't speak English understandably, is racist.<<<[/color][/color][/color]

Well lets assume a company is owned by Japan, they hire Japanese to do their
Helpdesk, who do you then blame? the company?, you can't because according
to you that's racist because they are one in the same. I think this whole
racist thing has gotten way out of hand. You don't know anymore what is safe
to say or not. I've been called an American in which I am, but you know
what, I could be pissed about this because I'm really a German American, BIG
DEAL. I really don't care what someone calls me as long as they call me for
Dinner :)

Look I think he made a mistake, it's time to forgive and move on.

--
All the best,
SG

Is your computer system ready for Vista?
[url]https://winqual.microsoft.com/hcl/[/url]

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:o5abu35ippnksb3dtvgtl64tiop4hmu7gd@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:16:01 -0400, "SG" <sorry@nomail.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?[/color]
>
>
> His post was *clearly* racist.
>
>[color=green]
>> That's BS and you know it.[/color]
>
>
> Not at all.
>
>[color=green]
>> If you call for help and cannot understand
>> whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language[/color]
>
>
>
> Absolutely right. I'm with you 100% on that.
>
>[color=green]
>> and has
>> NOTHING to do with race or anything else.[/color]
>
>
>
> But that's nonsense. He wasn't complaining about someone's ability to
> speak English (which has very little to do with where he's from), but
> about "friggin' Indians." That term, cxo9mbined with his statement
> that he wants to "boycott companies that outsource their help desks to
> India" is clearly racist.
>
>
>[color=green]
>> I've been in this business for
>> many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a English
>> speaking person.[/color]
>
>
>
> As have I. My complaint is with the company who hired someone with
> inadequate English skills, regardless of where he's from, not with his
> nationality.
>
>[color=green]
>> I don't think the OP should has used the word "friggin",
>> but I can understand their frustration.[/color]
>
>
> I can understand frustration too. But blaming the frustration on the
> person's being Indian, instead of the company, who hired someone who
> can't speak English understandably, is racist.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup[/color]

On Mar 22, 8:55*pm, "Ken Blake, MVP"
<kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote:[color=blue]
> On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:16:01 -0400, "SG" <so...@nomail.com> wrote:[color=green]
> > What's the OP's post have to do with racism?[/color]
>
> His post was *clearly* racist.
>[color=green]
> > That's BS and you know it.[/color]
>
> Not at all.
>[color=green]
> > If you call for help and cannot understand
> > whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language[/color]
>
> Absolutely right. I'm with you 100% on that.
>[color=green]
> > and has
> > NOTHING to do with race or anything else.[/color]
>
> But that's nonsense. He wasn't complaining about someone's ability to
> speak English (which has very little to do with where he's from), but
> about "friggin' Indians." That term, cxo9mbined with his statement
> that he wants to "boycott companies that outsource their help desks to
> India" is clearly racist.
>[color=green]
> > I've been in this business for
> > many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a English
> > speaking person.[/color]
>
> As have I. My complaint is with the company who hired someone with
> inadequate English skills, regardless of where he's from, not with his
> nationality.
>[color=green]
> > I don't think the OP should has used the word "friggin",
> > but I can understand their frustration.[/color]
>
> I can understand frustration too. But blaming the frustration on the
> person's being Indian, instead of the company, who hired someone who
> can't speak English understandably, is racist.
>
> --
> Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup[/color]

It would have been "friggin anybody". The issue is non-existent
service hidden underneath useless "global" outsourced helpdesks. We
need to start boycotting companies that outsource tech jobs to useless
companies. We outsourced our Unix support to a company that uses
helpdesks in India and South America. Upper management swears they
saved huge sums of money and are getting BETTER service. How's 95
days to change the hostname on a Solaris server?

Our own employees are giving up on the company's helpdesks. If I
could find a way to run Sendmail on Intel systems with the service
life of Sun systems I would do so. Outsourcing has broken our own
company's Unix infrastructure. I have been trying to get a neutral
report about the atrocious service beyond my manager but he's afraid
to take it higher because complaining about Unix service/support or
ANY outsourced service is considered disloyal to management.

It is universal - outsourced helpdesks stink, whether it's us calling
a vendor's helpdesk or me calling my own company's helpdesks.

"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMsyndrome.me.uk> wrote in message
news:eM6AdTHjIHA.5968@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> "SG" <sorry@nomail.com> wrote in message
> news:uemWdKHjIHA.4868@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
>>>> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
>>>> script.
>>>>
>>>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>>>> their helpdesks to India?
>>> I thought we South Africans had the monopoly on racism![/color]
>>
>> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?
>> That's BS and you know it. If you call for help and cannot understand
>> whomever then it's fair to ask for someone in your native language and
>> has NOTHING to do with race or anything else. I've been in this business
>> for many years and on several occasions I had to ask to speak with a
>> English speaking person. I don't think the OP should has used the word
>> "friggin", but I can understand their frustration.[/color]
>
>
>
> Er..
>[color=green]
>> What's the OP's post have to do with racism?[/color]
>[color=green][color=darkred]
>>>> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
>>>> their helpdesks to India?[/color][/color]
>
>
> Are you saying that the OP's post does not involve prejudice of a certain
> race??[/color]

It does not. It involves complaining about companies outsourcing and having
people that do NOT have the language skills to communicate clearly with the
people they are there to support. No more, no less. Anyone that got racism
from that post needs to look up the meaning.

--
Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting.
[url]http://www.lockergnome.com/darksentinel[/url]
Undo the munge to reply by email

[email]edspyhill01******.com[/email] wrote:[color=blue]
> Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
> speaking Helpdesk? These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
> script.
>
> Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
> their helpdesks to India?[/color]

BMW is outsourcing to the USA. What with the wimpy dollar, be patient,
MS and the boys will realize that hiring US workers is cheaper. In fact,
there is a trend to hire retirees to work at home in the USA as help
desk clerks, customer service, etc. Of course, they'll still have the
same stupid script but at least you might be able to understand them
when they read it :-)

Alias

On Mar 23, 10:33*am, Alias <al...@aliasmail.com> wrote:[color=blue]
> edspyhil...******.com wrote:[color=green]
> > Does anyone have a number that allows me to contact an English
> > speaking Helpdesk? *These friggin' Indians can only talk from a
> > script.[/color]
>[color=green]
> > Also, any group out there working to boycott companies that outsource
> > their helpdesks to India?[/color]
>
> BMW is outsourcing to the USA. What with the wimpy dollar, be patient,
> MS and the boys will realize that hiring US workers is cheaper. In fact,
> there is a trend to hire retirees to work at home in the USA as help
> desk clerks, customer service, etc. Of course, they'll still have the
> same stupid script but at least you might be able to understand them
> when they read it :-)
>
> Alias[/color]

I'm looking for a "home-sourced" job for when my current job is
outsourced/offshored, which is about 12 months from now. BTW, one of
my objestives is to package parts of my job and transition them to one
of the outsourcing company. ****ed if you do and ****ed if you
don't.