The Purge of Call Centers

I needed to replace my existing laptop, so whilst I was shopping around for the best one available to me within my price range I unwittingly stumbled across the joy that is the help lines call center. My bank and many others like them in the UK have in their wisest (i.e. monetary gain) wisdom relocated most of their call centers to the Indian sub continent. The main reason for this being the vast amounts of cheap labor available in that region.

This week while shopping for that laptop, I have had the pleasure of having to call two of these wonderful establishments. Firstly to take advantage of a cheaper deal I could sign up to have a wireless internet connection, on an 18 month contract. 'OK, great. Where do I sign?'

We were required to supply two documents to prove our place of residence, utility bill or bank statement, driving license or passport. As we did not carry all these on us at all times we would have to return later in the week. We paid the full price to secure the laptop, when we returned we would get a full refund and then pay only the discounted price, we left happy that within a few more days the brand new quality product would be ours.

Friday evening and we return back to the store.

'First we have to do a credit check.'

OK!'

I have only been back in the UK for the past six months; credit information about me is required for the past thirty six. As my address overseas is not suitable (or checkable by them), I gave my previous UK address from four years earlier.

The problem then became that the computer system in the store would not recognize my current address, the previous out of date one was ok, but it would not accept the card payment as this was not my current billing address. The cell/mobile phone provider wanted ₤150 as a deposit, because I already had an account with them, apparently they do not like multiple accounts in the same name (we have a cell phone, and another wifi connection. We are limited in our choice as this is the only provider in the area that we live). The deposit would be returned to me in 12 months time. It then took several more phone calls and over two hours before this payment could be completed. Eventually we had to speak with the duty manager/supervisor before this simple task was achieved. The supervisor's name was Sydney; this was an Indian male, now I ask how many people from India do you know running around with the name of Sydney?

We now just had to get the full refund, pay the discounted price and we were done, on our way out the store and heading for home.

Easy well not as simple as it was explained to us as it turned out.

The refund printed out, we had lots of available credit on our card once again. Wrong, the payment for the discounted price was declined. We have had a problem in the past where if we make two payments online within a short time of each other it gets refused, our banks security on what they call unusual payments is very protective. We thought this was what had happened here, phone up sort it out and the payment will go through we thought. We call Indian call center number 2; the reason for the refusal was insufficient funds or available credit on the card. But that can't be possible; we have just had a massive payment go into our account!

This is Friday evening; my bank is closed until Monday morning (hope you bankers all enjoyed your weekend off), and the only way I can get anything done before then is through one or other of Sydney's call centre colleagues. I am informed by one of his associates that a refund into my account can take up to three working days to be processed.

'So how come you can take money off my card instantly, yet when you give it back to me it takes three days?

Why does it take so long?

I declined to throw the phone at the wall, it took lots of willpower to place it gently back on the table.

Thanks a lot Sydney, or whatever your real name is!

So I finished the day ₤150 worse off and nothing to show for it.