yankee expats down under

[sortius]

***First of all, before I start my rant, I would like to let all our american brothers and sisters know that I am not passing value judgement on them or their families and friends***

now, let the rant begin...

After getting back on a call floor here in the great land of Oz, I have had vivid memories from previous times on call floors of american expat customers. Now, working for whom I do, we get all types of aussies, and yes, we do have arseholes living here in australia, but by the end of the call, I much more often than not have them either thanking me for my service, or at least being at a bare minimum satisfied with what they are getting. The thing that gets me is that yankee expats seem to want more than ANYONE else is getting... you offer them top level service, it's not good enough. I have never handled more complaints from any expat community. Asian, Italian, European, Hispanic expats... they never want to make a formal complaint unless you push them, but at the drop of a hat an american expat will say "I want to lodge a FORMAL COMPLAINT" with so much gusto that it's almost sickening. I suppose all I can do is pose 2 questions...

I was just wondering if anyone could explain why? Is american culture so hell bent on breeding VIPs?

[oracle]

Been doing end-user tech support in a call centre for over 3 years now. I would also agree... but then again, Aussies were always known for being easy-going.

One thing about Americans that a workmate and I noticed: The majority of them don't say "thankyou" or EVEN "bye" at the end of a call... They just hang up.

Whatever happened to manners?

[kré]

to some extent i'd also have to agree. i'd also like to note that in my experience, the group of australians that gets closest to this is queenslanders. nothing against queenslanders either, it just seems in my 4.5 years experience in this call centre, they seem to be the ones that get pissed off the easiest out of australians anyway.

anyone else agree?

[geggle]

Originally posted by cray
anyone else agree? RUBBISH!

I want to lodge a FORMAL COMPLAINT!

:D :D

[kré]

Originally posted by geggle
RUBBISH!

I want to lodge a FORMAL COMPLAINT!

:D :D

hahaha :p :D

[DrDivad]

yeah but everyones a jerk. You, me...this jerk

[beowulf437]

Americans expect a certain level of service I think that is beyond what you would think is even resonable. My company services computers as part of our contract. We provide both phone support and on site service. Yes there are times that I have to go to a site because they misloaded a printer or forgot to order supplies.

Americans have come to expect that when they pay for something they will get service akin to holding their hand.

By the way I always say please and thankyou and excuse me.

[rascuache]

For the most part i have to agree, while i was working in a chinese take -away the american students always wanted more out of you and wanted to be given discounts "Cause we have cool accents and we're american". (I was told that once)

My old Housemate and best bud from good old park rapids minnesota even had the odd hissy fit about customer service while she was here. Thats why i did my utmost to send her back a little different...i think its worn off now though :D

[sortius]

Originally posted by oracle
One thing about Americans that a workmate and I noticed: The majority of them don't say "thankyou" or EVEN "bye" at the end of a call... They just hang up.

Whatever happened to manners?

I whole heartedly agree... and this even extends to most people, call centre orientated or not... manners are lacking in our society, the lack of common courtosy is disgraceful...

Originally posted by beowulf437
Americans have come to expect that when they pay for something they will get service akin to holding their hand.

That's the whole thing I dont understand, if I was treated like that I would be offended and unhappy with the service... I'll call for help when I need it, and when I get it I'll be greatful. There's been a massive spread of that kind of thinking in this world since... well, we all became a bunch of lazy arse drones as a species... I would rant more, but then I'd just come off as some conspiracy nut with some righteous indignation plot... so I'll end it with this:

Be happy for what you get, for one day, all the shit you give may come back on oneself...

amen ;)

[Asmodeus]

interesting, of course, you may have to look at it as a regional thing, i know over in this neck of the woods in america, please and thank you and bye are much more common especially on the phone.

of course, over here, its more comon as well to put any warm butt in the seat for level 1 support or service, so escalating to a manager is common and encouraged, less so in other countries from what i hear.

than again, a lot of the philosophy here is that since we mostly know the kind of markup on teh items w're getting, we better be getting some sort of added value for what we're spending on it.

[King_Crud]

Originally posted by Asmodeus
interesting, of course, you may have to look at it as a regional thing, i know over in this neck of the woods in america, please and thank you and bye are much more common especially on the phone.


Agreed, one of my best mates is an expat american I met him when we were living in London and he's always polite, well etc. I speak the states a lot for my job and i notice that some areas or people from some areas are a lot nicer than others. The whole ending a conversation without saying goodbye pisses me off no end.

Saying that, my gf has an american friend who's just moved here for a year to study and she's from the "expecting good service and complaining" school. I briefly met her once but even though she's my gfs friend she still pisses my gf off because she's like that. I'll see how long i can handle it for

[Asmodeus]

true, theres some prople that just think everyone should bow down to them, me and a lot of others cant stand them either. had a family member from teh rich and snooty part of the family that was complaining that she got a ticket because her tollway pass was no longer valid.. the reason? she dropped her old credit card and got a better one.. and she was like 'shouldnt they like, know this and automatically change it to reflect that?' and couldnt seem to understand when we were like.. 'um.. noooo'

me preferentially, i don't care if they're overly polite and all that, to a degree, i find the kowtowing irritating. id rather deal with a brusque businesslike effiecint person who gets teh job done in short order and turns out a high quality product and thus quality of service.

[sortius]

Asmodeus made a good point... professionalism is of great worth when used correctly, that's not to say that sitting there and palm people off so that you dont have to deal with them is the most efficient way of working... however, being polite, efficient, and delivering a high level of service is professionalism. I think that's what most of these "complain untill I feel like god" people are missing...

It doesnt take pissing off the person at the other end of the phone/table to get things done, in fact, it stops things from getting done... I know myself, I'm more likely to say "do this and call us back" if they piss me off... while if someone who is polite/professional, I will tell them to do something and I'll call them back on their mobile phone...

I suppose it all boils down to whether you are standing up for your rights, or sitting down to complain...

[beer_cAN]

Where I work, most seppos (sorry, they even call themselves that here) are the friendliest, most polite and best-humored customers I get. I think a lot of them have spent some time here, are generally well-educated, and usually join Australians in cringing at the 'stereotypical' Americans; I guess they make a conscious effort to integrate.

Most of the argumentative pricks who ask for more than they deserve are usually your typical >4th Generation Anglos. I had one arsehole today insist that he was 'special' and deserved a discount on an item he had purchased (despite the fact that his proposed discount was lower than cost price). I told this cro-magnon imbecile that I was not going to give him said discount, and upon absorbing this, asked (when I say 'ask', I mean a question in which every second word began with either an F or an S) why so. For some stupid reason, I felt it necessary to tell this intellectual midget that if I were to give him a discount, it would be unfair for me to give discounts to the others in the store. The penis head then had the gall to suggest that he was 'special'. By this stage I was ready to give my interpretation of 'special', but somehow managed to hold my nerve and kindly told him to either accept the invitation to treat, or promptly leave the premises on threat of the intervention of security.

Obviously he paid for the product, asked to speak to the manager (I told him where to call the manager, and to knock himself out) and left after insulting me with more colourful language. Lo and behold, he happened to be driving a vehicle with the name of his workplace and the telephone number of the workplace on the side. Some of the customers who were present at the time took down this number to complain, and complimented me on my handling, which I guess made life a bit better (7 out of 8 people thought I was doing my job well).

The point of this, I guess, is that you get veins in your hot dog, no matter what nationality the hot dog. Most of the dickheads who telephone without salutation or farewell, let alone 'please' and 'thankyou' are those with thick Australian accents. My most polite customers and enquirers are usually of foreign extract.

[kleph]

i'm not sure if this is a cultural thing or what but i think it has a lot to do with the american you get in any given situation. remember we're 250 million plus folks spread across about 4.8 million square miles. your gonna get some differentiation.

firstly, folks like myself tend to approach places like australia with a sense of curiosity. how you deal with the minutae is a good way to get a sense of the place you are at. as a result, you don't have the impoliteness problem you discussed . . . usually.

one of the big differences i noticed was the difference in service culture. in australia it tends to be more personally oriented - a one on one exchange. you keep a customer because you know who he is and what his needs are. here in the states it's more of a carpet bombing effect.

an example, there are at least two dozen places i can get my photo's developed within one mile of this house. the one i keep going to is the one that does the best job and causes me the least amount of trouble. and, if one does, i let them know that's exactly why i'm going to the place two blocks away. the advantage is that i expect to get exactly what i want but the downside is i don't expect anyone to remember my name.

rarely do you have that type of multiplicity of services in australia (except for pubs). and the emphasis in service is noticable.

i assume there is an entire catagory of individuals who visit regularly or are expats who take the entire american service culture for granted. they expect everyone to cater their exact whim. you get this a lot from the nuveaux rich in the southwest who sold a billion porch misters and now expects everyone to know how cool they are because they have a roll of hundreds and a canary-yellow H2.

this is the type of individual who has zero ability to distinguish between the two cultures and cares even less. a tenacious individualism is a distinctive american hallmark but here we see it gone horribly wrong. it's the classic ugly american. but don't think he's any less of a pain in the ass back home.

i assume your industry, given it's high growth rate and overpopulation of entrepeneurists, attracts such insects so you would have to deal with an inordinate number of them. but, i assure you, there are lots of other expats around who are not nearly as grating to deal with.

[Nandragon]

As kelph eloquently stated above...we have clockwatchers here. None to busy to try to handle tasks.

So as consumers when we get someone on the phone we automatically assume they are dip shits. I am normally nice, until I get stupid responses.

I cancelled Souther Bell telephone service today.
Why? Well I never get a damn bill until it's past due.
I've been cut off 3 times stating they didn't recieve payment when the check has cleared the bank. When my lights were cut off, and I was paid ahead a month, yes the got a raving lunatic.
I was told that they had not recieved THAT payment either.
After 4 days of bullshit, well they cut me back on. 3 weeks later...I got the cut off notice. Well I called! The bitch on the phone swore she was a manager, but damn if she EVER understood why I was upset. "mam, I don't understand ur problem. The bill has been paid, you have service. Why are you calling." Well damit! I got the past due cut off notice 3 fucking weeks AFTER you cut me off! Don't you think there's a fucking problem there?

And yes, I said THANK YOU! when I hung up.

Paid $50 to have my tires rotated and balanced this weekend.
when I take my hands off the stering wheel the car goes in the right hand ditch immediately. Called the shop...."well, see you have @#$#$(tire maladjustment something or the other bullshit)"
When you rotate new tires, they won't balance correctly. Bring your car to the shop and leave it so we can rotate and test by driving you car. It will take pretty much all day"
Mother fuckers think I'm an idiot don't they. I told them I would come and sit on saturday to stupid vise their procedures.
All that's needed is for the damn tires to be balanced properly.
No, they are trying to sell me $200 worth of tires. (that's 2 by the way)