I had to call the helpline of a “digital commerce” company that handles sales of a popular software package I’ve been renewing for the past ten years. There was a deep system problem preventing my order.
So, I call the local Taiwan Help line. I ask in Chinese if anyone spoke English. No, was my response.
So, I try my best with my limited vocabulary but it was hopeless. This problem was unique and frankly should not have occurred… I’ve handled pleanty of CHT issues both tech and billing with my poor vocabulary and without resorting to English.
So, I’m frustrated. My yearly sale is about to expire and I can’t purchase. I beg… Is there anyone there who speaks English?
All of a sudden the fake Chinglish and Chinese dissapears and I’m speaking to someone who sounds as if she’s coming from Oxford.
“I’m sorry this is the Chinese helpline,” she says. “You can’t help me? But you have access to my records and everything and you can’t help me?” I reply.
“No, even though I speak English I’m sorry but I cannot help you,” she says. Then in a low voice, she says “we are being monitored. This is the Chinese help line.
You can call our international service number.”
That number happens to be a toll call located in the US.
I kind of told her this is a ridiculous policy and doesn’t help with making or completing sales.
But it was obvious that she was just a cog in the system.
My problem was finally resolved for the best possible price one can get when it comes to computer systems malfunctioning and allowing you to order.
But if I did not have alternate means of contacting u.s. customer service I would have spent quite a bit of money.
Jeez, that’s a fuck of a long way to go just to find out the store only carries Taiwan Beer…
Guy
my experience has mostly been good in this issue。this is an exception to the rule I guess
It’s worse than that. It’s like being in the Taiwan Beer store with a case in your hand and being told you can’t leave with any unless you call our American office. Your payment and delivery address validated.
Well anyway after all the hassle I got a free case of beer this year which was a nice reward for being a loyal customer. Free case of beer equals free license key. Still it was a ridiculous situation.
I meant your story.
Guy
Maybe, it could be shortened but I had to suffer through this.
Seriously, though, I like to read long form narations and case studies. Detailed stories saved from this board saved me hassles.
You can use Skype for these kinds of calls. Do they not have skype or voice chat help system?
This is an exception. Usually customer service is quick and they often “comp” me on small cheap replacement parts.
Last time I had an experience Iike this was when they “banned” the multiregion DVD players and the engineers were scared shitless to give me the secret code.
Hey man, my DVD player burnt out again, what’s this years codes?
I can’t tell you.
But you told me three times before.
No codes man! I’m not allowed!
Two years with no access to my region one DVDs until they forgot about the ban.
I used, G-mail phone. Not the point. I’m in Taiwan with money to give them. All they needed was minimal English to pull up my information and realize something was seriously wrong and open a ticket.
Actually even the English Speaking customer service representatives didn’t understand the problem until they finally looked at the screenshots several calls later. Had that Chinese girl been able to talk to me, she would have looked at the screen shot, realized no order should ever look that way and forward the ticket to the software company where the problem originated.
They would have made money instead of giving me the free package.
Seriously I find Taiwanese customer support much more willing to help than the Frontline support people in the US.
It’s quite frustrating that this happens. Sometimes I wish there was more empowerment for staff at these companies so they could potentially adjust to the situation at hand rather than stick to bureaucratic policies.
Sounds like the call center is in the mainland.
What on earth makes you think any of this ever happens in the US?
Guy
If in the US you called a similar company and spoke only Chinese, how far would it go?
Haha. Only americans seem to get upset about this. Its good to have english service sure, but its a local product for local market so anything other than local languages (like hakka, taiwanese, mandarin and probably some aboriginal) should be appreciated but maybe not expected. They already almost always have 3 languages.
I get its frustrating. But in reality the responsibility is on us to learn chinese not everyone here to learn english. Be grateful when they do speak english.
Do you think a woman not being able to speak to me would be worth a gift of a 59 dollar piece of software allbeit on a year holiday sale that would have missed.
The American representatives were…
Let me put you on hold… Never come back.
You called the wrong division, call back, sounded like the same place. Order number please. I don’t have an order number. …
I didn’t have a problem they were trained for. They couldn’t think.
The message the software company got from the commerce company was that I couldn’t find the download site. Not that I was unable to order. (After using and upgrading their product yearly for ten years.)
They finally did the right thing and gifted me the licence key.