As technology has made information increasingly available in electronic form, companies have been relying on call centers to handle their customer service needs. Outsourcing of these centers has become popular for logistical and economic reasons. Some have questioned whether callers feel comfortable when the voice on the other end has a different accent. Recent events indicate this is definitely a point to be considered.
For some time, India was the reigning international hub of call centers with a vast pool of available English-speaking workers. However, the Philippines recently surpassed India in numbers of call center workers despite a significantly lower population size. Major companies such as AT&T and Expedia have either outsourced to this country or built their own call centers there.
A major reason cited for this shift is the fact that Filipinos speak English with a neutral accent. Regardless of their fluency in English, most Indian workers have a heavily accented voice. However, it goes beyond simply their inflections. The Philippines were once a colony of the United States, meaning that residents are familiar with American culture and idioms. In contrast, Indians speak British-style English which incorporates a number of expressions that are unrecognizable to American callers.
The outsourcing industry has grown to a point where it’s no longer based on the simple considerations of large labor pool and low labor costs. Activities are being focused in areas that are best suited to accommodate them. For instance, while the Philippines is proving to be a valuable source of call center workers, India remains a popular choice for software outsourcing.
In today’s economy, excellent customer service is more important than ever. Please contact us to find out more about how a call answering service can help you build a loyal customer base. We only used American based operators with American accents. When connecting with your clients is important to you, CallCenterUSA is the perfect choice!
