Where did you say you were from - 2
Posted: Monday, 15 May 2006 |
4 comments |
Heard a story just this morning which made the point I made in my original post.
A friend of mine had to make a payment by telephone to a highstreet store, which shall remain anonymous. Because the banks are being obstreperous, the operator invited the person concerned to go to the nearest branch and make the payment in person.
"Well," said my friend, "it will take me 6 hours to get to the nearest branch." Silence on the line. Finally: "Are you teling there is no branch in your area?"
Answer: "No. If I want to visit your store, I have to go on a ferry for 3 hours, then on a bus for an hour and a half, and in order to be on time for the ferry I have to leave home half an hour before it's due to sail. I am in the Western Isles. Do you know where that is?"
The operator professed ignorance.
"It's at the very edge of Scotland. Get yourself an atlas and look it up. You'll see a group of islands to the far northwest. That's where I am. Where are you?"
The operator said she was in the office of the store. A bit more pushing revealed she was in India.
I think people in India are excused, although I have been told that they are trained to know all about the weather, the football etcetera in order to be able to relate to folk in the UK. Pity they are not taught the geography of the place.
Mind you, many's the time I've had to explain to UK residents where the Western Isles are...
Posted on Arnish Lighthouse at 11:48
Comments
I just tell folk to watch the weather forecasts and there is Stornoway top left usually bathed in sunshine!!
Andrew from Grimshader
Ha! We too have folks from India telephoning us ... and the worst offender for using them? Telecom, our largest telephone company. It has to do with PROFITS ... which go back into the coffers, but not into line or access improvements. Anyone got a pigeon?
Plaid from New Zealand
Have to agree. Do you have the same problems with companies charging an excess for postage because of your location, then the items arrive by Royal Mail !
Hidinginhatston from Orkney
Reminds me of the true story a few years ago when a Shetland woman was ordering a mail order catalogue by telephone. When the operator asked where her nearest train station was she had to reply "Bergen".
Norseman from Central Scotland
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