Found this in my e-mail...Good idea.

[monmouth]

Received this from a friend.


I want to ask each of you to consider doing the following when you are talking on the phone to any US customer service representative that is based in a foreign country (like India ). I have done this twice and it works! Any time you call an 800 number (for a credit card, banking, charter communications, health insurance, insurance, you name it) and you are transferred to a representative (like in India), please consider doing the following:

After you connect and you realize that the customer service representative is not from the USA (you can always ask if you are not sure about the accent), please very politely (very politely - this is not about trashing other cultures) say, "I'd like to speak to a customer service representative in the United States of America ." The rep might suggest talking to his/her manager, but, again, politely say, "Thank you, but I'd like to speak to a customer service representative in the USA ." YOU WILL BE IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED to a rep in the USA . It only takes less than one minute to have your call re-directed to the USA . Tonight when I got redirected to a USA rep, I asked again to make sure - and yes, she was from Fort Lauderdale .

Imagine if tomorrow, every US citizen who has to make such a call and then requests a US rep, imagine how that would ultimately impact the number of US jobs that would need to be created ASAP. Imagine what would happen if every US citizen insisted on talking to only US phone reps from this day on. If I tell 10 people to consider this and you tell 10 people to consider doing this - see what I mean...it becomes an exercise in viral marketing 101.

Remember - the goal here is to restore jobs back here at home - not to be abrupt or rude to a foreign phone rep. If you agree, please tell 10 people you know and tell them to tell 10 people they know....etc...etc...

[MineralMan]

1. It's a good idea, but you're very likely to be disconnected.

It's OK if you don't really need the assistance, but you won't always be connected to a US rep. More often, the line will just go dead and you're back waiting in the queue.

For a lot of businesses, you can dig out a number that gets you to customer service here. For example, you can get a local Comcast customer support person in the Twin Cities by dialing 222-3333. Much better service, and they're right there in town. You can dig out many such numbers. Also, try calling the corporate headquarters of the company you want and getting the main switchboard. Tell them what you want. There's usually local customer service in the US. Toll-free customer service numbers are a sure thing for sending your call overseas.

[monmouth]

2. Good info MM, many thanks..n/t

[RockaFowler]

3. Exactly

I've tried this many times and many times I have been hung up on. They don't care if you have to call back or have to wait. Oh yeah and one time I was transferred to someone who only spoke Spanish. I only speak a little Spanish, so I had to hang up and call again.

[SalviaBlue]

4. I just had two separate, very frustrating conversations with Office Depot

representatives in (I'm guessing) India. I could barely understand them and they did not understand me.

I am going to ask for US reps from now on. Thanks.

[Obamanaut]

5. How could one verify that the rep was *really* in Ft Lauderdale, and not

just saying she was there. Maybe they have people on staff that display a non-accent, and can say they are from anywhere.

[femrap]

6. As an aside....

I have some medical bills to pay...less than $200. I kept getting these automated calls telling me to call such and such. When I discovered that the number was to Accts. Payable, I just ignored the automated calls. Now the hospital has sent the bill to a 3rd party. I've received two bills in the mail. Hey, let's keep the postal service workers employed so I just throw them away.

I'm not paying that damn bill until a human being calls me. I want people in the US to have jobs. Even if it's as a Debt Collector, it's a job. And if it's a human being from another country, I will continue not to pay.

[lame54]

7. K&R - especially for the polite part