eBay

laaisi1234 · ‎07-23-2021

Is it just me or are others having trouble understanding what customer service reps are saying? In some cases I've had to hang up and call back to get someone else because their foreign accent is too thick. Maybe all CSR's should attend a class on English pronunciation.

shipscript · ‎07-23-2021

There are actually such classes, where foreign reps are trained in various US dialects to sound more colloquially American, but those are high-end call-center services.

When I get eBay reps located in Utah, they do have a better American accent, but some do still throw me off with a foreign pronounciation of some common word; and of course, the reps in Ireland can have quite a brogue, while those in the Philippines are sing-song.

You could ask the rep to speak slower. This can sometimes flatten the sing-song voices of some reps. I have a local banker I've never seen, and whose name and phone voice is totally American, but he speaks so fast in wildly fluctuating tones, that I can't understand half of his words. After about the second sentence, I always have to ask him to start over and speak ever so slowly.

eBay also has the chat option, which can get around some of the dialect issues we might encounter on the phone. Quite frankly, I do much better with foreign accents when I can see the person's face and gestures.

ShipScript has been an eBay Community volunteer since 2003, specializing in HTML, CSS, Scripts, Photos, Active Content, Technical Solutions, and online Seller Tools.

gosimus · ‎07-23-2021

@laaisi1234

< Is it just me or are others having trouble understanding what customer service reps are saying? >

It's not just you ... trust me. You have a better chance of reaching a Customer Service representative in the US if you call during business hours, Monday thru Friday. I didn't say a good chance, I just said a better chance. Good luck.

laaisi1234 · ‎07-23-2021

Thanks for the input, but I had a somewhat complicated issue, and on top of the language barrier, there was a dog barking incessantly in the background, adding to the communications problem. Lack of supervision????

laaisi1234 · ‎07-23-2021

It was during business hours. Frankly I don't think Ebay cares about CSR communication issues....just show them the money! They have us by the short hairs and they know it.