FeedsAs if it Wasn't Already Hard Enough to Order Through Drive-Thru Speakers
Sep/08/2004 09:25 AM
A common occurrence, you pull into a drive-thru, and all you hear is "mmm-nnmm mmhh." Those speakers are typically very low quality along with the rest of the system they use to communicate. So, what does McDonald's do? They are testing out a system where your orders will be placed by a call center in India.
I mean, I'm not trying to be racist, but companies should start realizing that outsourcing customer service to India is a good way to lose customers fast. Anyone who has ever tried getting support from IBM or Dell will know that it's a communications nightmare. Sure, both ends might be speaking a form of English, but it's just the regional differences such as accents and localized slang that can sometimes make a conversation feel like you are trying to translate Klingon to Vulcan. I know I would personally avoid doing business with any company that would require I had to communicate with an Indian call center. I mean, if I can go across the street and speak with a local person at Burger King, that's where I'll be going to.
6 Comments
how does that actually work? The link in your post is broken.
-Neil
Comment by: Neil on September 08, 2004 11:17 AM
Well, that's just dandy, I wonder what happened to the link.
Anyways, I guess when you get to the speaker, you are actually speaking with someone over a phone on the other side of the world in India. They actually place the order into a computer, then the order is sent off to the restaurant just as if it was taken at a register inside the store. Not really sure how much money this could save, but, whatever.
Actually, I just tried the link again after I typed this out, and it's working now.
Comment by: Cameron Bulock on September 08, 2004 12:05 PM
I don't know, but I think it sounds like a great idea, expessially if I could order Mcdonalds over the phone. All I would have to do is drive up to the window and pay. If they find out some way of paying over the phone (via a mcdonald account attached to your credit card or debit card), all the people in the store would have to do is give the people the food. Simple as that. Sure does make Mcdonalds easier (not that i'm going to work at one again *I hope*).
-Neil Vitale
Comment by: Neil on September 09, 2004 05:15 PM
Hmm, didn't think of that. That would be pretty cool. Especially if I was in a hurry. You could even order over your cell phone on the way there so it would be nice and fresh still when you arrived. Well, as fresh as it would be if you ordered inside anyway.
Comment by: Cameron Bulock on September 09, 2004 05:19 PM
Thanks for the blogshare gift, Cameron; how'd you find me? :)
Comment by: T.O. on September 10, 2004 10:23 AM
Just saw your name under the list of new players. I try to give some gifts to new members when I think about it.
Comment by: Cameron Bulock on September 10, 2004 10:55 AM