Society/Culture Indian Call Centres - They Sure Have Our Number

[Father Jack]

Once I had scrolled down and moved on past the death and destruction on the news.com.au site, I found this intriguing headline:

Hello you stupid, racist drunk. India calling
What the Indian call centre staff are really told about Australians


Anyways, it turns out that this searing piece of insight was culled from an article published on the American news and opinion site Mother Jones entitled My Summer at an Indian Call Center

Now, aside from pondering on news.com.au going to town on this in a rather sensationalist way, it did get me thinking about how easy it is to stereotype, how offensive it can be, and also how often said stereotype can be reinforced if you take any kind of selective look at the culture/group in question.

Here's a question, a fun game if you will: Can you think of any groups that Australians tend to stereotype? Is what the Indian call centres allegedly tell their trainees at all accurate? Should we even care, let alone get upset?

Also, that article about Indian call centres is a very interesting read in the context of one culture trying to make itself agreeable to another culture whilst demeaning both cultures at the same time. Apparently goats pissing in the street is the real India, and speaking the language of your birth will get you fired.

 

[skilts]

Which just goes to show how much Indians know about Australians. I've never heard Australians refer to Indians as, "brown bastards". "Black pudendum", on the other hand, I've heard frequently. It might be to do with the circles in which one moves.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Indian call centre staff only get to speak to those too stupid to sign up for the Do Not Call Register, maybe that skews the sample somewhat.

 

[telsor]

"Well, for one thing," Lekha said, "let's admit: They are quite racist. They do not like Indians. Their preferred term for us is—please don't mind, ladies—'brown bastards.' So if you hear that kind of language, you can just hang up the call."

Not something I'd normally say, but if it gets them off the line....

Still probably better to just hang up, although if I have time, I try to waste their time ( eg. "can you hold on for a minute", then a minute or two later "Justa little bt longer"...then talk to them for 20-30 second, before 'needing' another break....etc ).

 

[Pie eyed]

Pretty accurate assessment really.
Though i don'tr care what colour they are I have to admit I am a "phonist"
i hate the muthafcuka's and will go to great lengths to piss them off.
My favourite is to simply hand the phone to my six year old daughter and tell her it's Dora calling.

 

[nicky]

Firstly i don't know anyone who calls Indian's "brown bastards".

Secondly, it's probably important for them to speak slower so we can understand their accent.

Thirdly, what ungrateful ****s, we're giving india a middle class and this is the thanks we get.

 

[cartwright]

Here's a question, a fun game if you will: Can you think of any groups that Australians tend to stereotype? Is what the Indian call centres allegedly tell their trainees at all accurate? Should we even care, let alone get upset?

.

Well how many people do you know are "touchy about animals"?
Its probably more of a case of "STFU with small talk and get to the point".

Never heard Indians referred to as "brown bastards" either...

They're selling phones, and are being told the market average is a four year old Nokia. Seems to me, that cultural training company is a fair way off the mark.

 

[BarneyBent]

I'm actually genuinely offended. What dicks.

 

[Father Jack]

A good example of what it is like to be stereotyped and caricatured, no?

 

[BarneyBent]

A good example of what it is like to be stereotyped and caricatured, no?

Yep. Hopefully a few people learn something reading this.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Never heard Indians referred to as "brown bastards" either...

Me too.

 

[telsor]

A good example of what it is like to be stereotyped and caricatured, no?

Except only white people do that

 

[nicky]

A good example of what it is like to be stereotyped and caricatured, no?

That type of stereotyping would not be done in Australian companies.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Who do these bloody curry-muchers think they are?

 

[telsor]

That type of stereotyping would not be done in Australian companies.

Certainly not that overtly.

 

[nicky]

Certainly not that overtly.

Cultural sensitivity is pushed by every company i've worked for. Given they're being paid by Australian companies i think it reasonable to expect more respect.

 

[HarryTiger]

What kind of a person actually recalls past Nokia phone models?

Oh yeah, third world hicks who think a phone is a sign of wealth.

 

[Borry]

In China I had to frequently speak slowly to locals because they couldn't understand my "ocker" accent. What racist bastards.

Seriously, I didn't have a problem with it. Got annoying at times but it was just a case of 'it is what it is' and I learned to understand that a foreign accent like mine was going to be a problem in a country which doesn't have English as a first language.

My point is why is being asked to speak slowly considered racist?

And I have heard about lots of 'curry munchers' in India but no 'brown bastards'.

 

[shurg123]

Who do these bloody curry-muchers think they are?

Lol. Not drunk, stupid or racist?

Seriously though, I was born in the sub-continent, moved here as a lil bub, and I find it hilarious that 'curry-muncher' can be found offensive compared to the n-word or various other hateful terms against other races originating from wars and slavery. Curry is generally delicious and is considered the national dish of England. A large number of Anglo-Saxons can be considered 'curry-munchers' in the same regard .

 

[Father Jack]

So I see that ACA have dealt with this story in its usual fair minded way. Fully expect the Indian Embassy to be a smoking pile of rubble tomorrow.

And no, I wasn't purposely watching it, before you get your little jibes in. Just happened to be out in the kitchen making a cup of coffee. But like, whatever and all that.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Lol. Not drunk, stupid or racist?

All three on a Friday night, mostly sober the rest of the time.

 

[Fire]

I'm surprised anyone would care.

While its probably true for some, it couldn’t be further off the mark for the whole. Let them be at a competitive disadvantage by pedaling such nonsense to their salesmen.

You would probably find Indian examples of racism like this towards everyone in the world. As a general cultural observation (note that this is therefore not a sweeping prejudicial statement tpplied to any individual Indian), India has severe social problems regarding racism, misogyny and class segregation. They are an emerging nation finding their feet on the world stage. If the entire nation, not just a single call centre was echoing the sentiments of this thread, I would purport that it’s an issue that they have to deal with, not us.

 

[skilts]

Lol. Not drunk, stupid or racist?

Seriously though, I was born in the sub-continent, moved here as a lil bub, and I find it hilarious that 'curry-muncher' can be found offensive compared to the n-word or various other hateful terms against other races originating from wars and slavery. Curry is generally delicious and is considered the national dish of England. A large number of Anglo-Saxons can be considered 'curry-munchers' in the same regard .

And everyone who has ever eaten a meal in Lygon St is a 'wog'. I must be a 'wog'.

 

[shurg123]

And everyone who has ever eaten a meal in Lygon St is a 'wog'. I must be a 'wog'.

How is 'wog' a cullinary term?

 

[MushroomRocket]

quite disgraceful but i'm sure they do it earn any money in a very low income society (for the avg citizen not the middle class)

so i would put the blame on the managers and expose the companies that direct their staff to behave in such a awful manner.

i don't care if they think we use kangaroos for transport as long as they don't get our phone numbers from data collection agencies