Ravi,
That's a good question! I don't know. I guess just keep practicing with our non-native speakers that are known to speak clearly. Also, tell your American/British/Canadian, etc. friends that you really want to improve your English and to let them know you won't be offended if they correct you. Also, pay attention to facial expressions so that you can tell if someone is confused, or if s/he is just nodding his/her head but doesn't really understand everything you are saying.
If all else fails, just slow down! I think Americans (and probably others) are mostly okay with foreign accents when we are calling American companies as long as we can figure out what you are saying (and it would probably work the other way with you, right?) You probably would be okay with an American speaking Hindi or one of the many other Indian languages as long as you could understand him/her, right?
I think the biggest problem with the accents is that when you call customer service, you usually have a problem of some sort, and it can be frustrating if you have to keep explaining yourself to someone in another country and if you can't understand what the company's rep is saying to you. Customer support is frustrating enough without that added frustration. No one wants to be on the receiving end of substandard service-- especially if it's due to the fact that a greedy company found cheap labor on the other side of the world.
And, of course, there is the problem that we feel our jobs are being taken away and we can do nothing about it. One last thing-- my two Indian professors tried to defend the practice of offshoring by saying, "We are taking the jobs that no one in America wants", or "Yes, those jobs are leaving, but they are being replaced by better jobs." To the first statement I would say: you are wrong. I know a lot of people who would like to have a call center job here!!" To the second statement I would say: But you need a college degree to get those better jobs that are being left behind. Not everyone who would have qualified for a call center job can qualify for these jobs.
Ok-- enough with my whining. :-)
That's a good question! I don't know. I guess just keep practicing with our non-native speakers that are known to speak clearly. Also, tell your American/British/Canadian, etc. friends that you really want to improve your English and to let them know you won't be offended if they correct you. Also, pay attention to facial expressions so that you can tell if someone is confused, or if s/he is just nodding his/her head but doesn't really understand everything you are saying.
If all else fails, just slow down! I think Americans (and probably others) are mostly okay with foreign accents when we are calling American companies as long as we can figure out what you are saying (and it would probably work the other way with you, right?) You probably would be okay with an American speaking Hindi or one of the many other Indian languages as long as you could understand him/her, right?
I think the biggest problem with the accents is that when you call customer service, you usually have a problem of some sort, and it can be frustrating if you have to keep explaining yourself to someone in another country and if you can't understand what the company's rep is saying to you. Customer support is frustrating enough without that added frustration. No one wants to be on the receiving end of substandard service-- especially if it's due to the fact that a greedy company found cheap labor on the other side of the world.
And, of course, there is the problem that we feel our jobs are being taken away and we can do nothing about it. One last thing-- my two Indian professors tried to defend the practice of offshoring by saying, "We are taking the jobs that no one in America wants", or "Yes, those jobs are leaving, but they are being replaced by better jobs." To the first statement I would say: you are wrong. I know a lot of people who would like to have a call center job here!!" To the second statement I would say: But you need a college degree to get those better jobs that are being left behind. Not everyone who would have qualified for a call center job can qualify for these jobs.
Ok-- enough with my whining. :-)