English Speaking

[syst3merror]

I don't know what everyone thinks about this, but I'm thinking about starting to advertise that I am English speaking on my business cards.

SOOOOO many people associate tech support with talking to someone in a third-world country that speaks broken English and can only tell you what their computer screen tells them to tell you. They always sound like an Afghan only to have the name "Bob" or "Bill" ????

That turns so many people off from calling tech support because they can never get their real problems resolved because of the language barrier.

So what does everyone think? Does it seem rude? Give me honest opinions.

 

[MHCG]

If I saw that on a business card, I would just assume you didn't speak Spanish mainly because I probably got the business card directly from you so I'd already know you weren't Pakistani.

 

[jamesbhp]

I concur with what MHCG and think it could come off as some sort of rudeness. Your cards will be flowing around mainly through your hands and through the word of mouth of satisfied clients. There should be no need to point out you are an English speaking native.

People just have to be educated that large companies have few tiers of phone technical support. Generally, Tech L1 is phone support outsourced, it's not until the issue can't be resovled and elevated to L2; which is routed back to country of origin for the software/hardware manufacturer. As we are mostly vendors and partners we get to bypass L1 and go directly to L2 techs, "the native," English speakers.

The phone lines of Level 2-3 Techs would be tied up from dealing with 1 minute problems versus trying to resolve real issues where they have to analyze logs or do some reprogramming.

 

[Nathan H]

As a disabled dyslexic ginger lesbian Pakistani

I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY POLITICALLY INCORRECT!!!!

No Seriously though, no matter how innocent it would be, i think you would be asking for trouble.

There will be those people that will take it the wrong way and then start bad mouthing you and your business to there friends and family and there friends and family, IMO it's just not worth it.

If however you do feel strongly about it you could mention something like "We do not nor never will outsource our business from outside the Good Old US of A"

No-one should take offence at that statement.

 

[syst3merror]

thanks for the suggestions...maybe I will stray away from the idea. I have 1000 business cards already that don't have it on it and I just put stacks of them around at local business that will allow me to so I'll probably just stay with the ones I have already. Just thought that maybe it would prove to people that I am American and not just an "arab at dell" answering phone calls.

It also sucks when I have foreign people call needing work done and I can't even understand them to know what the problem is. I hate the language barriers!

 

[Fred_G]

You could put something like 'Locally owned and operated' on your card.

E

 

[hawks5999]

+1 for "locally owned and operated"

If you want to highlight that you are not in Bangalore without putting the English bit on there, try something more direct like - "Tired of sitting on hold to speak to someone you don't understand? Call me today: <phone number>. I am locally, dependable and professional... the kind of service you deserve"

I would put this marketing pitch/call to action on the back of the card. spring for the extra $2.00-$5.00 per 1000 for a double sided card.

 

[bishop]

You could put something like 'Locally owned and operated' on your card.

E

I agree, this would be a more suttle approach. Like we put on all our stuff "100% Irish Owned and Operated"

 

[gunslinger]

"Tired of sitting on hold to speak to someone you don't understand?"

I like that

 

[syst3merror]

I might just use that hawks...thanks! You must do all the marketing in your profession? lol