It will never make sense to me why companies believe the best place for their non-or-barely-English-speaking employees is in customer service. I understand that many people who immigrate to the United States have not had the educational opportunities that we do here in America. I don’t fault them for something they can’t control. And customer service positions don’t typically require any form of higher education, so it seems logical to use these people to fill customer service positions. But it is so frustrating for me as a consumer when I call a customer service line and can’t understand a word the person on the other end is saying to me. Or I order food from a waitperson who clearly does not understand what I am ordering or asking about. My impression of the entire company lies in the hands of someone whose words I can't even decipher. I'm usually tempted to ask to speak to someone who can be understood more clearly, but I suppose that would be insulting or discriminatory.
It's even worse when the customer service representative is clearly from this country, but due to his or her slang, poor speech skills, or drawl, I STILL can't understand the person! So let this be a reminder to anyone who uses vocal communication in a professional setting: please speak slowly, clearing, and in English!
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