Tata for that!

Tata has finally launched the world's cheapest car. A vehicle in its basic model has no airbags, no air conditioning, no radio, or power steering. So I hope nobody sitting in an Indian call centre buys one of those. We can't have them arriving at work even more hassled and harried than they already are. However, Tata have more luxurious versions available for future purchases. These will be much more suited to an Indian call centre worker.

"Hello, my name's George. I am speaking to you today about a government scheme to insulate your house. Are you the owner of the house?" "Did you come to work in a top of the range Tata Nano Car?" "What?" "Did you?" "No!" "Sorry can't speak to you then, as you may be hot and bothered and I don't wish to become hot and bothered either!".

Could be the end of Indian call centres as we know them or a brand new beginning!

Long distance information, give me.....!!

New Year has arrived and the Indian call centres have cranked up into top gear. I've just had three on the line in quick succession. One trying to flog a mobile phone scheme, another talking about my house in detail, and the last preposterously suggesting that the British Government wanted to help me, should I have "any unsecured debts"!

Most of them, when told that I'm not interested, hang on in a similar vein to the drowning man in Tony Hancock's Radio Ham ("Mayday, mayday, please, please, I am sinking in the Indian Ocean!") only to be advised he'd be better off talking to someone better prepared.

The thing that gets me is that these call centres seem to be badly linked up to the phones. Mostly it is like talking to a person in a drain. Progress? Of a sort, I suppose.