Sacrificing the fluency of English to run a business.

Today hits the biggest nerve of all with me when it comes to customer service.  I called a local McDonald’s to compile information for a project I am putting together for a lesson plan, and was hung up on twice and then had another crew person TRANSLATE for the MANAGER in order to get the information I needed.

Are companies, including international corporation “superstar” (placed in quotes because they really are only superstars because many people are just too damn lazy to make a meal, and in return McDonald’s profits off such laziness and convenience) McDonald’s really that hard up to save a few dollars by hiring managers that cannot understand or speak English fluently?

I wrote this letter to the store manager of the local establishment:

I recently called your store at approximately 4pm today, 04/18/09.  I am currently working on a marketing and economics project for my class and I was compiling information about the different Mcdonald’s in our city, whether they were corporate or franchise, and the owners if they are franchise-owned.  The person you have on as the manager at the time, name was given as "Samantha," could barely speak English and hung up on me TWICE when I asked two simple questions.  The third time I called she put me on hold for a total of 7 minutes and then had someone else get on the phone to translate for her to answer my question.  The answer was given to me as "Jeremy Lewis."

I am writing because (1) I’d like the correct information for my project, and (2) as a stock holder, I am really appalled at the fact that customer service is sacrificed in this manner.  I called approximately 100 stores over the last couple of weeks and have not had any problems collecting this information until today.  I find it very disturbing that you have a manager in the store on her own when she cannot speak or understand English fluently to answer questions from customers.  It not only very unprofessional, but look very poorly upon the business end for managers to have to have their crew members to translate for them in order to help customers.

This complaint will be typed up formally and sent to Oak Brook, IL.  I cannot, as a stock holder, allow this type of behavior to slide and refuse to even think that I will ever step into your store again after such poor treatment over two simple questions.  It is quite sad, considering my family and I have enjoyed visiting and dining at your establishment since it opened up several years ago. 

I hope that this one complaint alone will cure the poor customer service you are offering through such poorly trained and ill-qualified managers such as "Samantha."

Yes, Scott and I are actual stock holders of McDonald’s.  Well, I should say Scott is, but because of our combined income, whatever he has bought over the years we have been together, I count as mine as well.  I hold no actual claim to them, other than through the marital institution recognized by law.

In other words: What is mine is his, and what is his is mine.

It really strikes a nerve to hear about things like this.  It is just about as ignorant and stupid as people hiring out of country for call center representatives because they will work for less wages than those who work in the United States.  Call centers in India and Malaysia ring a bell?  It is just plain deceiving, in my eyes.

Here is how I see this situation:

If I were to go into the store and did this face to face, I would see how unprofessional it is.  Seriously, how would it look to one to ask a manager a simple question, only to have a crew person to translate in order for you to get your answer, or complaint taken care of?

STUPID!

 

I normally do not use that word, let along bold and magnify the intensity of the font size, but this sort of issue warrants it! 

And for the record, yes I was calling around … Like two months ago for a lesson plan I was creating, but scrapped the idea.  It is still around, and may be used for something else in the future, but still this issue remains.

I suppose that since McDonald’s is not eligible to dip their fingers into stimulus money, they have to make it up somewhere else.  I cannot see someone who can barely speak or understand English pass up wages of $6-7/hour junior to their colleagues in the same position that are making $8+/hour.  I probably wouldn’t either, considering many of those who cannot speak or understand English that well often work for less wages, or harder to make more.  For those who are normally making the food at $5.85/hour (our current minimum wage, I believe), making $7/hour for the same thing but a little more responsibility sounds like hitting the jackpot!

But in all fairness, it is not okay to the customers.  They are sacrificing the satisfaction that McDonald’s supposedly stands by, supposedly given their all to their customers.  I seriously do not feel 100% satisfied. 

Yes, I am aware that I did not grace their establishment today, but that isn’t the point.  I can see myself getting the same treatment if I were to call in with a complaint, or even getting the same answers face to face.  When I think of that, I shake my head.  It is just poor customer service all around.

And seriously, it does look quite sad when the person who is the authority figure in charge at the time has to have one of their crew members, a person who is taking orders from them, to get things translated to do a job.  Honestly, I think the crew people should be paid a little more for having to translate for the manager.

Better yet, how about having a fee taking out of the manager’s check and place that payment onto those who translate for them?  It isn’t fair that those who translate for them are doing that service as well as their actual job, serving the customers.  That is like working double duty, and they do not make extra.

If anyone is even thinking “Well, that isn’t team work!” I am sorry, but a crew person TRANSLATING for a MANAGER is not team work, that is just plain disgusting.  Again, back to hiring people in India to answer customer service questions in English when they do not understand or speak English fluently comes to mind.  It reminds me of my friend Holly’s experience with her Dell laptop a few years back, before she switched to Mac.  I remember hearing her consistent battle of almost a week before she finally gave.  It was probably longer, but I remember about a week’s worth of rants.

So, what do you all think?  What is the reasoning behind such businesses and corporations resorting to hiring people who cannot provide the total package, which should include actually understanding and responding to their customers, in order to save a few dollars?  How does that look in your eyes as a potential customer?

Sound off, I am interested!