4 ms·

I probably should have left the word "overseas" out of my initial comment, it gave it a flavor that doesn't match my left-wing multicultural globalist ideals.

I probably should have left the word "overseas" out of my initial comment, it gave it a flavor that doesn't match my left-wing multicultural globalist ideals. That said, I disagree wholeheartedly that it's okay for support staff to not be completely fluent in the language they're providing support in, regardless of the language. There is functionally no difference between trying to interact with talented support staff who aren't fluent in your language, and trying to interact with illiterate support staff. The end results are identical. There are people who are very talented and very fluent in more than one language. Those people tend to be more expensive. So, many companies forego hiring those workers and instead hire others who are cheaper and "about as good". My multiple experiences with DO support have suggested that that's what they're doing. As other commenters are suggesting, it may just be instead that DO is expecting its support staff to meet metrics that are causing them to spend only a minute or two per ticket and send out scripted replies.

AYBABTME 7y ago
I know many engineers who are not that fluent in English whom you would never contemplate qualifying as illiterate; you would quickly see that (1) they're encumbered by English and (2) are obviously extremely proficient technically, and literate. People who would make gratuitous grammatical mistakes but have read more classics than the average American college graduate. I can easily count many just thinking of it.
- thaumaturgy 7y ago
  You're arguing here against something I didn't say. You took one word from my statement -- "illiterate" -- and built a whole new argument around it which was never mine to begin with. I don't think you're doing it intentionally, I suspect it's just because you have a particular sensitivity on this subject. Either way I don't think I can say anything here that'll get a fair treatment from you.
  - username90 7y ago
    Not that person, but you said this: > There is functionally no difference between trying to interact with talented support staff who aren't fluent in your language, and trying to interact with illiterate support staff. That statement reeks of ignorance. It seems you have almost no experience with other languages than your own, or you would know that communicating while being non-fluent or with a non-fluent works just fine most of the time. Sometimes misunderstandings happens and it can be a bit slower but that is all.
    - fernandotakai 7y ago
      this statement is downright offensive and something i wouldn't expect to read here. fluency is a high barrier to clear. it took me 5 years of speaking/reading/writing english daily to come even close to "fluency". before that, i had a really good advanced english, but i wasn't fluent. and it didn't mean i was "illiterate".
    - thaumaturgy 7y ago
      > Sometimes misunderstandings happens and it can be a bit slower but that is all. So your position is that support that's a bit slower, with some misunderstandings, is exactly as good as fast support without misunderstandings, even in downtime-sensitive applications. Well, okay then.

AYBABTME 7y ago

I know many engineers who are not that fluent in English whom you would never contemplate qualifying as illiterate; you would quickly see that (1) they're encumbered by English and (2) are obviously extremely proficient technically, and literate. People who would make gratuitous grammatical mistakes but have read more classics than the average American college graduate. I can easily count many just thinking of it.

thaumaturgy 7y ago
You're arguing here against something I didn't say. You took one word from my statement -- "illiterate" -- and built a whole new argument around it which was never mine to begin with. I don't think you're doing it intentionally, I suspect it's just because you have a particular sensitivity on this subject. Either way I don't think I can say anything here that'll get a fair treatment from you.
- username90 7y ago
  Not that person, but you said this: > There is functionally no difference between trying to interact with talented support staff who aren't fluent in your language, and trying to interact with illiterate support staff. That statement reeks of ignorance. It seems you have almost no experience with other languages than your own, or you would know that communicating while being non-fluent or with a non-fluent works just fine most of the time. Sometimes misunderstandings happens and it can be a bit slower but that is all.
  - fernandotakai 7y ago
    this statement is downright offensive and something i wouldn't expect to read here. fluency is a high barrier to clear. it took me 5 years of speaking/reading/writing english daily to come even close to "fluency". before that, i had a really good advanced english, but i wasn't fluent. and it didn't mean i was "illiterate".
  - thaumaturgy 7y ago
    > Sometimes misunderstandings happens and it can be a bit slower but that is all. So your position is that support that's a bit slower, with some misunderstandings, is exactly as good as fast support without misunderstandings, even in downtime-sensitive applications. Well, okay then.