Cavouku said:
Though I can't believe some people they call are so stupid they need to spell out their letters with phrases "'A' as in 'Apple', 'C' as in 'Car'"
That's just
Red
Empty
Tommy
Apple
Red
Daisy
Empty
Daisy
(I don't know what the actual official words are)
Phonetic alphabet - it's because some letters can sound alike (think m and n for instance), so there's an official (well, several actually) list of words that intentionally don't sound alike to ensure the right message is put across.
I use the NATO one alot as I have a strong Yorkshire accent coupled with the fact I talk fast so folk struggle to understand me on the phone.
Your list by the way should be:
Romeo
Echo
Tango
Alpha
Romeo
Delta
Echo
Delta
Being a nerd I've not had to call tech support except in the case of arranging warrant replacements with HP at my old job where the phonetic alphabet really helps telling someone with a thick Indian accent the serial number of a laptop - though jumping through the hoops of the fault diagnostic was not so fun - being a certified HP laptop engineer you think we could have a different number to ring through where they trust our judgement.
Worst recently though was my credit card company (hey, it's kinda tech support):
Had got back to my desk to find a missed call on me mobile, called the number back (on me work line, not like I'm paying) and turned out it was HSBC Credit Card Fraud Prevention department. Annoying as it's the day of all days I'd left the card with my Girlfriend to get train tickets for an audition - not a problem though, she took the details of my current account and tracked my credit card through that - apparently "fraudsters had gained access to a range of credit card numbers" and mine was in it - ie they'd lost my fucking details!
They wanted to disable the card but my g/f needed to get the tickets so I told them not to for at least three hours which apparently was OK. Cue call from my girlfriend saying my card doesn't work - facepalm.
So I calls back to india "Have you got the card number", "No, my I haven't got the card on me", "Oh well sorry sir I can't deal with you without the card number", "But your colleague not ten minutes ago did from current account details", "oh I'm sorry but with your card..", "Listen either put me through to someone who knows how to do their job or..", "oh yes sir, I can find you from your current account number..."
She turns out though can remove the ban on the card and the girlfriend is able to buy her tickets, whilst I'm waiting on the missus to tell me she'd finished with the card I got a call from them trying to tell me what I'd already made two calls to them about - obviously no internal communication.
Get the ok she's done with it, rings them back up, "ok sir, I just need your credit card number", "I don't have it on me", "oh sorry sir, I can't..", "yes you can.."
So they block off my old card - few weeks later I look at my account to find I have a late payment charge so back on the phone "hi, I have a late payment charge", "yes sir", "well it's direct debit", "yes sir", "so you take the amount required automatically each month", "yes sir", "so how the FUCK do I have a late payment charge", "oh sir, your card was reported lost..", "yes, you lost it and issued me a new one", "well the payment was attempted to be made against the old card and failed as it was block, so it's a valid charge", "you're having a giraffe!", "sorry sir?", "you're charging me for loosing my card?!? How fucking stupid is that?", "well, it is a valid charge sir", "well, we'll see what the financial ombudsmen says about that", "oh, sir, I've just looked up your rating and you're a valued client so we're going to wave the fee", "too fucking right you are", "is there anything else I can do for you today?", "try not to fuck up my account any more?" *click*
Few days later I had a call from someone in India, asking me for confirmation of my details such as address, d.o.b. and such - my HSBC account has a password on "for security reasons" - so I asked why are you asking me these details and not my password? Apparently "for security reasons" she didn't have access to it, was followed by a long winded explanation that not only does the password ensure I'm me, but it also reassures me that this random person on the telephone is actually from my bank - she didn't quite get that.
Sweet irony, when you call the complaints line (like I did after the call as it sounded like a phising expedition) you get through to a UK call center with people who not speak English but
comprehend English (small but significant difference).
And apparently it's HSBC's policy to only ask the password on incoming calls, which I pointed out as stupid with the aforementioned and got basically a verbal "shrug".
Safe to say HSBC is soon to be my ex-bank for my Credit Card that usually sits with a high balance earning them interest, my £10k loan, my £75k mortgage and my Current Account that I keep dipping into the agreed overdraft and pay them interest on - ie most banks wet dream of a customer.
! What?