I posted this on the US board too. I didn`t use my citibank AA card in Croatia, because I knew they charged a 3% conversion fee. Now I am off to Hawaii, and when I called citibank, they told me they are now chargeing a 3% conversion fee on all transactions in Hawaii. What is it they are converting??

You either got an idiot for the customer service rep you spoke to or as is more likely since Citibank has given away American jobs as customer service reps to cheaper labor in India, you got an Indian who didn't have a clue that Hawaii is part of the United States and this jerk thought you were referring to a foreign charge and by consulting the script he or she's been given, they simply told you there is a 3% charge on foreign transactions.

Personally whenever I call Citibank I refuse to talk to these Indian (from india not naitive Americans) and whenever a call is answered, the first question I ask is where this person is and when inevitably I'm told India, I insist on having the call transferred to talk to a real live American customer service rep who has a clue as illustrated perfectly in your example.

Well, you were right. The person didn`t sound like an Indian though.

Oh, they give them lessons so that they can sound "American" -- complete with slang, the repetitive use of "you know", the dropping of the "g's" @ the end of words (droppin', singin' etc.) I'm serious. Saw a snippet of film showing the classes on TV.

Consider going into a store and using your debit card and getting cash back instead of going to an ATM and paying a bank charge. I couldn't find my bank (Bank of America) in Maui but I had brought some Travelers Checks which helped avoid the dreaded fees.

Come on, Sunshine 007. We all have accents, what ever they are. Nothing negative was implied.

You would be amazed at how many Americans think Alaska is in Canada. Or that British Columbia is a state. Or that credit card companies try to make profits.

How did this subject come up? Did you ask the customer service rep whether there was a conversion fee for transactions in Hawaii? Otherwise, why did the rep even mention it?

No, I didn`t mention a conversion fee. She took my info (letting citibank know where I would be) and she mentioned, after I gave her the info, "By the way, just so you know, there will be a 3% conversion fee on transactions in Hawaii"

Sort of doesn't matter whether agent was there or here -- the point is they go with the cheapest labor, which means a good chance even if they're in the US, they may still have no geography knowledge. Ever see Jay Leno's person-on-the-street quizzes? Thoroughly scary. Even scarier might be the possibility that execs have declared a 3% surcharge for Hawaii, just because they can -- and the agent figured it was a conversion charge just like the others.

soccr...

Believe me I understand that the educational level of many customer service reps may not be the greatest even if they were born and bred in the good ole USA...the story about New Mexico I believe took place with an American customer service rep.

And believe me I understand the way it works, they are taught the answers to the most frequent questions and if somebody asks something they don't know, they look it up in their book. And even the old reliable IRS (or maybe not so reliable) was found to give wrong information very very often.

But having said that, it is the principle of the matter to me. How dare they export American jobs to India to save a few bucks and you must admit the odds of somebody not knowing Hawaii is part of the United States and that the currency is indeed the US dollar and that there is no conversion fee would be much greater for somebody from India than from the United States...and I resent that to try to fool the people they try to train them to talk like Americans.

As I said, whenever I call Citibank customer service, the first thing I ask is where the rep is located and in almost all cases they say India and I immediately demand to speak to somebody in the United States who where there will be a greater chance to have the person understand the problem and give me a correct answer.

We are constantly reading about test results that show US students rank, at best, well below students from many other countries in virtually all fields. I vaguely recal one study that found a majority of US college students could not even locate their home state on a map.

So if you think you will get more accurate answers from people with inferior educations, I have a great deal for you on some slightly used lottery tickets.

I was completing a post-graduate accounting major when I walked into a class and observed that the professor had an accent. I think he was Indian, but I never asked. I have a knack for asking Indians if they are Pakistani, and vice versa, and it only gets me in trouble. In any event, I was having trouble understanding the professors speech, and was on the verge of dropping the class, until a student asked a question and I listened to the professor's answer and realized that he was speaking flawless English, far better than was common among the students. He had apparently been educated in one of the schools the British were so kind as to leave behind, and the true problem was that I was unwilling to make the effort to oversome the sing-song pattern of his speech. I stayed in the class, and actually took another with him. In my opinion, he was one of the very best teachers on the faculty, and I was just lucky that I didn't let my prejudices deprive me of studying with him.

Educatoion has nothing to do with this...I don't question the education of these Indians...they are usually university students looking for spare change and for an opportunity to improve their English and I don't think an American doing these jobs is smarter. But I guarantee you an
American doing this kind of job would be more familiar with certain American mores and ways of doing things which might be important in this type of job...but once again as I said to me it's just the principle of the matter.

I hate to say this, but it's also true that a fair number of American high-school students wouldn't necessarily know that Hawaii is part of the United States. It's really scary about the lack of basic geographic knowledge in this country.

Customer service agents are not idiots just to set the record straight. I don't look down on anyone Job because I am no better than anyone else. I went to school and did customer service work and most of the people who call us were the idiots yet we were always sincere and professional even when they cursed at us.

I may be old fashioned but I spend my money where I make my money. The last 16 cars that I bought all have been American. I dropped Delta and Amex because of their India Connection.

Hm... So, should the Japanese, Koreans & Germans stop exporting their auto-manufacturing jobs to the US?

bobrad, please check the labels on all of your appliances and clothing. Not much is manufactured in the US anymore. As for cars, it might be a Ford or Chevy, but it's quite possible that your transmission, engine, or any other part came from another country.

I think it's unfair to think that just because a representative is located in India, that they're going to not service you as well.

That's absurd. They work for the company and are trained on the same policies and procedures as an employee in the US would be trained on.

Plenty of people in the US are ignorant of simple facts and plenty of people in India are brilliant.

Oh, and lastly, this is AMERICA. A person who "sounds Indian" could have been born and raised here just like you and me.

As I said, it's the principle of the matter and also several years ago, as noted, Citibank had classes for these Indians to try to educate them in American accents, expressions, nuances and other things to try to hide the fact they are in India.

And I have nothing against the Indians involved in this, they are trying to earn a buck (or a rupee) and that is their right.

It is the greed of the company taking jobs that rightfully belong to Americans and I wouldn't have a problem if they used Indian (not naitive Americans) Americans living and legally residing in the US so it's not that I have anything against India or its people.

At some point, this madness has got to stop.