Support Your Local Operator

Once upon a time, the call center capital of America was in Omaha, Nebraska. Many if not most of them were there. The reason I've read for this was that people from that area of the country are considered to have the cleanest, most universally understandable accent in the country. The book in which I read that upheld Johnny Carson, who was born in Iowa and spent most of his formative years in Norfolk, Nebraska,  as an example. I guess that in those days, calling an 800 number was a more pleasant experience. I know that it is not so today.

The chief reason is improved technology. As a result, call centers have largely been banished to overseas locales and automated systems have taken over much of the rest. This resulted in reduced customer satisfaction due to a frequent inability to understand the operator and a generally lesser competence in certain areas of expertise which one would call for help in. There has been a years-long backlash as a result, but I would have never thought that companies would respond by giving their customers what they want. I suppose I was mistaken, for I had an experience today which leads me to believe otherwise than I previously had.

I had an issue with the voicemail on my phone. I invariably exhaust all alternatives before calling in. Instant message chatting has sometimes been an acceptable option, but I would sooner have my problems solved by a crazy man on the street than call the cell phone company's number. This goes for most such utilities and tech support lines, and the reason often is the one above. Imagine my surprise to hear the operator identify herself as Bonnie in Topeka, Kansas. Her speech had the proper accent, and was peppered with regional colloquialisms.

Might the operator have given a false name and lied about her location? One must consider such possibilities in this world, but I like to think that they deliberately have brought call centers back to the midwest, and, moreover, want me to know it. I appreciate that. Now, perhaps more important was her helpfulness, knowledgeability and friendliness. That was no lie. I don't claim that this could be the rule going forward and not the exception, but all in all, it was a nice experience.