I hаνе conference calls wіth Indian colleagues аll thе time, bυt I hаνе a really, really difficult time understanding thеm. Hοw саn I gеt better? Web resources? Books? Please hеlр! Thanks!
Conference Call Equipment Service Provider Tips
I hаνе conference calls wіth Indian colleagues аll thе time, bυt I hаνе a really, really difficult time understanding thеm. Hοw саn I gеt better? Web resources? Books? Please hеlр! Thanks!
thank you for calling customer service. . . lol the only thing that will help you is the experience.
Sorry if I sound like a butt head but they need to improve their English. . . . because there are really no resources to help you will this issue. It is up to the speaker to make themselves understood. It is just the same when someone uses slang and I have no clue what has just been said. . . . . the person saying it will rephrase and we continue with our conversation.
Here are some ideas:
1) Develop friendships with people who are from India, and get used to the accent (knowing that there are many variations in India).
2) Listen to tapes and watch videos where English is spoken with an Indian accent.
3) Ask for documentation in advance of the discussion so that you are familiar with the positions presented and the individual proposals. This could be in the form of email answers or attachments of proposals and other documents.
4) Tell your Indian colleagues that you have difficulting understanding what they are saying and ask them to speak more slowly.
5) Ask them to repeat anything you don’t understand. They will get used to speaking more slowly if you do this.
6) See if you can wrangle a visit to India or get them to visit you here. Spending hours with them in person should accellerate the relationship and learning process.
One way to find people to talk with is to work on community committees with people of Indian origin. Think of the PTA, small business groups, etc. This can make you and your business look good in the community as well as helping you develop this important business skill.