the.world.is.flat-第5章

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of　them。　
Most　of　the　young　people　I　interviewed　give　all　or　part　of　their　salary　to　their　parents。
In　fact；　many　of　them　have　starting　salaries　that　are　higher　than　their　parents'
retiring　salaries。　For　entry…level　jobs　into　the　global　economy；　these　are　about　as　
good　as　it　gets。　
I　was　wandering　around　the　Microsoft　section　around　six　p。m。　Bangalore　time；　when　
most　of　these　young　people　start　their　workday　to　coincide　with　the　dawn　in　America；　
when　I　asked　a　young　Indian　computer　expert　there　a　simple　question：　What　was　the　
record　on　the　floor　for　the　longest　phone　call　to　help　some　American　who　got　lost
in　the　maze　of　his　or　her　own　software？
Without　missing　a　beat　he　answered；　〃Eleven　hours。〃
〃Eleven　hours？〃　I　exclaimed。
〃Eleven　hours；〃　he　said。
I　have　no　way　of　checking　whether　this　is　true；　but　you　do　hear　snippets　of　some　oddly　
familiar　conversations　as　you　walk　the　floor　at　24/7　and　just　listen　over　the　shoulders　
of　different　call　center　operators　doing　their　things。　Here　is　a　small　sample　of　what
we　heard　that　night　while　filming　for　Discovery　Times。　It　should　be　read；　if　you　can
imagine　this；　in　the　voice　of　someone　with　an　Indian　accent　trying　to　imitate　an
American　ora　Brit。　Also　imagine　that　nomatter　how　rude；　unhappy；　irritated；　or　ornery
the　voices　are　on　the　other　end　of　the　line；　these　young　Indians　are　incessantly　and
unfailingly　polite。　
Woman　call　center　operator：　〃Good　afternoon；　may　I　speak　with　。　。　。？〃　（Someone　on
the　other　end　just　slammed　down　the　phone。）　
Male　call　center　operator：　〃Merchant　services；　this　is　Jerry；　may　I　help　you？〃　（The　
Indian　call　center　operators　adopt　Western　names　of　their　own　choosing。　The　idea；　
of　course；　is　to　make　their　American　or　European　customers　feel　more　comfortable。　
Most　of　the　young　Indians　I　talked　to　about　this　were　not　offended　but　took　it　as
an　opportunity　to　


have　some　fun。　While　a　few　just　opt　for　Susan　or　Bob；　some　really　get　creative。）
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　speaking　to　an　American：　〃My　name　is　Ivy　Timberwoods　and　
I　am　calling　you　。　。　。〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　getting　an　American's　identity　number：　〃May　I　have　the　
last　four　digits　of　your　Social　Security？〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　giving　directions　as　though　she　were　in　Manhattan　and　
looking　out　her　window：　〃Yes；　we　have　a　branch　on　Seventy…fourth　and　Second　Avenue；　
a　branch　at　Fifty…fourth　and　Lexington　。　。　。〃
Male　operator　in　Bangalore　selling　a　credit　card　he　could　never　afford　himself：　〃This　
card　comes　to　you　with　one　of　the　lowest　APR　。　。　。〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　explaining　to　an　American　how　she　screwed　up　her　checking
account：　〃Check　number　six…six…five　for　eighty…one　dollars　and　fifty…five　cents。　You　
will　still　be　hit　by　the　thirty…dollar　charge。　Am　I　clear？〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　after　walking　an　American　through　a　computer　glitch：　〃Not　



a　problem；　Mr。　Jassup。　Thank　you　for　your　time。　Take　care。　Bye…bye。〃　
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　after　someone　has　just　slammed　down　the　phone　on　her：
〃Hello？　Hello？〃　
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　apologizing　for　calling　someone　in　America　too　early：
〃This　is　just　a　courtesy　call；　I'll　call　back　later　in　the　evening　。　。　。〃
Male　operator　in　Bangalore　trying　desperately　to　sell　an　airline　credit　card　to
someone　in　America　who　doesn't　seem　to　want　one：　〃Is　that　because　you　have　too　many
credit　cards；　or　you　don't　like　flying；　Mrs。　Bell？〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　trying　to　talk　an　American　out　of　her　computer　crash：
〃Start　switching　between　memory　okay　and　memory　test。　。　。〃
Male　operator　in　Bangalore　doing　the　same　thing：　〃All　right；　then；　let's　just　punch
in　three　and　press　Enter　。　。　。〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　trying　to　help　an　American　who　cannot　stand　being　on　the
help　line　another　second：　〃Yes；　ma'am；　I　do　


understand　that　you　are　in　a　hurry　right　now。　I　am　just　trying　to　help　you　out。　。　。〃
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　getting　another　phone　slammed　down　on　her：　〃Yes；　well；
so　what　time　would　be　goo　。　。　。〃　
Same　woman　operator　in　Bangalore　getting　another　phone　slammed　down　on　her：　〃Why；
Mrs。　Kent；　it's　not　a　。。。〃
Same　woman　operator　in　Bangalore　getting　another　phone　slammed　down　on　her：　〃As　a　
safety　back　。　。　。　Hello？〃
Same　woman　operator　in　Bangalore　looking　up　from　her　phone：　〃I　definitely　have　a　bad　
day！〃　
Woman　operator　in　Bangalore　trying　to　help　an　American　woman　with　a　computer　problem　
that　she　has　never　heard　before：　〃What　is　the　problem　with　this　machine；　ma'am？　The　
monitor　is　burning？〃
There　are　currently　about　245；000　Indians　answering　phones　from　all　over　the　world
or　dialing　out　to　solicit　people　for　credit　cards　or　cell　phone　bargains　or　overdue　
bills。　These　call　center　jobs　are　low…wage；　low…prestige　jobs　in　America；　but　when
shifted　to　India　they　become　high…wage；　high…prestige　jobs。　The　esprit　de　corps　at
24/7　and　other　call　centers　I　visited　seemed　quite　high；　and　the　young　people　were
all　eager　to　share　some　of　the　bizarre　phone　conversations　they've　had　with　Americans　
who　dialed　1…800…HELP；　thinking　they　would　wind　up　talking　to　someone　around　the　block；
not　around　the　world。　


C。　M。　Meghna；　a　24/7　call　center　female　operator；　told　me；　〃I've　had　lots　of　customers　
who　call　in　＇with　questions＇　not　even　connected　to　the　product　that　we're　dealing　
with。　They　would　callin　because　theyhad　lost　their　wallet　or　just　totalk　to　somebody。　
I'm　like；　'Okay；　all　right；　maybe　you　should　look　under　the　bed　＇for　your　wallet＇　
or　where　do　you　normally　keep　it；'　and　she's　like；　'Okay；　thank　you　so　much　for　
helping。'〃　Nitu　Somaiah：　〃One　of　the　customers　asked　me　to　marry　him。〃　Sophie　Sunder　
worked　for　Delta's　lost…baggage　department：　〃I　remember　this　lady　called　from　Texas；〃　
she　said；　〃and　she　was；　like；　weeping　on　the　phone。　She　had　traveled　two　connecting　
flights　and　she　lost　her　bag　and　in　the　bag　was　her　daughter's　wedding　gown　and　wedding　

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ring　and　I　felt　so　sad　for　her　and　there　was　nothing　I　could　do。　I　had　no　information。　
〃Most　of　the　customers　were　irate；〃　said　Sunder。　〃The　first　thing　they　say　is；　'Where's　
my　bag？　I　want　my　bag　now！'　We　were　like　supposed　to　say；　'Excuse　me；　can　I　have　your　
first　name　and　last　name？'　'But　where's　my　bag！'　Some　would　ask　which　country　am　I　
from？　We　are　supposed　to　tell　the　truth；　＇so＇　we　tell　them　India。　Some　thought　it　
was　Indiana；　not　India！　Some　did　not　know　where　India　is。　I　said　it　is　the　country　
next　to　Pakistan。〃　
Although　the　great　majority　of　the　calls　are　rather　routine　and　dull；　competition　
for　these　jobs　is　fierce…not　only　because　they　pay　well；　but　because　you　can　work　
at　night　and　go　to　school　during　part　of　the　day；　so　they　are　stepping…stones　toward　
a　higher　standard　of　living。　P。　V。　Kannan；　CEO　and　cofounder　of　24/7；　explained　to　
me　how　it　all　worked：　〃Today　we　have　over　four　thousand　associates　spread　out　in　
Bangalore；　Hyderabad；　and　Chennai。　Our　associates　start　out　with　a　take…home　pay　of　
roughly　200　a　month；　which　grows　to　300　to　400　per　month　in　six　months。　We　also　
provide　transportation；　lunch；　and　dinner　at　no　extra　cost。　We　providelife　insurance；　
medical　insurance　for　the　entire　family…　and　other　benefits。〃　
Therefore；　the　total　cost　of　each　call　center　operator　is　actually　around　500　per　
month　when　they　start　out　and　closer　to　600　to　700　per　month　after　six　months。　
Everyone　is　also　entitled　to　performance　bonuses　that　allow　them　to　earn；　in　certain　
cases；　the　equivalent　of　100　percent　of　their　base　salary。　〃Around　10　to　20　percent　
of　our　associates　pursue　a　degree　in　business　or　computer　science　during　the　day　
hours；〃　said　Kannan；　adding　that　more　than　one…third　are　taking　some　kind　of　extra　
computer　or　business　training；　even　if　it　is　not　toward　a　degree。　〃It　is　quite　common　
in　India　for　people　to　pursue　education　through　their　twenties…self…improvement　is　
a　big　theme　and　actively　encouraged　by　parents　and　companies。　We　sponsor　an　MBAprogram　
for　consistent　performers　＇with＇　full…day　classes　over　the　weekend。　Everyone　works　
eight　hours　a　day；　five　days　a　week；　with　two　fifteen…minute　breaks　and　an　hour　off　
for　lunch　or　dinner。〃Not　surprisingly；　the　24/7　customer　call　center　gets　about　seven　
hun…　
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dred　applications　a　day；　but　only　6　percent　of　applicants　are　hired。　Here　is　a　snippet　
from　a　recruiting　session　for　call　center　operators　at　a　women's　college　in　Bangalore：　
Recruiter　1：　〃Good　morning；　girls。〃　
Class　in　unison：　〃Good　morning；　ma'am。〃　
Recruiter　1：　〃We　have　been　retained　by　some　of　the　multinationals　here　to　do　the　
recruitment　for　them。　The　primary　clients　that　we　are　recruiting　＇for＇　today　are　
Honeywell。　And　also　for　America　Online。〃　
The　young　women…dozens　of　them…then　all　lined　up　with　their　application　forms　and　
waited　to　be　interviewed　by　a　recruiter　at　a　wooden　table。　Here　is　what　some　of　the　
interviews　sounded　like：　
Recruiter　1：　〃What　kind　of　job　are　you　looking　at？〃　
Applicant　1：　〃It　should　be　based　on　accounts；　then；　where　I　can　grow；　I　can　grow　in　
my　career。〃　


Recruiter　1：　〃You　have　to　be　more　confident　about　yourself　when　you're　speaking。　
You're　very　nervous。　I　want　you　to　work　a　little　on　that　and　then　get　in　touch　with　
us。〃　
Recruiter　2　to　another　applicant：　〃Tell　me　something　about　yourself。〃　
Applicant　2：　〃I　have　passed　my　SSC　with　distinction。　Second　P　also　with　distinction。　
And　I　also　hold　a　70　percent　aggregate　in　previous　two　years。〃　（This　is　Indian　lingo　
for　their　equivalents　of　GPA　and　SAT　scores。）　
Recruiter　2：　〃Go　a　little　slow。　Don't　be　nervous。　Be　cool。〃　
The　next　step　for　those　applicants　who　are　hired　at　a　call　center　is　the　training　
program；　which　they　are　paid　to　attend。　It　combines　learning　how　to　handle　the　specific　
processes　for　the　company　whose　calls　they　will　be　taking　or　making；　and　attending　
something　called　〃accent　neutralization　class。〃　These　are　daylong　sessions　with　a　
language　teacher　who　prepares　the　new　Indian　hires　todisguise　their　pronounced　Indian　
accents　when　speaking　English　and　replace　them　with　American；　Canadian；　or　British　
ones…depending　on　which　part　of　the　world　they　will　be　speaking　with。　It's　pretty　
bizarre　to　watch。　The　class　I　sat　in　on　was　being　trained　to　speak　in　a　neutral　
middle…American　accent。　The　students　were　asked　to　read　over　and　over　a　single　
phonetic　paragraph　designed　to　teach　them　how　to　soften　their　r's　and　to　roll　their　
r's。　
Their　teacher；　a　charming　eight…months…pregnant　young　woman　

dressed　in　a　traditional　Indian　sari；　moved　seamlessly　among　British；　American；　and　
Canadian　accents　as　she　demonstrated　reading　a　paragraph　designed　to　highlight　
phonetics。　She　said　to　the　class；　〃Remember　the　first　day　I　told　you　that　the　Americans　
flap　the　'tuh'　sound？　You　know；　it　sounds　like　an　almost　'duh'　sound…not　crisp　and　
clear　like　the　British。So　I　would　not　say〃…here　she　was　crisp　and　sharp…'〃Betty　bought　
a　bit　of　better　butter'　or　'Insert　a　quarter　in　the　meter。'　But　I　would　say〃　…her　
voice　very　flat…〃'Insert　a　quarter　in　the　meter'　or　'Betty　bought　a　bit　of　better　
butter。'　So　I'm　just　going　to　read　it　out　for　you　once；　and　then　we'll　read　it　together。　
All　right？　'Thirty　little　turtles　in　a　bottle　of　bottled　water。　A　bottle　of　bottled