Question

I have been enjoying this useful forum for some time now. I have a question to ask you all.

Recently, I got a job as a customer service rep for an US company. I have barely passed pronunciation test and my bosses are expecting improvements from my side. I am willing to learn, since the career is very prospective all around the world. Can you tell me how to get serious accent reduction training? Has anybody ever had a similar requirement from the employer and how to handle it?

Thanks a lot and nice to meet you all. Sumi.

Answer 1

This seems to be a common problem now because many US corporations expand their business overseas and hire workforce via the Internet. The major problem related to telephone communication is that your interlocutor doesn't see you, meaning that there are greater possibilities for you to be misunderstood. Therefore, you must practice English pronunciation and improve intonation, so you would avoid this.

There are some great podcasts that would help you improve your pronunciation:   You can also try Saundz software to improve your pronunciation.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Thank you, Jennifer for your kind answer. I'll try Saundz for sure, and let you know how it worked for me. Any other advice for me?

Answer 3

Glad to help :) It is also a good exercise to read a piece of text out loud and record yourself. When you listen to your recording you'll notice where you make mistakes and you'll be able to correct them. You should read the same text as many times as necessary to make it perfect :) Do you have any native speakers around?

Answer 4

Some of my friends used to work in a call center and I know for sure they had attractive salaries. One of them has recently become a team manager :) He wasn't a native speaker but his English was impeccable. I hope you'll be satisfied with your job and that you'll make the improvement you want. Good luck!

Answer 5

Thanks for your answer, Amir. I enjoy my new job very much, and the opportunities for promotion are almost endless.

Jednnifer, I had the chance to try Saundz and it is absolutely amazing. I plan to devote my entire week-end to it. I also find Saundz blog very enjoyable and useful. The post about the importance of proper pronunciation for tech company CEO's is great http://saundz.com/would-excellent-spoken-english-make-you-a-better-ceo/

I am still looking for more perspectives on this subject, so feel free to comment and give me advice on sounding more like a native speaker.

Thanks, Sumi

Answer 6

It's really an interesting story and it was probably the first time an influential Silicon Valley person spoke about this topic. I can only assume how difficult it is for these people to make a break-through in a new country.

The point is you must not neglect your speaking skills - you should practice any way you can. Have you made any improvements in the meantime?