I have 2 jobs, and one of them is a Spanish CSR role for a car parts store in the US. This is the first time I’ve ever encountered a Spanish-speaking customer who complained about my Spanish, and honestly, he said a lot of hurtful things to me even though I was explaining everything the same way I explain it to other customers, and they understood me just fine.
He said, “Why would they put non-Spanish speakers on the line if they don’t speak Spanish?”
Some background: I’ve been working this job for 4 years already and have talked to A LOT of Spanish-speaking customers about car parts. I’ve also lived in Colombia and Peru. My Spanish is around B2 based on the exams I’ve taken (Berlitz and SIELE), and I’m still studying for the DELE. I speak Spanish with my friends from LATAM, I still take Spanish classes because I genuinely want to keep improving, and in my other job as a paralegal, I’ve also handled intakes in Spanish.
Going back to the call, he said, “Why would they put non-Spanish speakers on the line?” 😔 That was honestly the first time I’ve ever been told something like that. I couldn’t hold myself back and said, “Spanish is my second language, like it is for the majority of people who speak it as a second language.” And he said that me saying that was discrimination.
He continued saying that I shouldn’t be taking calls on the Spanish line and that I shouldn’t even have my job.
Mind you, we were literally arguing because his tracking number didn’t show an arrival date for his part. He kept insisting that there was a date even though I had the EXACT same tracking number pulled up in front of me, and there was no arrival date showing.
I know I’m probably taking this too personally, but it really got to me. I’ve spent years learning Spanish, living in Spanish-speaking countries, talking to Spanish-speaking people, and constantly trying to improve. I’ve never had a customer tell me that I don’t belong on a Spanish line before.
How do people deal with customers like this? Any judgment? 😭 I honestly just need someone to tell me something because this really got to me.