We promise that never ever, under any circumstances, will we have any customer service (or "customer care," to use the popular euphemism) personnel located in India.

It boggles my mind that so many companies place their customer service functions in India or other countries where English is not the native tongue. I think it's perfectly fine to outsource certain functions to foreign countries that don't require interaction with customers, such as accounting/bookkeeping. However, it makes no sense to outsource functions that require a nuanced understanding of English or intricate technical knowledge, like a typical computer or software issue. Typically, the person handling the problem will try hard, but doesn't have the mastery of the English language to handle the situation effectively. That results in frustration all around.

And yes, this post was inspired by a problem I've been dealing with for the last few days that is making me want to tear my hair out.