The sooner these loathsome and ineffective call centres are finally done away with, the better will be the health of those who currently work in them and those who have to suffer their frquently incoherent and unintelligible so-called services.

Nicholas Lee, Windsor, UK

This is a legal form of human slavery.

Mohammed, London, UK

I wonder who's manning the Infosys Counselling hotline? To have good irony, it should be some guy from Utah named Kevin, who calls himself Pradeep, and can't speak any Hindi. "So, you are saying that you are having trouble sleeping? Let us try having turn off the lights.... Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

Ed Goodman, Ohio, USA

About the article first - totally agree that this is the case in a lot of companies however not in all of them. I run an Offshore Software Development Facility in India and our workforce have exactly the same benefits there as they have here, i.e. they work Monday till Friday, 8 hours a day, 1 hour lunch break, 2 tea breaks, 30 days holidays per annum etc. I have come across a number of companies who follow the same - it is only ethical to do so. Therefore I would hate to be put in the same boat.
By the way, stress and stress related health issues is something that happens everywhere - just ask the NHS in the UK and they will give the the stats of how many millions are lost!

In regards of the comments on call centres - well - I 100% agree. I am of Indian origin and sometimes cant understand them myself. If the quality of these services isnt improved then we will see a steep decline in these call centres soon!

Surja Bose, London, UK

I vehemently hate having to talk to these Indian call centres.

I simply will not have dealings with any company that has outsourced their contact centres.

If everyone else does the same thing, then the problem will be solved will it not?

Zak Larue-Buckley, Leicester, Leicestershire

Maureen of Portugal,

I can't stop laughing at what u wrote. LOL. good one!

E Sia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

IT and ITES industries in India are nothing but glorified sweatshops. Work-Life balance is just a humbug in Indian companies. This is not only my view but that of thousands of us working in these industries

Arti, Mumbai, India

I spent 45 minutes on and 0845 number being put on hold, passed on lied to. I am the one who should eb having free health checks. I am even thinking about changing my bank (who pride themselves on local knowledge with a distant call centre) who I have been with for over 25 years after my recent experience of Indian customer service.

AD Pressed, London,

Our boradband 'service' uses a call centre in India. When our boradband goes down (As is freqntly does), I have to spend considerable time preparing myself for the incompetent robots that i will inevitably have the displeasure of talking with.

These people are not given free reign to solve your problems, they are just taught to read the same message over and over again.."Please accept my deepest apologies madam, I understand this must be very frustrating for you".

Frustrating indeed. Pass me the pills.

Joanne, Manchester,

In Australia I think its fair to say that these call centre personnel are among the banes of our existence. Daily talkback radio and casual conversation includes the latest intrusion by overseas call centre personnel. They are like mosquitoes buzzing in your ear on a hot night. Everyone hates them. They call at dinnertime, they call on weekends. They will not take no for an answer. If we hang up they call back. We try to be polite but they persist. On the other side of the ledger , when we call our bank or telco for help we often find that we cannot understand the person on the other end of the line. The worst ones pretend to be locals, and give themselves Anglicised names. These employers have a lot to answer for.

Pixie, Adelaide, South Australia

It sounds like me calling and having India answer. I dread
the call. I can barely understand them and probably them me.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA

Good heavens...when I read the headline I thought at first it was referring to the public who have had to suffer use of the the call service.!!!

Maureen erde, Santa caterina, Portugal

Well this proves that doing customer service work can be extremely hazardous to your health. I have done this work in the past and can attest to its toxic effects especially on the brain. On the brighter side, perhaps this will led to the beginning/improvement of employee benefits and rights in India.

Linda , Minneapolis, mn