Americans, most impatient & asians most patient.. How do you react to this?
By yuna15
@yuna15 (2706)
Philippines
September 13, 2008 7:37am CST
Just to quote from my source: According to a study of a contact center, Americans are willing to wait for only 37 seconds for their call to be answered, while people from Europe, the Middle East and Africa can wait at least 67 seconds before they hang up. Those who are in the Asia Pacific can wait up to 72 seconds.
Source: http://www.byteandswitch.com/document.asp?doc_id=84901
I talk to a lot of people everyday, I would say in particular that the most impatient people would be from China and Vietnam, because they are patient enough to talk to somebody whom they know are having trouble understanding their accent.
As for Americans, (not to offend any American members here), most of the time they get frustrated easily when their issue is not resolved quickly. What I like about them though is they are very much appreciative when they know they are being helped out and especially if their problem got resolved.
To everybody, how do you react to this?
5 people like this
11 responses
@redhotpogo (4401)
• United States
29 Oct 08
As an american I am outraged by these disgusting remarks!
bahahahahha. No its true. Americans are very impatient. Its just our culture. Here its dog eat dog, the early bird gets the worm, every man for himself. People are always "go! go! go!" We don't have time to sit and wait for someone, or to figure things out.
1 person likes this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
30 Oct 08
Thank you for the honest answer redhotpogo 
. I can't say all of you are impatient because I talk to American's everyday. Although I don't like to talk to a few people from a certain region. 
. I like people from California. They are less impatient than the other states or old African-American women, they are a delight to talk to even though the call takes more than an hour. 
. I can't say all of you are impatient because I talk to American's everyday. Although I don't like to talk to a few people from a certain region. . I like people from California. They are less impatient than the other states or old African-American women, they are a delight to talk to even though the call takes more than an hour. @yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
30 Oct 08
I remember somebody from a forum and I was complaining about why my site got rejected. She was really sarcastic because I posted about it again in another topic. SI didn't like how she reacted then I just told her straightforwardly that she should be careful not to make people look stupid. After I said that, she immediately apologized through a PM. I asked her if she's from the US and she replied "Yes, I'm from the USA, can't you tell how pushy and offensive I can be?." then she immediately said in parenthesis "Just trying to be funny." .
.@redhotpogo (4401)
• United States
30 Oct 08
lol californians are creepy. i'm very patient myself, but its true most americans are very impatient, and rude. its very annoying.
1 person likes this
@taripres (1499)
• United States
29 Oct 08
Can't say I totally agree, but it's believable! But, us Americans are some impatient so n so's for the most part! I'm pretty patient (unfortunately) and I know some patient people, but the I know many impatient people; so I guess it's accurate! But that's call center stuff, regular everyday stuff, try that one!
Taripre$
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
30 Oct 08
I actually work for a Call Center as a Technical Support for an ISP so I know American's level of patience, especially when their problem doesn't get resolved. In fairness to Americans, 98% of you are very much appreciative (according to my experience, that is). Thanks for the response taripres! 
@taripres (1499)
• United States
31 Oct 08
Oh, ur correct in saying what u said, hope I didn't seem offended! We just don't like waiting! I don't mind, for the most part, I don't have anything better to do, n I want my situation resolved:) But, yeah, phone work can be very annoying when dealing with impatient know it all, anal canals:)
Taripre$
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
30 Oct 08
Well, I am impatient, and because of that, I know other Americans who are more patient than I am..I think as an indivdual, some are more impatient than others..But as a culture, I wouldn't be surprised that the Asians are more patient than Americans..
1 person likes this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
30 Oct 08
Actually that's just according to the study of a BPO company. That's probably one of the reasons why they do outsourcing. As far as everyday life, I haven't found anything yet. But I believe they do surveys regarding it I think I just can't find it LOL. Thanks for the response carmelanirel!
@carinio98 (2929)
• Philippines
13 Sep 08
i dont know about that... coz i dont work as a call center so i guess thats why some agent here in our country suffers mental disorders i dont know the term for that but i sow it on tv... and also i hear about french dont like americans at all i dont know if its true but tell me if im wrong...
1 person likes this
@carinio98 (2929)
• Philippines
13 Sep 08
i hear it on youtube when i viewing some videos there this american guys tell about the french dont like americans... that why...
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Oct 08
xDD im actually vietnamese and i live in america. Well depends on who im calling and why, but generally i am pretty patient when it comes to waiting for them to pick up. That is pretty interesting, im gonna actually time myself next time because im such a nerd like that. xp now if they dont pick up and i need to talk to them then YES oh...i am so impatient about that...i will call back every few senconds. xD Actually thats true, the accents are very annoying. I'm not sure about chinese but the vietnamese language has about 3 main dialects i think plus all the american viet people and the little mini dialects. xD i laugh at them or get very aggravated because they speak in a different dialect and then they assume youre a retarded viet american (no offenseto anyone) and they try to talkin english which makes things worse because they have such a heavy accent. xDD ah but yes...thats a pretty interesting study.
• United States
29 Oct 08
xDDD thats fine. hmm...what the girl below me said..i agree on that. they are used to a comfy life. xD ha im one of them, but i really take my blessings quite seriously. I just get aggravated when my ride is an hour late, or i really need to talk to someone to help another person. clarity. ;) ah yes good old clarity..out of curiosity since i think it says on your profile it says that youre phillipino, do you speak any other language besides english? :3
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
30 Oct 08
I think working with call centers does help you to know each and every culture and attitudes towards patience. Well I think its a fact already that Asians are indeed very patient since we Asians are the ones that endured a lot of hardships in life for the past decades. It is only now that we are developing like economically but we have not reach the point the western countries have experienced.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (72148)
• United States
27 Feb 11
Well I am American. I do have a very short temper. I dont know if asians are more patient or not since I havent been around them enough to know. I only let the phone ring four times when I call someone. If they dont pick up on the fourth ring I hang up. Honestly that doesnt give them much time to get to the phone if they are far away from it but at the same time it doesnt sit and ring and ring and ring if they are simply ignoring it.
@cassandralynn (1084)
• United States
30 Oct 08
I'm a American and I can honestly say that if we are impatient it's because we live in a very fast paced society and most people do not have the time to wait for anything! If we have to be at work at 8 AM we better get there 30 minutes early.If we go shopping we do it as quickly as possible.And because of this we are highly stressed. Not all of is are like this but a good sum of us are. We also have to do too many things at once which also stresses us out and everything has to be perfect as well. We are not like this by choice, it's just the way we are conditioned. but yet again, we are not all impataient.
1 person likes this
@mobilecubie (820)
• Philippines
13 Sep 08
Well in my opinion I have to agree with your source. I live in an Asian country and I for one am willing to wait for until the connection gets cut before I put the pone down. LOL Well I think the people form American and European countries are a bit impatient since their race have always had a bit of a superiority complex. Well its not really a big problem for I see it that all races on this earth compliments each other. There is no shame or pride to be viewed for being the most patient and most impatient since both have positive and negative sides. I guess these facts just shows us how we are so in turn we must do what we can no to get mad at this.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
3 Jan 12
Thank you so much for sharing with great details, i am from india, i agree asians are most patient, they tolerate every thing, most friendly people, but i don't think Americans are impatient, this i say on the basis of interaction with friends there, i can't generalize this though..
Best of luck.
Professor
Professor
