| User | Comment |
|---|
| Cain |
I don't know what outsourcing is.......... |
Matty    | | (reply to Cain) posted 9-Oct-2008 9:11am |
> I don't know what outsourcing is..........
Have you ever called your bank and spoke to someone from India? Do you have someone who is not your employee do your payroll, your books, menu planning, cost benefit analysis of what booze to serve? Youv'e probably had some experience with outsourcing, but didn't recognize it as such.
|
they  |
Somewhat.
I do inbound customer service. About two years ago, my company announced that they would begin routing our less important customers to a vendor in India.
Is this effective? *gigantic SIGH emoticon* Well, it depends on how you look at it.
From a corporate standpoint, it is apparently extremely effective. Since it's all about numbers and not about how the little guy is feeling... it makes a lot of sense. We saw a lot of errors being made by them at first, but I have found that it's mostly because they are new to the job... they are learning! What is curious to me about it is this... there really is a language barrier... or at least an accent-barrier. A transaction that would take me 3-4 minutes sometimes takes the Indian Vendor over 30 min. Do they really pay these people so little that it's still worth it? Apparently the answer is yes.
My company lost many loyal customers and employees during the transition. Some of them had no choice, some of them left because of the decision to send CS offshore, some of them left because they experienced problems because of the decision. So on this point, I'd say off-shoring is an effective way to depersonalize a corporation.
Anyway, I think it's a bad idea and I'm really sick of dealing with customer complaints about it. I empathize but I refuse to use the company issued statement which includes excuses like "We are a global company utilizing our global resources".  |
Melf  |
I haven't a clue. |
| Enheduanna |
Effective at what? Employing people in other countries and increasing a company's bottom line? Sure. Losing US jobs and making it more difficult to understand your customer service rep? It's effective at that, too. |
| Galomorro | | posted 9-Oct-2008 10:57am |
Not at all. It takes jobs away from some people who can't easily get other jobs, like those who are disabled in various ways. I've experienced this myself. I got downsized from a permanent job and saw a job descrip of a job at another company I thought I could do well but was told it had been outsourced since the description was written. This happened several times. This is a bad practice and denies jobs to local people who need work and would do it well. |
Joanne  | | posted 9-Oct-2008 11:12am |
I'm a client calling for customer service - help, advice, information. Most of my calls have been handled satisfactorily. |
| Jody | | posted 9-Oct-2008 12:17pm |
It hasn't worked well for my company. |
| JessicaWoman99 | | posted 9-Oct-2008 12:49pm |
The jury is out on this |
| cerealkiller |
Hard to say because the original reason is to save on overhead and lay off permanent employees. I was the head of my group at Lockheed and had 10 years in there. I got laid off as well as most of my co-workers because they had the great idea that out-sourcing was going to save them a lot of money. Did it? I don't know. What I do know that we were replaced by outside engineering companies who likely charged a lot more per hour, and had no loyalty, no care if anything was done right or not. I don't believe in out-sourcing myself.
On the other hand "teaming" with other companies does work and our company and all the others like it always work as partners on large projects. On the $5 billion LAX expansion Im currently working on there are half a dozen other consulting engineers who have to submit pieces of the puzzle to me and I have to put it all together.
Internally in the company most everything is outsourced. ADP does the payroll and I don't even get check stubs anymore. I have direct deposit and I have to go online to the ADP website to check my stub, vacation balance, etc. Benefits are all outside companies, 401k, etc. Only thing not out-sourced is travel arrangements, and that's because we have NO one who does travel specifically in the company at all. The "common" folk like myself have to make all our own travel, pay for everything, then submit a report to get reimbursed. Only the big guys at exec VP and up have admin's who do their travel, mainly because they travel all the time. |
| LJD |
I resent when I call a company, and I can't understand the person at the other end of the line. Just in the last couple days this has happened. I didn't want to be rude, I tried really hard to hear what this woman was saying, I couldn't understand her, consequently my business wasn't taken care of.
The other day, when I went to the Post Office with another GGMM member, to retain a post office box, while standing on the sidewalk outside the PO, an Asian man came up to us and asked where he applies for citizenship. He spoke broken English. He had a a set of papers, turned to the third page, and it clearly gave the information for him to send for an application. I politely told him, and pointed to the telephone number, and the email address he was supposed to send or call for an application. I asked him if he had a computer, he said yes. So he was an illegal in this country, I imagine on the government dole. Besides, watching our southern borders, we must watch our northern borders, as many Asian people come through Canada to get to the U.S. The Christian nations were given the blessings of wealth, and other countries, and people want what we have...simply put. Do I dislike the people? No, but I know this country cannot sustain itself with overpopulation, especially those we have nothing in common. Otherwise this country will turn out to be like the country these people left, a third world country, bred itself into poverty.
Recently, I found that our state actually outsources work from our Department of Motor Vehicles, to Mexico. It's no wonder why Americans identities are stolen. I resent it! I imagine if California does it, other states do too. I wonder what other government entity oursources our records, our identities to other countries? I resent this to the Nth degree.
The enemy has created a system, forced us into it, and now we're having to struggle with it. |
| they | | (reply to LJD) posted 9-Oct-2008 5:12pm |
> Recently, I found that our
> state actually outsources
> work from our Department of
> Motor Vehicles, to Mexico.
> It's no wonder why Americans
> identities are stolen.
 You kill me.
"It's funny because it's racist. ~Ricky Gervais" |
gambler  |
....... Call centres/There are quite a few in Jamaica....... as a consumer, it bothers me not really and in fact for the most part I find them more accomodating |
LindaH  |
I don't remember ever running across this. Recently I was on the phone with someone with such a heavy accent of some sort, that I couldn't understand what she was saying. Asked her to repeat herself 3 times and still didn't understand. Maybe she was in a different country? |
| Kristal_Rose | | posted 10-Oct-2008 1:36am |
For things like making my lunch on the road or building my television set, absolutely.
For professional activities like sub contracting graphics or programming, NO. I spend more time educating and explaining than if I were to do the job myself.
I have hopes of outsourcing some soldering and animation still though. I'm also outsourcing the selling of my garage sale items. Sure, I could profit more doing that myself, but I could profit even more spending my time on other things. |
| Kristal_Rose | | (reply to they) posted 10-Oct-2008 1:39am |
""We are a global company utilizing our global resources"" - Oh man. I'd much rather hear "Sorry about that." Are your employers 'trying' to lose customers, or just discouraging clients getting their problems fixed? |
| LJD | | (reply to they) posted 10-Oct-2008 2:14am |
Racist...So be it. I call it like it is. How do you suppose people down south of the border get many of their false identities? They steal them...and what better way then to get a straight line from our DMV office. |
| they |
Good question.
I don't know that they really thought it through. They really couldn't have, right? I've heard of companies outsourcing and then changing their minds... So if the CEOs that made this decision checked the data, they would have seen that many customers are upset by it and many companies pull out after beginning a transition to India. The amount of money saved must really outweigh the risks or they just really didn't think it out fully. It's insulting to me though, that they thought my job could be done by a person who can't communicate well with the customers. Little did the butt-holes know, that's what my job is all about. |
| they | | (reply to LJD) posted 10-Oct-2008 6:38am |
> Racist...So be it. I call
> it like it is. How do you
> suppose people down south
> of the border get many of
> their false identities? They
> steal them...and what better
> way then to get a straight
> line from our DMV office.
I have actually never heard of that. Mexicans stealing identities? I thought that was a "white" crime committed by our fellow Americans. My mistake. Do you have some links? I'd love to read about it.
FYI though, I'm not a mexican and I could steal your identity right now if I wanted to. I could have a driver's license with my picture and your personal info. It's very simple and it has nothing to do with your social security number or the BMV.
Don't worry about being called a racist. That's just funny. No one takes racists seriously anymore, so me calling you that just means I think you are a total joke.
|
bill  | | posted 10-Oct-2008 8:08am |
In general, I think the idea of using contractors is good. I think it moves us toward a world in which workers are more or less autonomous and that seems like a good thing. Sure, it's a little scary too. But, I think the safety we might feel working at a big company is an illusion. I also think big companies are prone to inefficiencies. Contract work seems to simplify and make clear the relationship a worker has with their employer. I think it promotes a kind of personal responsibility too. I'm sure I'm being naive about this on some level too, though.
I don't have anything against stuff like customer support being out-sourced to India. I think globalization of companies and work is a very positive thing. India's growing middle class is a great thing for that country and that's good for us too. The thing that will prevent war in the future is international commerce. The more global business relationships we have, the more impossible it will be to see people in other countries as the enemy. We may be on the brink of a golden age of international commerce in which most of the world benefits greatly from increased wealth and standard of living along with less war and famine. I have a dream. |
| Iseult | | posted 10-Oct-2008 9:15am |
Do I want somebody who can barely do more than read prescripted English text handle issues with my credit card? Do I like seeing people in my country lose high paying jobs? Do I enjoy buying crapty Chinese products which are quite possibly unsafe?
Yes, I guess it's effective when it comes to earning money for the corporations, but as far as anything other than that goes, I hate it. |
| Cain | | (reply to Matty) posted 10-Oct-2008 9:42am |
Yes to speaking to call centre's abroad. No to outsourcing with regard to my own business.
Thanks for that! |
| Kristal_Rose | | (reply to bill) posted 10-Oct-2008 10:21am |
I have a dream, and in this dream hungry frustrated people are yelling in the drive-throughs of hamburger stands at clowns whos voices are coming from Argentina and the Philipines.
(they actually considered that plan)
Actually I'm with you. My vision was one in which every person was an independent contractor. My most recent version is cottage-industry labor sold on eBay, until one can order a custom quilt, guitar lessons, or b-day cake decoration from their neighbor over the internet. |
| Kristal_Rose | | (reply to they) posted 10-Oct-2008 10:23am |
Yey yep. Fo what it's worth, I do actually get fine help at times from people in India or the Phillipines. Whenever I'm on the phone with someone, I ask where they're from. Usually it's half way around the world. |
| bill |
Transportation costs/delays seem to be the main barrier. |
| they |
I really agree with you there. They do their jobs just fine once they learn them.
The problem is, the customers at my company are some of the simplest people in the country. I'm not kidding. Dregs of society stupid. My company made a bad decision because most of our customers are stupid and/or racist.... and they don't handle it well.
That sounds harsh I guess... but one of them just screamed at me and hung up because she's dumber than a bag of hair and blames me. |
| dpurdy33 | | posted 10-Oct-2008 12:22pm |
Wonder if I can outsource my school work? Hey I'll do whatever it takes to improve my grades. Anybody interested? |
| LJD | | (reply to they) posted 10-Oct-2008 4:41pm |
I don't worry about being called a racist, because those calling me a racist, have nothing better to offer....I'm not thrown by it..it's almost a badge of honor today...coming from those that do the calling.
I know there are many out there that can steal any one's identity, because they haven't the balls to do anything, other than taking from others.
You have heard of Mexican, as well as, other illegal invaders coming into this land, have you not?
Check this out: http://michellemalkin.com/2007/07/27/outsourcing-d...
Have you ever taken illegal drugs? Also, I’m assuming you’ve been educated by government schools.
|
| they | | (reply to LJD) posted 10-Oct-2008 5:01pm |
What is this link? A blog? Useless. Also, it references nothing about Mexicans stealing identities... just that paranoid Americans are worried about it.
What do illegal immigrants have to do with identity theft? I am aware of illegal immigrants. I am aware of identify theft. I'm still not seeing where you connect the two.
What the hell do my education and use of drugs have to do with this conversation? You felt threatened and decided to insult me? Sorry LJD, but I'm not insulted. Your opinions are really worth less than air.
I have experimented with a few substances. This doesn't make me less of a person than you... It actually makes me a more experienced one.
I'm done here. I don't know why I even bother reading your racist, uptight, ignorant, ugly comments. You are a nasty old lady and I hope some scary mexican brushes past you the next time you go to the grocery store.... My hope is that you'll be so frightened while clinging to your handbag that you will piss all over yourself and expose yourself for the nasty bigot that you are.
If you were a dog, I'd rub your face in the crap that comes out of you..... you are getting crap all over SC. Bad girl. |
| they | | (reply to LJD) posted 10-Oct-2008 5:04pm |
PS... Michelle Malkin appears to be Asian. How can you even trust anything she says???!! She's not white. |
| LJD | | (reply to they) posted 11-Oct-2008 12:09am |
My intent was not to insult you. I asked you a simple question, and you answered it as I suspected.
I did not say I was better than you...you said that. You are not less a person, just a person that perhaps used bad judgment in using drugs that will fry your brain.
Are you saying, you feel illegals have not stolen peoples identities? They have, it has been proven. Just as they are committing voter fraud.
|
| Kristal_Rose | | (reply to bill) posted 11-Oct-2008 1:12am |
That's because there aren't enough local listings yet. If everyone put out their shingle, everything you might need may be in your neighborhood already, if not something that can be done online or through mail. Of course if you live alone in the country, that's a different matter. As it evolved, people might move to neighborhoods where they are more needed. |
| Kristal_Rose | | (reply to they) posted 11-Oct-2008 1:14am |
Yeah, that sounds like something they didnt think to factor in either. The lamer management will blame the customers rather than realizing they should accomodate whatever sorts of customers they actually have. |
| they |
Exactly! |
| jettles | | (reply to they) posted 11-Oct-2008 8:59am |
it's infuriating and useless............ take it from someone who has not learned their lesson either!!!! |
| they | | (reply to jettles) posted 11-Oct-2008 9:11am |
I'm done with the ignorant, hateful old bag. She's been filtered. I don't even know if she's still talking to me. |
| cloudhugger | | posted 12-Oct-2008 11:50pm |
I don't know if it is effective for the company that hired the 'outsource', but as a customer it is crap. |
soyring1  | | posted 26-Oct-2008 1:58pm |
As noted in your comments, sometimes it can be effective and others it is not. The long term impact is still out - however, like most things that are driven by a need for constant change, they tend to be cyclical - outsource now, bring back inside next, then repeat the cycle. |
| judgescratch | | posted 14-Nov-2008 1:19pm |
How does the SC define "effective"? |
