Outsourcing Call Centers Rant

84porsche · 84porsche's Garage

I was reading Lube's thread about what are things that are KILLING US Business and a phone call today at work kind of just pushed me over the edge as to what I think is hurting businesses. In my workplace and in every workplace when a bill is not received on time, it is customary within 5-15 days after the 30 day mark (terms Net 30) to call the A/P (accounts payable dept) to find out payment status. This month and in the past we paid a payment late to a particular large vendor. This vendor has a call center in what I assume is India or that region of the world and these people call in 2 days after a deadline or even the day of the deadline wanting payment status in full detail, check #, invoice #, amounts etc.
My problem is not so much that they ask for this information but they seem very demanding and if I say I put the check in the mail (take me at my word) and leave me alone for at least 15-20 days or until it becomes a more serious problem. The vendor has run credit checks on us, they have our payment history and they have dealt with our company for 15+ years. My problem is that the call center has people that don't speak clearly and that they use American like names assuming that it is going to make me feel better about talking to these people and providing them the information. I am ranting here. Can you guys/gals explain both sides of this to me because I personally think this outsourcing is going to cause this company to lose business as I personally don't like dealing with them.

masraum · 09-01-2005, 10:18 AM

outsourcing sucks booty. I've had lots of ex-co-workers laid off because of off-shore outsourcing. I worked for the Cisco TAC, they had several off shore locations. Yes, they pick American sounding names, and no it doesn't fool anyone. Customers started to complain and Cisco pulled a bunch of business back on shore and actually closed at least one off shore location "the one in India".

Yep it sucks. They save a ton of money by paying the people in other countries pennies on the dollar to do twice as many hours of work as an American.

I get people from India when I call a couple of my credit card 800 numbers.

dweymer · dweymer's Garage

(devils advocate) It's kinda like the restroom washer at the airport...not many people want that job. Would you listen to customers crap all day long for 5.85 at a call center? People always complain jobs are going oversees....but they refuse to accept the same jobs; unless it pays 50k. If US companies make more money, they pay more in taxes, and hire more people in other job roles due to expansion; that's a good thing.

HardDrive · 09-01-2005, 11:39 AM

I dunno. I have had good overseas support and bad. But the same thing applys here. Sometimes folks overseas are not very customer service oriented, but I think the market place will sort that out.

The overall offshoreing practice? Get used to it. Its here to stay.

rbarton · 09-01-2005, 12:46 PM

Citimortgage must do the same thing. I thought it odd that the four people I had to speak to to get a question answered the other day all had Indian accents. Makes sense now.

masraum · 09-01-2005, 01:34 PM

Yep, when I call my citibank cc. I can't remember which other one. I'm getting ready to get rid of most of them anyway.

Joeaksa · 09-01-2005, 02:06 PM

Our boss came to the cockpit on a long flight years ago and we discussed outsourcing to the Dominican Republic. Both of us were against it and gave the boss our viewpoints.

Not that it changed his mind but he kept half the call centers in the states and shuttled the other half to a center we owned in Canada. I would just prefer to support a neighbour than India, Pak or somewhere halfway around the world. Their speaking English went a long way.

Personally I hate it when I call and get someone I cannot understand when looking for support.

JoeA

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/worldisflat.htm

mikester · 09-01-2005, 03:17 PM

The biggest thing in my opinion is the thick accents these folks have makes it very hard to communicate with them.

I work with a few and they are very nice and extremely bright; Most try very hard too which is more than I can say for us wholly english speakers. The accent though is a handicap in communications.