Outsourcing to India. good or bad?

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Raj

Senior member
Aug 14, 2000
951
0
0
Ok, so I am originally from india. I was born there, but am a U.S. citizen and grew up in Seattle.
I do have cousins back home in New Delhi, India. A lot of whom are working at call centers.


I got laid off last year because my employer was shifting call center/tech support to India (isn't it ironic). I think
for most indians its kind of a catch 22 because one one hand india is prospering, but on the other.
I as an IT professional can't get a job because of the outsourcing.

I the long run Outsourcing is probably good for the economy. We as americans can't preach free trade,
and then penalize companies for moving jobs to other countries.

What do you think?
 
hdeck

hdeck

Lifer
Sep 26, 2002
14,530
1
0
1. not all americans preach free trade.
2. like most things in the economy, there are costs with outsourcing. some feel the costs outweigh the benefits.

i personally feel it is useless discussing it because it will quickly turn to a flame fest.
 
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NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
The only good thing about it is that it's cheaper for the company looking to hire and outsourcer. It's bad because it creates an environment much like a sweat shop where employees are treated like scum and nobody cares because the employees are so easily and quickly replaced. Outsourced call centers are notorious for paying much less than what the skillset required to work there would call for at a respectable job (read: one that's much harder to get).
 
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notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Bad. It degrades the quality of the products and services we buy, and costs americans jobs. If we could actually get jobs in this country, we'd have more money, and we'd be able to afford to pay for tech support that actually speaks English.
 
Gibson486

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
I think that it is a wake up call for us to move faster. People think that getting the degree is all that matters. However, they have to wake up and go beyond the degree. To prevent outsourcing, we need to be on top of new techologies (or make them) and develop the intelligence to come up with more.
 
R

Raj

Senior member
Aug 14, 2000
951
0
0
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
The only good thing about it is that it's cheaper for the company looking to hire and outsourcer. It's bad because it creates an environment much like a sweat shop where employees are treated like scum and nobody cares because the employees are so easily and quickly replaced. Outsourced call centers are notorious for paying much less than what the skillset required to work there would call for at a respectable job (read: one that's much harder to get).
Click to expand...

Not sure if that's true. I don't know about other countries. but the office buildings for call centers that are popping all around New Delhi are some of the nicest in the country. And they actually treat their employees pretty well. that is my cousins' opinion though.
 
C

CanOWorms

Lifer
Jul 3, 2001
12,404
2
0
Who cares if call center type work is outsourced? Nobody would care if burger flipping was outsourced. Call center work is nothing more than burger flipping.
 
R

RabidMongoose

Lifer
Aug 14, 2001
11,061
0
0
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
I personally don't care about call center type of work being outsourced.
Click to expand...

Work in a call center for 3+ years and you will.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I'll probably never work in a call center.

I should clarify in that I don't really think that it's bad for the US if some of the lower level types of technical support or call centers are outsourced.
 
hdeck

hdeck

Lifer
Sep 26, 2002
14,530
1
0
Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Who cares if call center type work is outsourced? Nobody would care if burger flipping was outsourced. Call center work is nothing more than burger flipping.
Click to expand...

"wait until you or someone you know gets laid off because of outsourcing and your opinion will change" would be the most common response to that.
 
R

Raj

Senior member
Aug 14, 2000
951
0
0
Originally posted by: notfred
Bad. It degrades the quality of the products and services we buy, and costs americans jobs. If we could actually get jobs in this country, we'd have more money, and we'd be able to afford to pay for tech support that actually speaks English.
Click to expand...


I know i've had bad experience with someone who has a thick accent and can't understand what I am saying.
but does it degrade the quality of the product. Not sure about that.

Netgear offers 24 hour tech support. why can they do that? they have call centers in india.

I doubt they would be able to afford to run a 24/7 call center in the U.S.

so i guess in this way it actually improves the product. wouldn't you say?
 
R

Raj

Senior member
Aug 14, 2000
951
0
0
Originally posted by: hdeck
Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Who cares if call center type work is outsourced? Nobody would care if burger flipping was outsourced. Call center work is nothing more than burger flipping.
Click to expand...

"wait until you or someone you know gets laid off because of outsourcing and your opinion will change" would be the most common response to that.
Click to expand...


yeah Like me.
 
N

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: Raj
I know i've had bad experience with someone who has a thick accent and can't understand what I am saying.
but does it degrade the quality of the product. Not sure about that.

Netgear offers 24 hour tech support. why can they do that? they have call centers in india.

I doubt they would be able to afford to run a 24/7 call center in the U.S.

so i guess in this way it actually improves the product. wouldn't you say?
Click to expand...

No, because netgear's support is absolute sh!t and I'd much rather wait till 9:00 AM tomorrow to actually get help with something than to call right now and be frustrated by some idiot who's never even seen the product he's supposed to be supporting, and can't speak my language.
 
C

CanOWorms

Lifer
Jul 3, 2001
12,404
2
0
Originally posted by: hdeck
Originally posted by: CanOWorms
Who cares if call center type work is outsourced? Nobody would care if burger flipping was outsourced. Call center work is nothing more than burger flipping.
Click to expand...

"wait until you or someone you know gets laid off because of outsourcing and your opinion will change" would be the most common response to that.
Click to expand...

I don't know anyone that works in IT. It's not important to the country, and it's not like it was ever any good here to begin with. It's not a high-tech area, it's not a research area, etc. Moving them offshore and concentrating on something else will not hurt this country. Americans are the most innovative people in the world. Why focus in an area where we can't take advantage of that? We've abandoned industries before and came out even stronger. If IT is becoming so cutthroat, maybe it's time to get out and use our innovation for something better.
 
N

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
I personally don't care about call center type of work being outsourced.
Click to expand...

Work in a call center for 3+ years and you will.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I'll probably never work in a call center.

I should clarify in that I don't really think that it's bad for the US if some of the lower level types of technical support or call centers are outsourced.
Click to expand...

Lower level? Some companies are sending their entire support crew to other countries (Kanaduh, India, etc).
 
S

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,233
0
71
So I hear all these complaints about tech support sucking now b/c of outsourcing. Did I miss some golden age of tech support where call were answered quickly and all the employees knew what they were talking about?
 
S

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,233
0
71
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
I personally don't care about call center type of work being outsourced.
Click to expand...

Work in a call center for 3+ years and you will.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I'll probably never work in a call center.

I should clarify in that I don't really think that it's bad for the US if some of the lower level types of technical support or call centers are outsourced.
Click to expand...

Lower level? Some companies are sending their entire support crew to other countries (Kanaduh, India, etc).
Click to expand...

support crew, as in the part of the company that is there to make that the people doing the real work don't have to deal with the BS
 
N

NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: Savij
So I hear all these complaints about tech support sucking now b/c of outsourcing. Did I miss some golden age of tech support where call were answered quickly and all the employees knew what they were talking about?
Click to expand...

Yeah. I used to be one of those employees before Comcast moved their tech support employees to Canada. Then I got a job with AT&T and Comcast bought them -and moved their tech support employees to Canada.

>_<
 
O

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
17
81
As consumers, we've already established that we'll take cheap, disposable crap over more expensive quality merchandise. Some of that stuff ain't so crappy anyway. Bottom line is we want the most bang for the buck. We force manufacturers to cut costs in every possible way. It's no wonder they're flocking to outsourcing.

Maybe this is good for vocational education, and the trades...
 
W

Wuffsunie

Platinum Member
May 4, 2002
2,808
0
0
I think companies that massively outsource need to be penalized on taxes or something similar. Usually corporations large enough to outsource to any appreciable degree are getting some kind of tax break, be it local or federal. However, that was originally done with the understanding that their influence on the local economy would offset the break. Outsource enough and the benefit becomes negligible, and all the company is doing by remaining there is taking advantage of the tax situation. If they're not providing jobs in their region, why should they even be there at all? I say.
 
R

RabidMongoose

Lifer
Aug 14, 2001
11,061
0
0
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
Originally posted by: FFMCobalt
Originally posted by: RabidMongoose
I personally don't care about call center type of work being outsourced.
Click to expand...

Work in a call center for 3+ years and you will.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I'll probably never work in a call center.

I should clarify in that I don't really think that it's bad for the US if some of the lower level types of technical support or call centers are outsourced.
Click to expand...

Lower level? Some companies are sending their entire support crew to other countries (Kanaduh, India, etc).
Click to expand...

What did this support crew do? I'm not sure if I would consider that a high level type of work.

It might be bad for some people, but I wouldn't say that it's bad for the US.
 
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