Why did Dell outsource so much of their support to India?

[Mill]

I realize it is cheaper. The problem is, it makes communication IMPOSSIBLE! First of all their is not a good connection whenever you are transferred out to them. Secondly, due to both of us having accents, it makes it pretty much impossible for either one of us to understand each other. A simple problem that would take maybe 1 minute to fix took over 15 minutes! How in the long run can this be cheaper? How in the long run will people still buy Dell if they cannot get support? This is absurd. :|

 

[bozack]

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Sorry, just annoyed because I am in support and that is like watching jobs run away.

 

[GoingUp]

but its cheaper

 

[Viper GTS]

First place, the connection quality has nothing to do with it being in India.

Second, there is a huge workforce in India that is:

1) Highly educated
2) Highly motivated
3) Willing to work for cheap

Yes, there are occasional issues, but for the most part it works quite well.

The majority of the time you probably aren't even aware you're speaking to someone outside the US.

BTW, Dell isn't the only one - They're just one of the more prominent ones.

Viper GTS

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: Millennium
I realize it is cheaper. The problem is, it makes communication IMPOSSIBLE! First of all their is not a good connection whenever you are transferred out to them. Secondly, due to both of us having accents, it makes it pretty much impossible for either one of us to understand each other. A simple problem that would take maybe 1 minute to fix took over 15 minutes! How in the long run can this be cheaper? How in the long run will people still buy Dell if they cannot get support? This is absurd. :|

People still buy Microsoft software too, what makes you think people will act rationally in this case?

Besides, only support calls from you are redirected there, the rest of us gets local support.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
but its cheaper

In the short term. With their terrible support now I will not be buying anything else from them. EVAR.

 

[notfred]

Because if they didn't, you'd be paying $800 intstead of $500 for a new PC from them.

Personally, I'd be glad to pay more and move our tech jobs back to the USA.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
First place, the connection quality has nothing to do with it being in India.

Second, there is a huge workforce in India that is:

1) Highly educated
2) Highly motivated
3) Willing to work for cheap

Yes, there are occasional issues, but for the most part it works quite well.

The majority of the time you probably aren't even aware you're speaking to someone outside the US.

BTW, Dell isn't the only one - They're just one of the more prominent ones.

Viper GTS

Second time I have had a problem with them TODAY. How is the connection quality not affected? I don't understand that aspect.

 

[murphy55d]

I think Verizon does the same thing. :disgust:

 

[bozack]

Originally posted by: notfred
Because if they didn't, you'd be paying $800 intstead of $500 for a new PC from them.

Personally, I'd be glad to pay more and move our tech jobs back to the USA.

Word

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: Millennium

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
First place, the connection quality has nothing to do with it being in India.

Second, there is a huge workforce in India that is:

1) Highly educated
2) Highly motivated
3) Willing to work for cheap

Yes, there are occasional issues, but for the most part it works quite well.

The majority of the time you probably aren't even aware you're speaking to someone outside the US.

BTW, Dell isn't the only one - They're just one of the more prominent ones.

Viper GTS

Second time I have had a problem with them TODAY. How is the connection quality not affected? I don't understand that aspect.

The calls come in the exact same way they do in a US call center, digital signals don't really care where they end up.

US based call centers can have phone line problems just as easily as one in India.

Viper GTS

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: bozack

Originally posted by: notfred
Because if they didn't, you'd be paying $800 intstead of $500 for a new PC from them.

Personally, I'd be glad to pay more and move our tech jobs back to the USA.

Word

You say that, but if Dell 4550's suddenly went up to $800 people would bitch to no end.

People always protest when Walmart shows up, but a year later everybody is saving money & nobody cares about the local stores that got squished.

Same situation, the Hot Deals mentality in action.

Viper GTS

 

[PAB]

$12,000 a year job in Tech Support in a country with an average annual income of under $1000 each person vs $24,000 a year here + payroll taxes and bennies.

Hmm. Its pretty much a no brainer.

And I agree with notfred. There was a REASON Dell decided to HQ in Texas. M.D. grew up there with his family and he liked the area. He could have easily gone to a state with better tax benefits for corporate purposes.

It seems hypocritical to me.

I lucked out 2 nights ago and got someone who spoke fairly decent english. I got my new CRT on an RMA today too!

-PAB

 

[Phuz]

You're all somewhat off... it isn't necessarily exchange rate/cheap labour reasons either....

Ever wonder why The RoadRunner National Help Desk is in..... Canada? (cheap labour is not the right answer)
Solectron already had a location in India... the daughter company located there won the bid for a contract with Dell. I believe the India location is now the national location...even Dell Canada support isn't located in here. (this is a recent change)

 

[RossMAN]

Without reading this entire thread I'm guessing:

1) $
2) Time zone, India is roughly 11.5 hours ahead of Texas ... so when it's 8PM here it's 7:30 AM in Mumbai.
3) There's a lot of well educated computer savvy citizens in India (and in the US)

I'd say it's mostly because of $

 

[Chadder007]

Originally posted by: notfred
Because if they didn't, you'd be paying $800 intstead of $500 for a new PC from them.

Personally, I'd be glad to pay more and move our tech jobs back to the USA.

WeRd. Lets support companies that have techs in the US.
Anyone up for making a Buy American thread?

 

[Wduaqnug]

SEARCH FOR MY THREAD


I am for protesting this crap

 

[palad]

Gateway does it too. It's just one of the way big businesses think they can cut corners without anybody noticing.

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: PAB
$12,000 a year job in Tech Support in a country with an average annual income of under $1000 each person vs $24,000 a year here + payroll taxes and bennies.

Hmm. Its pretty much a no brainer.

And I agree with notfred. There was a REASON Dell decided to HQ in Texas. M.D. grew up there with his family and he liked the area. He could have easily gone to a state with better tax benefits for corporate purposes.

It seems hypocritical to me.

I lucked out 2 nights ago and got someone who spoke fairly decent english. I got my new CRT on an RMA today too!

-PAB

I had to call a few mo's back for a client who's keyboard died (no spills / etc, just died?!). Anyway,
I don't recall having any problems talking w/ anyone. 'course I may have gotten someone from the US, I dunno. She spoke very clean english and I had no problems get the replacement KB sent.

Now, calling the alternate local telco, 'supra telecom' is a blast. They are based in miami and hire spanish speaking folks to take the calls (not a bad idea, and no prejudices but...) they have very thick accents. Which, I'm quite used to living down here, but, To top it off, they must use the cheapest headsets imaginable because the sound quality on their end is el-crapo. So, it's very difficult to talk to them. Fortunately I've ditched them and gone back to BellSouth, but, that's a topic for another day.

 

[LocutusX]

Also, don't get the idea that because you get a guy with
a funny eastern accent on tech-support, that he's automatically
in India or Singapore.

Plenty of Indians (in America) work in tech-support (in America) and they may
have accents, I've met some.

 

[Creig]

HP/Compaq went the same route. My wife has been having problems with her 710US laptop and we've been struggling to understand the mangled english that the "tech support" people are using. It's been nothing but an exercise in frustration. It's hard enough to try to use technical terms with "tech support" people who use English as their first language. Trying it with people who use English as their second or third language is next to impossible.

Needless to say the next laptop we buy will have a local warranty/repair contract.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: LocutusX
Also, don't get the idea that because you get a guy with
a funny eastern accent on tech-support, that he's automatically
in India or Singapore.

Plenty of Indians (in America) work in tech-support (in America) and they may
have accents, I've met some.

It is a KNOWN fact that Dell outsources text support. If you are one of the PC police please exit this thread now and do not return.

 

[bozack]

IBM is doing that also, well not in India, but they are taking over contracts at other small companies that originally had their own help desks, closing down the local help desks and re routing the calls to their larger help call centers...it is only a matter of time until they follow Dells lead and have the call centers overseas where it is extra cheap.

 

[3L33T32003]

Originally posted by: Millennium
I realize it is cheaper. The problem is, it makes communication IMPOSSIBLE! First of all their is not a good connection whenever you are transferred out to them. Secondly, due to both of us having accents, it makes it pretty much impossible for either one of us to understand each other. A simple problem that would take maybe 1 minute to fix took over 15 minutes! How in the long run can this be cheaper? How in the long run will people still buy Dell if they cannot get support? This is absurd. :|

They pay 1/20th the money to get half the service. A typical tech support rep in S. Florida makes 25-35k/year. They make, what, 5 bucks a day there or something????
Simple math.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: 3L33T32003

Originally posted by: Millennium
I realize it is cheaper. The problem is, it makes communication IMPOSSIBLE! First of all their is not a good connection whenever you are transferred out to them. Secondly, due to both of us having accents, it makes it pretty much impossible for either one of us to understand each other. A simple problem that would take maybe 1 minute to fix took over 15 minutes! How in the long run can this be cheaper? How in the long run will people still buy Dell if they cannot get support? This is absurd. :|

They pay 1/20th the money to get half the service. A typical tech support rep in S. Florida makes 25-35k/year. They make, what, 5 bucks a day there or something????
Simple math.

$5 a day? i think you're overestimating it