...and the 8000 mile technical support call to India
This continuingly globalized world is making for some very interesting journal entries. In my previous article I listed a few of the things I've been doing before I head off on the next portion of my round the world travels. One of them was to upgrade the financial software on my tablet PC from Quicken 2001 to Quicken 2003. Anyone who does home finance on their computer will immediately know what I am talking about.
After installing the program I needed to call Intuit's (Maker of Quicken) technical support. After waiting on hold for 30 minutes I was finally patched through. I was casually joking with my father that I bet the technical support had moved offshore - as some "high technology industry" jobs have started too. I said this in the midst of my frustration while waiting on hold - on my dime. I was just joking. Turns out the joke was on me.
As I was patched through I was able to resolve my issue quickly. Not as quickly as it could have been though. Why? There was a slight delay in the phone line as we spoke back and forth. A little annoying. The representative also spoke with a moderately heavy accent. We were able to communicate just fine. But, it got me wondering.
When I talk to people on the phone I often like to know where they are. I've struck up conversations with many telephone reps - especially when I was planning out my around the world ticket with the very helpful and nice American Airlines agents - in Dearborn, MI (I learned that the largest population of Iraqis in the US live here), Ft. Worth, TX, and Tucson, AZ. Having been to a number of these places also helps to stimulate conversation - while waiting for their computer to bring back an answer or just to shoot the breeze.
So I asked this agent - are you down there in Mountain View, California? (Where Intuit is headquartered). Her answer: For security reasons I cannot tell you where I am located. Excuse me - for security reasons? The last time I checked call centers aren't a high priority terrorist target. Or maybe I just don't understand. Or maybe Intuit thinks it would be bad Public Relations.
In my 21 Days to WA trip report I briefly spoke of a curtain of ignorance. I also said that those who consume more need to be the least ignorant. I think I might have been wrong on that. Even those who don't consume as much (Including the African farmer) need to be less ignorant. Case in point - Call Center workers in the US losing jobs to lower wage workers in the India. Or in the case of the African farmer - the risk that his land and/or crop and/or way of living, etc.. will be taken advantage of by some multinational corporation.
The inertia of greed and power is very strong. Or is it just "competition?" And if you follow some of the links below - it isn't just "lower skilled" service jobs. Financial analyst positions are on the chopping block in the US too. As well as plenty of software development jobs.
But, Americans as consumers shouldn't really be mad about our jobs moving offshore - even jobs where speaking good English is a prerequisite. After all, Americans (And me included) as collectively the world's foremost consumers (I only single out Americans for illustration, as it relates to my story - but it really doesn't matter - consumers are everywhere in Japan, Australia, France, UK, anywhere) have been happy to buy many products made overseas in lower wage countries. I took a look at our shoe rack here. About 10 pairs of shoes. Every single one of them is Made in China. Without exception. I thought at least one of them might be made in Bangladesh, Taiwan, or something. And none of them are Nikes (The frequent target of activists).
We can't have our cake and eat it too. We all have to "pay the piper" sooner or later.
What comes around - goes around. Never more true. So keep buying cheap goods at Wal Mart (The American success story!) or Target, etc... You just might be buying yourself out of a job.
Yahoo! search on Monsanto and Genetically Modified Food
This gives me an idea for a future article - I would like to talk about how an area of the USA known for strong religious beliefs is hurtling us towards a life with genetically modified ingredients and fear mongering. So much for finding strength in God. (Think home state of John Ashcroft, and Monsanto HQ in St.Louis)
3 Call Centers to India (Arizona Daily Star article)
Why India (Client Oursource)
Indianitis (Times of India copied article)
Follow the Bits (CIO Insight)
After installing the program I needed to call Intuit's (Maker of Quicken) technical support. After waiting on hold for 30 minutes I was finally patched through. I was casually joking with my father that I bet the technical support had moved offshore - as some "high technology industry" jobs have started too. I said this in the midst of my frustration while waiting on hold - on my dime. I was just joking. Turns out the joke was on me.
As I was patched through I was able to resolve my issue quickly. Not as quickly as it could have been though. Why? There was a slight delay in the phone line as we spoke back and forth. A little annoying. The representative also spoke with a moderately heavy accent. We were able to communicate just fine. But, it got me wondering.
When I talk to people on the phone I often like to know where they are. I've struck up conversations with many telephone reps - especially when I was planning out my around the world ticket with the very helpful and nice American Airlines agents - in Dearborn, MI (I learned that the largest population of Iraqis in the US live here), Ft. Worth, TX, and Tucson, AZ. Having been to a number of these places also helps to stimulate conversation - while waiting for their computer to bring back an answer or just to shoot the breeze.
So I asked this agent - are you down there in Mountain View, California? (Where Intuit is headquartered). Her answer: For security reasons I cannot tell you where I am located. Excuse me - for security reasons? The last time I checked call centers aren't a high priority terrorist target. Or maybe I just don't understand. Or maybe Intuit thinks it would be bad Public Relations.
In my 21 Days to WA trip report I briefly spoke of a curtain of ignorance. I also said that those who consume more need to be the least ignorant. I think I might have been wrong on that. Even those who don't consume as much (Including the African farmer) need to be less ignorant. Case in point - Call Center workers in the US losing jobs to lower wage workers in the India. Or in the case of the African farmer - the risk that his land and/or crop and/or way of living, etc.. will be taken advantage of by some multinational corporation.
The inertia of greed and power is very strong. Or is it just "competition?" And if you follow some of the links below - it isn't just "lower skilled" service jobs. Financial analyst positions are on the chopping block in the US too. As well as plenty of software development jobs.
But, Americans as consumers shouldn't really be mad about our jobs moving offshore - even jobs where speaking good English is a prerequisite. After all, Americans (And me included) as collectively the world's foremost consumers (I only single out Americans for illustration, as it relates to my story - but it really doesn't matter - consumers are everywhere in Japan, Australia, France, UK, anywhere) have been happy to buy many products made overseas in lower wage countries. I took a look at our shoe rack here. About 10 pairs of shoes. Every single one of them is Made in China. Without exception. I thought at least one of them might be made in Bangladesh, Taiwan, or something. And none of them are Nikes (The frequent target of activists).
We can't have our cake and eat it too. We all have to "pay the piper" sooner or later.
What comes around - goes around. Never more true. So keep buying cheap goods at Wal Mart (The American success story!) or Target, etc... You just might be buying yourself out of a job.
Yahoo! search on Monsanto and Genetically Modified Food
This gives me an idea for a future article - I would like to talk about how an area of the USA known for strong religious beliefs is hurtling us towards a life with genetically modified ingredients and fear mongering. So much for finding strength in God. (Think home state of John Ashcroft, and Monsanto HQ in St.Louis)
3 Call Centers to India (Arizona Daily Star article)
Why India (Client Oursource)
Indianitis (Times of India copied article)
Follow the Bits (CIO Insight)
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