A few years ago, I used to work for one of the world’s largest call center companies doing tech support for one of the largest computer companies in the world. These outsourced call centers are all about making money and not about serving the people who call for tech help. So they force the tech support reps to get you off the phone as quickly as possible. They are hell to work for as they completely crush your spirit. I quit after seven months as I figured out that actually solving problems is something that didn’t allow the company to make money as efficiently (as they are paid by the call), and I am the type of person who actually wants to solve your problem. So when I saw this story on Salon, it reminded me of those really bad times I spent working for that call center. In fact, it was so familiar in so many ways that I am pretty sure it’s the same call center company. I’d tell you the name, but I’m pretty sure that I’d get sued if I did. But I’ll give you a clue: they are a world wide company who just got bought by a Canadian. Perhaps you can figure it out from that clue.
To be clear, I currently work for a company who doesn’t outsource their tech support, and the understand the value of tech support. That is, great tech support creates confidence in your purchase and encourages future purchases from the company in question. I am glad that the company I work for that allows me to do what I do best, and that I no longer work for a call center like the one mentioned in the story. Sadly in the age of cutting costs, outsourcing call centers is becoming more and more common. So don’t be surprised if you get an Indian based call center the next time you phone tech support, or a call center company that is U.S. or Canadian staffed with people who are simply trying to get you off the phone as quickly as possible so that they can maximize their profits.
Perhaps people should vote with their dollars and support companies who don’t outsource their customer contact (as in tech support and customer service). Maybe then, we’d get better tech support and happier customers.
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This entry was posted on March 2, 2008 at 6:41 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags bad, call centers, tech support. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Outsourced Tech Support Call Centers – Welcome To Hell
A few years ago, I used to work for one of the world’s largest call center companies doing tech support for one of the largest computer companies in the world. These outsourced call centers are all about making money and not about serving the people who call for tech help. So they force the tech support reps to get you off the phone as quickly as possible. They are hell to work for as they completely crush your spirit. I quit after seven months as I figured out that actually solving problems is something that didn’t allow the company to make money as efficiently (as they are paid by the call), and I am the type of person who actually wants to solve your problem. So when I saw this story on Salon, it reminded me of those really bad times I spent working for that call center. In fact, it was so familiar in so many ways that I am pretty sure it’s the same call center company. I’d tell you the name, but I’m pretty sure that I’d get sued if I did. But I’ll give you a clue: they are a world wide company who just got bought by a Canadian. Perhaps you can figure it out from that clue.
To be clear, I currently work for a company who doesn’t outsource their tech support, and the understand the value of tech support. That is, great tech support creates confidence in your purchase and encourages future purchases from the company in question. I am glad that the company I work for that allows me to do what I do best, and that I no longer work for a call center like the one mentioned in the story. Sadly in the age of cutting costs, outsourcing call centers is becoming more and more common. So don’t be surprised if you get an Indian based call center the next time you phone tech support, or a call center company that is U.S. or Canadian staffed with people who are simply trying to get you off the phone as quickly as possible so that they can maximize their profits.
Perhaps people should vote with their dollars and support companies who don’t outsource their customer contact (as in tech support and customer service). Maybe then, we’d get better tech support and happier customers.
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This entry was posted on March 2, 2008 at 6:41 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags bad, call centers, tech support. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.