glockfan Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/biztech/11/24...s.ap/index.html AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- After an onslaught of complaints, computer maker Dell Inc. has stopped using a technical support center in India to handle calls from its corporate customers. Some U.S. customers have complained that the Indian technical-support representatives are difficult to communicate with because of thick accents and scripted responses. Tech support for corporate customers with Optiplex desktop and Latitude notebook computers will instead be handled from call centers in Texas, Idaho and Tennessee, Dell spokesman Jon Weisblatt said Monday. Calls from some home PC owners will continue to be handled by the technical support center in Bangalore, India, and Weisblatt said Dell has no plans to scale back the operation there. "Customers weren't satisfied with the level of support they were receiving, so we're moving some calls around to make sure they don't feel that way anymore," Weisblatt said. He would not discuss the nature of the dissatisfaction with the call center in Bangalore. Dell is one of a number of high-tech companies that have in recent years moved jobs to India and other developing nations for the cheaper labor, which in Dell's case helps keep down the cost of providing round-the-clock support. Corporate customers account for about 85 percent of Dell's business, with only 15 percent coming from the consumer market. Worldwide, Dell employs about 44,300 people. About 54 percent are abroad. Among Dell customers dissatisfied with the company's use of overseas labor is Ronald Kronk, a Presbyterian minister in Rochester, Pennsylvania, who has spent the last four months trying to solve a problem that resulted in his being billed for two computers. The problem, he said, is that the Dell call center is in India. "They're extremely polite, but I call it sponge listening -- they just soak it in and say, 'I can understand why you're angry,' but nothing happens," Kronk said. He added: "Every time I see a Dell commercial on TV, I just cringe. They make it sound so easy and it's been a nightmare." Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahfunaki Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 This is a good thing, You can't understand them at all. The bad thing is, I don't know if this will effect me since I use an inspiron... Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404461 Share on other sites More sharing options...
redFX Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Nice! Its good to see jobs come back to the states. And anyone else find the name of the town as being funny. Bangalore. Wasn't a bangalore those german grenades on a stick in WWII. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404466 Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlishFun Veteran Posted November 25, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 25, 2003 Wow... I knew this day would come. After we all got layed off and they went to using Indian support I had a feeling they'd go back to the old way of doing it (rumors of a lot of complaints). Just goes to show you, less cost doesn't always equal best results. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404474 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary_Player Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Good! The whole situation was rediculous...Did anyone else see that special about how they have all these people going to night school to speak english and how once they learn the language they have them specialize in area-specific dialects...So if you are calling from Boston they tech-support will have a Bostonian Accent, if you are calling from Texas they'll have a Texan accent, and if you are... It was out of control :s Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404479 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keldyn Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 This only affects corporate customers. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404487 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ritalin Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 wow you for real? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404492 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keldyn Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Read the article. It clearly specifies Dell has no plans to cancel Indian technical support for home users. "Would you like an order of curried rice and papadums with your computer sir?" (N) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404498 Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Man, I hope they (and other companies) do away with outsourcing stuff to India, especially support jobs. I'm not sure if it's cultural or not, but they all come across as having an attitude. And that is not a good thing when I've been in the office for sixteen hours working on an issue... I'd like to hear someone who is at least not abrasive. ;) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404502 Share on other sites More sharing options...
glockfan Posted November 25, 2003 Author Share Posted November 25, 2003 Corp customers are where the money is for dell (according to article) I would doubt that they will move home users back as well. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404503 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotix Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Yep. Follow-up India's Dell says no orders received to revert customer calls to U.S.S. SRINIVASAN Associated Press BANGALORE, India - A day after Texas-based computer maker Dell Inc. said it had stopped routing calls from corporate customers to its technical support center in southern India, the center here said no such thing had happened. "We did not send back any calls to the U.S.," the Dell International Services' spokeswoman in the high-tech hub of Bangalore, said on Tuesday. The spokeswoman said she did not want to be quoted by name. Technical support for Dell's Optiplex desktop and Latitude notebook computers, normally handled in Bangalore, is to henceforth be handled from call centers in Texas, Idaho and Tennessee, Dell spokesman Jon Weisblatt had told The Associated Press in Austin, Texas on Monday. "Customers weren't satisfied with the level of support they were receiving, so we're moving some calls around to make sure they don't feel that way anymore," Weisblatt said. "Now, I don't know why Jon said that," the Dell spokeswoman in Bangalore said. "We are committed to India and we are growing." Austin-based Dell is among scores of U.S. companies that set up customer call centers in India and other developing nations to save costs from lower wages. Others have outsourced the work to Indian companies to achieve the same purpose. ...snipped... http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/7345841.htm Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404504 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblivion Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 That's a quick follow up on the current news. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404511 Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkmark327 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Wow... I knew this day would come. After we all got layed off and they went to using Indian support I had a feeling they'd go back to the old way of doing it (rumors of a lot of complaints). Just goes to show you, less cost doesn't always equal best results. You get what you pay for...same is true for labor. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404519 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chorpeac MVC Posted November 25, 2003 MVC Share Posted November 25, 2003 Nice! Its good to see jobs come back to the states.And anyone else find the name of the town as being funny. Bangalore. Wasn't a bangalore those german grenades on a stick in WWII. AMEN!! Althought I don't have a dell anymore. I hated calling support because I had to deal with those idiots! Oh and Bangalore is a grenade used in WWII. Didn't you see Saving Private Ryan?? It was used by the US, not sure if it was a German grenade. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404594 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+chorpeac MVC Posted November 25, 2003 MVC Share Posted November 25, 2003 "Calls from some home PC owners will continue to be handled by the technical support center in Bangalore, India, and Weisblatt said Dell has no plans to scale back the operation there. " Yeah, one in every 10,000 call will go to Austin, Texas I guess. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404599 Share on other sites More sharing options...
morganpugh84 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 I had so many problems with Dell Support because of this. I think it is very difficult for someone to understand someone else with a different accent. It isn't just people in India, I would have been just as annoyed and frustrated if it was someone from Scotland with a strong accent or someone from Texas. I just can't make out the accent. As I am sure they find it difficult to understand me! If you are calling support there is obviously a reason for it so you will be a little annoyed anyway and the last thing you want is to be talking to someone with a very strong accent who cant understand you so they cant diagnose the problem correctly and so finding a fix takes longer :( Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404602 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DELTA75329 Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Good! The whole situation was rediculous...Did anyone else see that special about how they have all these people going to night school to speak english and how once they learn the language they have them specialize in area-specific dialects...No.Wow... I knew this day would come. After we all got layed off and they went to using Indian support I had a feeling they'd go back to the old way of doing it (rumors of a lot of complaints). Just goes to show you, less cost doesn't always equal best results. I heard similar rumors. Sometimes cost cutting = quality cutting. Man, I hope they (and other companies) do away with outsourcing stuff to India, especially support jobs. I'm not sure if it's cultural or not, but they all come across as having an attitude. And that is not a good thing when I've been in the office for sixteen hours working on an issue... I'd like to hear someone who is at least not abrasive.Practically anyone who's ever called tech support has encountered this problem at one time or another. I?m not sure that outsourcing has anything to do with it. I think it has more to do with some techs in need of better training, and some callers in need of a working brain. I think the problem exists on both sides.Nice! Its good to see jobs come back to the states. Hmm... A curious statement. I have quite a bit to say in response to it, but I think Maddox does a better job of describing my position: http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=walmart Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404630 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonobozoot Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 Man, I hope they (and other companies) do away with outsourcing stuff to India, especially support jobs. I'm not sure if it's cultural or not, but they all come across as having an attitude. And that is not a good thing when I've been in the office for sixteen hours working on an issue... I'd like to hear someone who is at least not abrasive. ;) Care to explain? What the hell do u mean by saying that they have an attitude? :angry: It wasnt India that came calling to Dell. It was Dell coming to India because they want to cut costs. We dont ask people to setup shops in India. We only ask for their work competitively with American companies. If you guys cant afford to take a paycut and work for less, then stop complaining. I am from India here in the US and I really hate it when people ask me this. I dont end up arguing with them but rather explain the position and they agree atleast a little bit towards the end. If you guys can invent superconductors and silicon chips that can utilize half the power and not raise its temperature, why the hell cant you guys figure out if you can live a little cheaper? :angry: If you are short on cash at the end of the day, find another job in addition to this so that you can earn enough money. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404665 Share on other sites More sharing options...
guru Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 "Would you like an order of curried rice and papadums with your computer sir?" (N) yup i'm hungry :laugh: and btw its rice and curry....there's no curied rice... atleast not in India. dont know they are peddling u in the name of india :blink: This actually is OLD news.[atleast by 3 months] for Dell employees in India. The reason why they first moved thier corporate client for support in India is bcoz tech support in Bangalore did extremely well. [atleast the stats said so]. fortunately there are no layoffs :) infact they are ramping up like mad here both for software/tech support :woot: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404750 Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 This is a good thing, since I don't understand Hindu. :shifty: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404753 Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyD Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 There is so much outsourcing going on. I think HP does the same for their wknd/night calls. Heck, I work at a major investment bank and they are even outsourcing wknd tech support and other departments. If you ask me, all of this should be illegal. I see it time and time again over here. People will do anything to keep those bonuses fat at the end of year. It's so unfair. I can only hope that it will one day come back and bite them viciously in the ass. I pray it does. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404764 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshalus Veteran Posted November 25, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 25, 2003 bonobozoot, the point is people shouldn't have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404768 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xab Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 I'm glad Dell made the right decision, let's just hope other companies are sensible enough to follow suit. Indian tech support is HORRIBLE. Every time I need to call a company, I cringe when I hear one of them on the phone. Like the previous poster said, they are polite but clueless and unhelpful. Since many companies only outsource a portion of their support overseas, I've lately been hanging up when I get one of them and calling back in hopes of an American support center. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404772 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyder Veteran Posted November 25, 2003 Veteran Share Posted November 25, 2003 I've always thought that if you're going to have someone answer phones and speak to customers, make sure they can speak clear english (if thats your target audience). Unfortunately I'm one of those people who have difficulty understanding a thick accent. For example, where I work, our tech support was moved to Ireland. My ability to understand what they're saying depends on the person answering the phone. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404774 Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrunkenMaster Posted November 25, 2003 Share Posted November 25, 2003 I heard similar rumors. Sometimes cost cutting = quality cutting. I think cost cutting almost always = quality cutting. I work for a large company which sends stock from warehouses to stores and customers. Like other similar companies, customers order product and you have to rely on "shelf-pickers" to get the right item. "Naturally", the company (which does hundreds of millions in sales) hires the least qualified people to do the job in order to cut costs - as if "self-picking" jobs demanded high wages but in this case for most English isn't their first language and I'd wager some can't even read. So even if someone orders the right stuff - chances are sometimes the wrong items are picked. LOL. I'm betting that the company in India outsourced the tech support to another comapny in Texas and Dell was just made aware of it. And/or the Indian company opened an office in Texas and sent their Indian workers there. Heck, then they aren't lying when they say their support reps are in the US and not in India. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/118537-dell-cancels-indian-tech-support/#findComment-1404820 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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