Foo - IT Help desks...

Are all of their call centers in India?

Apparently, the company I work for is switching to a different IT 'total solutions', and my boss is wanting to know if we can look forward to the same communication barrier.:rolleyes:

What's complicating my research is that one of my bosses thinks that the new company is going to be Compuserve :lol:.

No they aren't. Some are in newfoundland, alberta etc.

We had support come from India during the business day and Canada after business hours.

Now IT support is back in-house and I can call them directly without getting yelled at. :)

Seems like with bigger companies that is the case.

I actually work for one of the big company IT helpdesks that is in the country. When I worked at another job doing tier 2 support for another helpdesk with tier 1 being in India, I asked the question: "So if we solve more problems then those folks over in India per person, why is big corporation paying for the call center in India?"

Answer: "One of us American tech support agents costs as much as 12 of the Indian agents."

I totally understand the frustration in dealing with Indian tech support agents. The language barrier is often huge.

ours is in romania

I don't really care where support comes from as long as it's competent. My experiences with low level support are uniformly piss poor. Either the agent is a complete imbecile, or it's obvious they're just reading from a script.

My web hosting company is based in Phoenix, just an hour and 45 minutes (driving) from where I am. I love that.

No, but some that are not...probably should be.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt9j80Jkc_A

I don't really care where support comes from as long as it's competent. My experiences with low level support are uniformly piss poor. Either the agent is a complete imbecile, or it's obvious they're just reading from a script.

Scratch that. I can think of a company that provides low cost services with good customer support. My experiences with Bluehost have always been good and I've had to call them for a number of kooky things since I probably do things with my account that few others do. In all cases, I quickly got directed to someone who knew what was going on and the problem was solved.

No, but some that are not...probably should be.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt9j80Jkc_A


That is quite possibly one of my favorite TV shows ever.

I had to tell a guy my phone was broke once. He said it wasn't. I said it didn't work the receiver didn't work. He said that didn't mean it was broke. I explained to him what broke meant and he was quiet. Which is better than the room he was in. I hear Hindi in the back ground but your not in India? Oh you must be in Cleveland the Calcutta of the west.

I had to tell a guy my phone was broke once. He said it wasn't. I said it didn't work the receiver didn't work. He said that didn't mean it was broke.

Technically, the help desk guy was correct.

broke (adj.) == bankrupt
broken (adj.) == in a state of disrepair

Seems like with bigger companies that is the case.

I actually work for one of the big company IT helpdesks that is in the country. When I worked at another job doing tier 2 support for another helpdesk with tier 1 being in India, I asked the question: "So if we solve more problems then those folks over in India per person, why is big corporation paying for the call center in India?"

Answer: "One of us American tech support agents costs as much as 12 of the Indian agents."

I totally understand the frustration in dealing with Indian tech support agents. The language barrier is often huge.

The language barrier is part of the problem, a big one, but not the whole enchilada. It easily takes twice as long to understand them, or for them to comprehend what we are trying to tell them. Luckily, initial contact is via e-mail, and we try to be as specific as possible. Even then, sometimes things are lost in translation.

Without giving away any trade secrets, this is the machine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz22uX2u-jw) that I use at work. I'm the primary operator and the only tech in our facility who can even come close to do upkeep or repairs. When the IT was in-house, they went to a special training class to learn that machine. If I needed/wanted someone to second guess my trouble shooting, I had that option without incurring a hefty call to the manufacturer. Since outsourcing the IT, I no longer have that option. They can remote access and check the software settings, but if it's hardware related, then I'm basically screwed.

Technically, the help desk guy was correct.

broke (adj.) == bankrupt
broken (adj.) == in a state of disrepair

8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments. [1913 Webster]
No, I was right.

The language barrier is part of the problem, a big one, but not the whole enchilada. It easily takes twice as long to understand them, or for them to comprehend what we are trying to tell them. Luckily, initial contact is via e-mail, and we try to be as specific as possible. Even then, sometimes things are lost in translation.

Try using fewer idioms and colloquialisms :)

Without giving away any trade secrets, this is the machine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oz22uX2u-jw) that I use at work.


You work with a Reject Processor? Do you process BF membership requests, by chance?

8. To shatter to pieces; to reduce to fragments. [1913 Webster]
The definition you've given is from the present tense verb form "break" (http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?action=search&resource=Webster%27s&word=Break&quicksearch=on), of which "broke" is the past tense.
The form used in your statement to the IT guy is an adjective, not a verb.


No, I was right.
No. You were wrong, and your research citation only solidifies that conclusion.

++++++
Edit:
Before anyone else posts it. (http://xkcd.com/386/)

You work with a Reject Processor? Do you process BF membership requests, by chance?
Actually, the one I work with has 13 pockets. The first one is for camera rejects, pockets 2-12 are programmable to the job, and the last one is for mechanical rejects.

So, yeah, that would be like processing BF membership requests :p

The definition you've given is from the present tense verb form "break" (http://machaut.uchicago.edu/?action=search&resource=Webster%27s&word=Break&quicksearch=on), of which "broke" is the past tense.
The form used in your statement to the IT guy is an adjective, not a verb.


No. You were wrong, and your research citation only solidifies that conclusion.

++++++
Edit:
Before anyone else posts it. (http://xkcd.com/386/)

Joke \Joke\, v. i. [L. jocari.]

To do something for sport, or as a joke; to be merry in words or actions; to jest. [1913 Webster]
He laughed, shouted, joked, and swore. --Macaulay.
Syn: To jest; sport; rally; banter. See Jest (http://www.dictionary.net/searchbox.php?st=2&query=Jest). [1913 Webster]
Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48