Outsourcing Seen as Bad Business
I hope that other American companies will realize that outsourcing of American jobs is just bad business (“Overseas Outsourcing Trend Is Seen Persisting,” Dec. 28).
We need to keep jobs in this country. Far too many American companies have shipped out jobs, resulting in inferior customer service for their American customers.
I have frequently expressed my concerns to American Express and America Online that their company name is American Express, not Indian Express, and America Online is not India Online.
When I am connected with a foreign call center of an American company, I take the time to let them know that I do not like to do business with American companies that ship jobs out of this country. I also limit my business dealings with such companies.
I was glad to read that Dell Inc. has brought some of those outsourced positions back to this country.
Judith Rubin
Los Angeles
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An effective counter-strategy would be for the general public to severely stigmatize businesses and business leaders who engage in offshoring.
Remember, the job-killing is being led largely by American CEOs working for American companies traded on American stock exchanges.
Congress should amend the post-Enron Corp. Sarbanes-Oxley law’s corporate disclosures to include a thorough and highly visible description of each publicly traded company’s offshoring and outsourcing activities.
If thorough disclosure of executive compensation and stock options is crucial to investors’ and the public’s understanding of the quality of a business, shouldn’t the annual report also include an honest picture of an American company’s workforce changes?
We’ve passed the point where our biggest businesses and their leaders are hurting their countrymen. Questions about their patriotism and basic ethics are now fair game.
Bill Murphy
Mountain View, Calif.
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Companies opting to establish overseas call centers take a major downside quality hit.
My experience has been inconsistent technical expertise along with huge communication/language problems.
Chief executives of companies with offshore centers should call anonymously and judge for themselves whether the cost savings offset the lousy customer service.
Glynn Morris
Playa del Rey
