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Dell Moving Tech Support Back to US

Sagittarius   on 01 April 2008 - 14:39 · 33 comments & 23769 views

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In the midst of the sub-prime market crisis, the recent insolvency of Bear Stearns, and the falling value of the dollar, a source within Dell's Customer Service Division has revealed that the world's third largest computer manufacturer is already in the process of moving it's phone support centers back to the United States. Dubbed "Operation Re-Outsource", or "Resource" for short, the project aims to strategically shift almost 10,000 jobs from India back to the US over the course of three years due to sharply decreasing wages in the US service industry; although Dell had initially sought India as a source of cheap labour, "that country is just too popular at the moment," said our source. "Companies forget: as you outsource more and more people, you come to the point where you're almost reliant on India, and businessmen there aren't stupid. They know exactly when they can jack up the price."

The new support centers are to be based primarily in the old Rustbelt of America, where fierce competition from the Japanese has shut down many once productive automobile factories, leaving thousands unemployed. According to our source, "Resource" is aimed at giving these men and women a much needed fresh start in life. And, to ensure that the jobs remain in the US, Dell will be taking a page out of Walmart's book this time around: the computer maker will "strongly discourage" any attempts at unionization in an effort to ensure that prices remain low. However, workers don't seem too perturbed. One man who had signed a preliminary contract with Dell had this to say: "No, [the union] issue doesn't bother me really. I'm just trying to feed my family, is all, and, the way I see it, any job is better than none."

Okay, yes, this too was an April fool's story, albeit not all together unbelievable. Happy April Fools, and profuse apologies if anyone took issue with the article.

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#1 Marshalus on 01 Apr 2008 - 14:54
Sweet!
(1 reply) #2 xcopmanx on 01 Apr 2008 - 14:56
No source = April Fool's joke. heh.
#2.1 Flae_qui on 01 Apr 2008 - 15:10
(xcopmanx said @ #2)
No source = April Fool's joke. heh.
it has to be... no way dell would do that it cost to much... and we all know they rather make a buck then make a user happy
#3 Express on 01 Apr 2008 - 14:57
Operation Re-Outsource
#4 XeonBuilder on 01 Apr 2008 - 14:57
That was the main reason we stopped buying dells. We could never understand the people we called for tech support. This move alone should boost sales for them.
#5 4tehlulz on 01 Apr 2008 - 15:17
Heh. It's funny 'cuz it could happen.
(1 reply) #6 Foub on 01 Apr 2008 - 15:42
Of course its an April Fool's joke since many American companies are already insourcing their cheap labor through abuse of the H1-B visa program.
#6.1 briangw on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:27
(Foub said @ #6)
Of course its an April Fool's joke since many American companies are already insourcing their cheap labor through abuse of the H1-B visa program.


I don't think it's a joke. I read in a tech magazine late last year that a lot of companies are doing this because customer satisfaction has hit an all time low. Companies are finally realizing that in order to maintain/increase business, they need to keep their customers happy.
#7 WelshBluebird on 01 Apr 2008 - 15:48
Dunno what its like out in the US, but if this had been a UK company, this would actually be very believable (as a quite a few UK based companies have brought their customer support back to UK shores from abroad).
#8 TechMedik on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:19
Whether or not its an april fools joke, that's why I pay the little extra when I bought my dell xps system or my lenovo system. That way I new I was getting north american tech/customer service support.

It's not that I am xenophobic or whatever you want to call it...but when I have a real problem with my system, I want to know that I can understand the person I am talking to and that he/she can actually help me.
#9 nothin2seehere on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:21
I consciously avoid ringing customer support centres that I know are based outside of the UK. It really irks Me. Took me 20 minutes to change my direct debit details once. Unbelieveable.
(2 replies) #10 P!P on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:23
This actually isn't that far fetched. Some companies are moving some of their operations over to the US because of the weak dollar. I think it was BMW who is moving some manufacturing over here.

This might not be a joke next April Fools.
#10.1 +Zhivago on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:37
(P!P said @ #1)
This actually isn't that far fetched. Some companies are moving some of their operations over to the US because of the weak dollar. I think it was BMW who is moving some manufacturing over here.


BMW already assembles X5 and some 3 series in South Carolina (or is it Alabama :/) I believe. However, a BMW made in Germany and even in the U.S. is still 10 times better than a BMW made in India
#10.2 ivanz on 02 Apr 2008 - 05:20
I don't know about that. I would never buy a BMW if it was made in the US or anywhere except Germany. The whole point of buying a German car is to have it built in Germany.
#11 leo221 on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:49
check this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-u9B6nouBo If we don't understand those Indian ppl, we read captions

Last edited by leo221 on 01 Apr 2008 - 16:55
#12 xMorpheousx416 on 01 Apr 2008 - 17:00
This is not a joke .......



Dell, is finally following in the foot steps of HP. HP is and has, already moved most of their front line tech support back to the US.


Why?

Popular demand.. as most of you posted here. I know for a fact, that well over 90% of the dissatisfied customer complaints weren't just because we couldn't understand our tech support, but because of well known and documented cases that India based call centers are extremely rude, and would rather hang up on people than to stay and get the problem solved.


I love it though...... just because a news article gets posted on April 1st, some of you think it's a joke.
(2 replies) #13 Rudy on 01 Apr 2008 - 17:03
their "premium" tech support is already in the US, my gf has been dealing with this guy from Texas for over a year to resolve issues with her laptop
#13.1 +Zhivago on 01 Apr 2008 - 18:00
Sounds like a very effective tech support!
#13.2 Rudy on 01 Apr 2008 - 23:54
(Zhivago said @ #13.1)
Sounds like a very effective tech support!

I never said it was any better lol
#14 +0sm3l on 01 Apr 2008 - 17:35
it should be illegal to do that in the first place
#15 Magallanes on 01 Apr 2008 - 17:46
And not only for USA, for example here (a banana country), Dell did manage to find the way to outsorcing the tech support and use a even more cheap laborer.

Next of tech support outsorcing :monkey and slaves.

#16 Skwerl on 01 Apr 2008 - 18:18
This is good news for communities that are hurting from the downfall of manufacturing and the Walmartification of the country.
(1 reply) #17 guruparan on 01 Apr 2008 - 18:58
Yeap....my frnd worked in dell support (Call center) 5 yrs back...he worked in Night shift & he daily literally cried saying that he couldnt understand what US people spk nor they cant understand what he tells!!..

I know that there was a big gap in the communication (which is a backbone for tech support!...i too felt bad on why Dell & other MNC choose these kind of offshore work to give a worthless support!!...

I feel someday the same if our india products support call center moves to China!! ....i never can understand a single word!! :-)
#17.1 leo221 on 01 Apr 2008 - 20:50
(guruparan said @ #17)
Yeap....my frnd worked in dell support (Call center) 5 yrs back...he worked in Night shift & he daily literally cried saying that he couldnt understand what US people spk nor they cant understand what he tells!!..

I know that there was a big gap in the communication (which is a backbone for tech support!...i too felt bad on why Dell & other MNC choose these kind of offshore work to give a worthless support!!...

I feel someday the same if our india products support call center moves to China!! ....i never can understand a single word!! :-)


maybe you don't understand. the point of many companies moving support to india is because that country was under British rule for long time and many people were educated with and now speak english (not the kind you and me can easily understand without guessing). moving support to china is totally not feasible. now dell is heavily promoting support via chat sessions. those indians do type very polite conversions.
(1 reply) #18 pyehac on 01 Apr 2008 - 20:55
third? who's first / second?
#18.1 leo221 on 01 Apr 2008 - 21:24
(pyehac said @ #1
third? who's first / second?


hp's 1st, dell should be 2nd.
(1 reply) #19 Xilo on 01 Apr 2008 - 21:22
I work in an IT division at my University. We buy all Dell. However, what's nice is, for volume customers like us, we get a more corporate like tech support. They are all English speaking and not from India.

Why can't all tech support be like this?
#19.1 Nose Nuggets on 02 Apr 2008 - 01:09
(Xilo said @ #19)
I work in an IT division at my University. We buy all Dell. However, what's nice is, for volume customers like us, we get a more corporate like tech support. They are all English speaking and not from India.

Why can't all tech support be like this?


because its more expensive.


what people here dont understand is, you can have english speaking tech support. and dell would be more then happy to provide it for you. but you sure as hell aint getting it with a $300 desktop, monitor, printer combo. Dell is a buisiness, they are in the buisiness of making money. if you buy a $300 computer which costs dell $130 to make and then spend 3hours on the phone with tech support. guess what. its a wash for dell.

but the corp tech support is good. its not fantastic, but its good. their OpenManage department is outstanding. those guys know server 03, active directory, exchange server through and through.


you get what you pay for is essentially what it comes down to. i GUARANTEE if you go to the local computer shop and spend twice as much their for the same computer dell sells you, you will get FAR superior support. but dont for one second think your going to get something you didnt pay for.
#20 I am Not PCyr on 02 Apr 2008 - 01:58
that was awesome !

i love a good American OutSourcing joke

what will they outsource next ? childbirth ?

nothing demonstrates the worth of YOUR own people
than outsourcing every conceivable thing imaginable..
Oh but our people are stupid lazy morons thats why china
has to make ***** for us and thats why India has to answer our phone for us LOLOL

#21 LinDog on 02 Apr 2008 - 02:49
Outsourcing ruins customers albeit it may be cheaper. I called Linksys to help me with a wireless adapter but all agents were from INDIA (*rips hair screaming). They were very rude as well as hard to understand and no my problem was not solved. I expected better from a company that does A LOT better than D-Link or any other networking device maker but ended up with them. I was thinking in my head WTF is he saying?!?!? Doh time to hang up cause I have no idea WTH hes trying to get to me.
#22 sibot on 02 Apr 2008 - 05:33
Lol you got me there for a minute
#23 boho on 02 Apr 2008 - 11:33
The "New World Order" at work here folks. Driving domestic wages down to those of the "Third World"

The truth is probably stranger than fiction. The fact is companies are finding it difficult to find well educated well spoken people in India. There are sharp practices there too ;-). The best people are shifting jobs to the best employers, as they are everywhere else. Foreign call centres only work, if they can get better people than in the domestic market. People, welcome to the 19 century all over again.
#24 Skwerl on 02 Apr 2008 - 14:50
Dell should make callers solve a quick little number puzzle and decide how to route your call based upon the answer you provide. Unintelligble Indians reading from dichotomous manuals should he sufficient for people that are hopelessly stupid, since their questions and problems are probably simplistic. Those that are able to solve the puzzle get native English-speaking support. What a compromise!

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