A Motivational Kick for BPO?

Two warning signs in the same week. TCS lost a significant contract from

Indiana, due to US job loss concerns. And Dell pulled back tech support for

business buyers (85% of its sales), after complaints of "thick Indian

accents and scripted responses". Their calls would now be answered back

home, in the US Midwest.

Though this would "not impact jobs in India", it’s got everyone

worked up. With good reason. People in both countries see it as a sign of things

to come, with possible impact far more than that of a lost government contract.

And Dell was an early outsourcing believer.

I was amazed at the extent of feeling vented out in US online forums:

"It’s about friggin’ time… hope they all switch back… take> ten times longer to resolve a problem… I have never had a good

experience calling India for support. They are always courteous and

professional, but they can never solve the problem…" And from a Dell

field engineer: "There is a god. I’m soooo glad, as I have to deal with

the communication problems on a daily basis."

Maybe it’s a passing wave. But not the real problems, like the customer who

got billed for an extra computer, and four months down still faces late charges

and "sponge listening" from Dell CSRs: "They just soak it in and

say politely ‘I can understand why you’re angry’ but nothing

happens." Sound familiar? I’ve faced it now and then on support lines

from Airtel to ICICI to others.

I doubt if the problem has to do with the Indian CSR. The head of British

Rail has praised her, and our work culture. Accent is a smaller irritant if

problems get resolved quickly. If they don’t–fix the systems around the CSR.

How can Dell allow a customer problem to continue for months? Don’t they have

managers? Daily reports? Escalation? How will it help to move the problem from

India to USA?

Dell will find and fix the systemic gaps, improving service for corporate

customers. Chances are, surveys will then show that customers are five times

happier talking to Texas.

But it’s in the interest of the other Dells in India to look hard and fill

the gaps fast. As one online comment put it: "Great. Our next target should

be HP/Compaq." In today’s high-strung, job-starved global village, many

in the West will be looking for reasons to not outsource. Here’s hoping Dell

gets other MNC captives as well as BPO companies to look a lot harder at their

performance, measures, and customer satisfaction.

Prasanto K Roy