Make them pay for outsourcing
WORKERS, JULY 2006 ISSUE
Powergen, the utilities company, is to close its outsourced call centres in India and relocate them back to Britain, where 980 staff will be recruited. Its decision to locate in India was economic – workers could be employed at a small fraction of the wages paid in Britain. So is its decision to relocate to the UK – relocation is costing too much in complaints and reparation to its 6 million customers in Britain.
The argument that reducing costs drives such decisions is clearly flawed. Costs can always be driven up if workers in Britain complain.
So use the technology installed to reduce costs and boost profits against the companies: write and demand a response in writing; boycott the call centres and their push button options; boycott their websites; if you ring in, demand to speak to a British-based employee; make Customer Services really work for you.