amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
 ·Cox HSI
 ·magicjack.com
| reply to AldousSky
Re: Earthlink is outsourcing the last of it's US techs
said by AldousSky  :end your service with Earthlink and get service with a real isp... One that will treat a customer right and not make it's customers... talk to someone they can't understand and who has difficulties understanding them. A few comments:
1. As you said in a subsequent post: Almost everyone of any size is going offshore. I doubt I could move to anyone different who isn't doing the same thing.
2. I've not had any problem with EL's offshore support. In fact, I've always been satisfied.
3. I've had no trouble understanding them, or being understood.
4. I've had far worse experiences with domestic support staff. Recently I considered moving to Kite Networks (municipal wifi). I was less satisfied dealing with their support (who speak 'Merican) than all my experiences with EL's offshore support.
That's just me. Maybe I've not had one of the big hairy problems others have had.
What I don't like about offshoring is that it is essentially unfair, unfree trade. You could work for $10k a year (and compete fairly) if you could opt out of society's forced standard of living (like trash pickup, sewage treatment, water quality, environmental protection, building codes, etc., etc.). If you were allowed to use your gutter as a sewer, your backyard as a smelting plant, and add 5 stories to your house to have rental income (regardless of building codes or zoning) you could work for a lot less money.
Something seems perverse about a society *forcing* someone to live with all this "overhead," and then shrugging its shoulders when you're forced to compete with those who don't, saying "it's just a free market." There's nothing free about that.
Mark |
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chitownvet
join:2006-11-13
Chicago, IL
| Wonderfully said. Rampant capitalism is inherently evil. The world of Charles Dickens is quite like our world of today.
I have had my share of spats with the "offshore" so-called English speakers. I've found that it's the intricacies and the nuances of our language that they cannot fathom. One must speak to them like one is talking to a child. At least an American from any corner of our nation can understand you, even with a thick Chicago accent... |
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amigo_boy
join:2005-07-22
Tempe, AZ
·Cox HSI
·magicjack.com
| If the tables were turned, and a huge number of jobs paying $80k (instead of the average $30k) were available in one field, Americans would do the same thing Indians and Chinese are doing. Everyone would go where the employment is regardless of how suited they are to it. Consumers of those services would be just as dissatisfied.
I just think it's important to realize Indians are no different than us. It's not even the language issue. If you deal with an Indian who has an intuitive aptitude/passion for her work there wouldn't be much to talk about. If you deal with an American who lacks that "fit" for their work, it wouldn't matter that she speaks English. (We just don't have that many bad fits because we don't have the huge influx of jobs like India or China does, attracting everyone and their grandmother.).
It's also not really Earthlink's fault. Everyone's doing it. It's been going on a very long time, and it's become a matter of survival. If it's wrong (for the reasons I mentioned earlier), it's a political issue which should be fixed with legislation.
I don't know if it can be fixed politically. I wouldn't rule it out as "tampering with free markets." We do that all day long, from social creation of corporate charters (a fictional entity who serves as the "fall guy" shielding officers and investors from their own personal liability). Or, the SEC and banking regulation which interferes with willing buyers and sellers in the name of moderating raw market forces. Or, even food quality laws which prevent me from selling unsanitary food even if I can find willing buyers.
Maybe it can't be fixed. In which case it would serve as another validation of our progressive tax system. That those who benefit the most from the kind of unfair, unfree market conditions like offshoring owe progressively more than those who are destructively impacted by it.
There's something perverse about dismissing it as just "normal free market conditions." If that were true, then let's take down all the other social moderations to raw, free markets so that everyone gets to enjoy it like tech workers have for the past decade.
Mark |
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bmaasjr320
join:2006-03-14
Vancouver, WA
| reply to AldousSky
AldousSky, that's exactly what I did one year ago. I was already out of contract. So I took my DSL service to a local ISP. I simply left because I was having a sync issue after being upgraded to 6.0/768 speed.
I was trying to explain to the offshore techs about my line problems. But no, they said everything looked fine from there end. Yeah right what about my end. I found out a few weeks later from my local Telco. The problem I was having turned out to be a ground fault in my drop line.
FWIW, There is an Earthlink company here in my hometown call New Edge Networks. A few months ago our local paper did a story. On Earthlink's new found acquisition serving business to business customers.
In the picture Earthlink had sent out one of there corporate types from Atlanta. To give a big pep talk to local sales staff. Once I saw this picture I knew right away. It would only be a matter of time before Earthlink would go downhill.
BTW does anyone know where Blinky went. |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
 ·T-Mobile US
1 edit | reply to chitownvet
said by chitownvet : One must speak to them like one is talking to a child. That will not work one can speak to them like a machine and that will work but not as a child.
There are weeks that it seems I do nothing but work with Covad’s India based tech/test support people and I have learned as you have don’t get off the subject and don’t jump ahead of their questions. I also learned early on I was causing some of the problems by speaking a bit too fast and using industry acronyms. Other than that I have had no problems communicating with or understanding them. I also understand the issue from the other side as I also provide tech support to technicians. There has been more than one time while on the phone trying to answer a question I have thought to myself “what the heck is he talking about”?
At least an American from any corner of our nation can understand you, even with a thick Chicago accent... I don’t know how it is nowadays but I was up that way in 86 for switch training and I had no trouble understanding people though they where somewhat puzzled by my accent.
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician. |
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itsnotfairvideo
@qwest.net
| reply to AldousSky
Congrats on getting out of there Kevin. I know what you went through. I was there for many years along with others that post on this forum.
»[General] Earthlink Tech Support
Were you there back when the omaha center was still in operation? |
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ldyryslin
join:2007-07-16
Lakeland, FL
| reply to Jim Bob Jr
Wow..
I contacted some of the few of what was there not to long ago, I used to post here to help yall. I got Doc'Old's up and running at one point when he had tore this forum a new one looking for aid (original closing of the in house support, when all call support went to outsource cept for TRON)
I moved on to QA for a bit before my health took a nosedive.
I don't get how one can outsource NOC or Biz support, but I watched them do it.
Salute to the Mindspring mentality.. Elnk killed it well.
-wave-
old elnktra |
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dbarber
join:2000-07-25
West Chester, PA
| reply to Jim Bob Jr
I think that ELNK_Stacey is gone. She last logged in here 4 days ago. I have repeatedly PMed her, to no avail. With all the screwups with my current problem, I'm about to go elsewhere. The problem is that the rest of them are as bad or worse.
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These opinions are strictly my own. However, if you really want them, we can negotiate. |
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fatness
subtle
Janitor
join:2000-11-17
fishing | reply to ldyryslin
Hi Tra, nice to see you again.  |
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sashwa
Pixie Cat Crunchin' n Foldin'
Premium,Mod
join:2001-01-29
Alcatraz
clubs:  | reply to ldyryslin
Hi Tra! It's great to see you again. But I'm sorry to hear about your health. Hope you are doing better these days. |
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skj
Welcome to the far side of reality
Premium,Mod
join:2002-04-04
Atlanta, GA | reply to ldyryslin
There you are!
Good to see you back. Hope everything is ok with you. |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
·T-Mobile US
| reply to ldyryslin
said by ldyryslin :I don't get how one can outsource NOC or Biz support, but I watched them do it. old elnktra The theory is if you look at a screen it matters not where that screen is located.
Truthfully it comes down to what a company is willing to plow into tech support as it is generally seen as a profit killer not a center.
Going local is no promise of good support does anyone remember Client Logic?
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician. |
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fatness
subtle
Janitor
join:2000-11-17
fishing
 ·EarthLink
Host:
Earthlink DSL
TekSavvy
Forum Feature Requ..
Need Site Help?
Rants, Raves, and ..
| While going local doesn't guarantee good support, there is no arguing with the empirical evidence in this forum that EL tech support has declined overall, on all levels, as they've oursourced more of it overseas.
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Sure, that'll work.. |
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Splitpair
Premium
join:2000-07-29
Cow Towne
·T-Mobile US
| said by fatness :While going local doesn't guarantee good support, there is no arguing with the empirical evidence in this forum that EL tech support has declined overall, on all levels, as they've oursourced more of it overseas. I agree but do you think that is the result of going overseas or going for the lowest cost outsourcing of tech support?
Wayne
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If you cannot fix it with a buttset and some beanies you ain't a technician. |
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fatness
subtle
Janitor
join:2000-11-17
fishing
·EarthLink
Host:
Earthlink DSL
TekSavvy
Forum Feature Requ..
Need Site Help?
Rants, Raves, and ..
| Both. Lower cost help usually means worse service in any business. And going overseas introduces language difficulties in addition to worse support capabilities.
Really, if the tech support isn't closely tuned to what the rest of the provider is doing (sales offerings, outages, congestion, network difficulties), it's basically working blind. EL has fragmented their tech support and does not let the various levels see what they need to see to provide help.
--
Sure, that'll work.. |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
1 edit | reply to ldyryslin
said by ldyryslin :Wow.. I contacted some of the few of what was there not to long ago, I used to post here to help yall. I got Doc'Old's up and running at one point when he had tore this forum a new one looking for aid (original closing of the in house support, when all call support went to outsource cept for TRON) Yes, you did indeed.  I still have your old corp address. All your previous hard work was greatly appreciated.
said by ldyryslin :I moved on to QA for a bit before my health took a nosedive. I don't get how one can outsource NOC or Biz support, but I watched them do it. Salute to the Mindspring mentality.. Elnk killed it well. -wave- old elnktra Hope you are on a better track health-wise. Nose dives are no fun, None at all. I will keep you in my thoughts and ask that big guy in the sky to keep you in good health. You have been missed very much here and I wish you nothing but the best of health and finances.
Take care lady and drop by whenever you feel like popping in to say hi!!
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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ldyryslin
join:2007-07-16
Lakeland, FL | Good to see ya'll too.
Best thing that could have happened was for my health to make me stop and think things over.
Much thanks for the good wishes to all!
Tra |
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exBATS
join:2007-07-22
| reply to Jim Bob Jr
Well, most of you seem to be surprised at this move of outsourcing with EL. Here's a little bit of cold hard truth. I started with West as a tech for EL when they first got the contract. THAT, my friends was the beginning of the end for U.S. based tech support from EL itself. When EL came to West to outsource their TS, that was a red flag in my book. Then West started sending trainers to Makati, Philippines to get them up to speed (they were to assist us with call volume... ya right!). It became very apparent that West was being used as a "middle man" if you will. Once Makati became trained, West started loosing lines of TS to them. We were even in chat with Makati to assist them when they had issues they could not resolve (which was most of the time). Then Makati started sending trainers to India (Bombay, Hyderabad, to start). We were also in chat with them. The cold hard truth has a way of numbing you and unfortunately, giving you a serious attitude. It is extremely unfortunate for EL's customers, that they are treated the way they are (still getting charged an arm, leg and first born) for the service they choose and then when they complain about the TS, it falls on EL's deaf ears as they obviously could not care less. Tier 3 TS will be gone soon as well. On the subject of demanding a U.S. agent, that was a joke from the start. Customer's in the beginning would actually be transfered to a U.S.(English speaking) agent. Then it was discovered that the agents in India, given language classes to help with removal of the Indian accent and changing their names to "U.S." sounding names, was an answer to the "I want to speak to a U.S. agent" problem.
I still get calls from time to time(to my cell phone) and emails from current EL customers that I have built a rapport with, having issues. Granted, I don't get paid for giving them assistance, but I have a huge problem with good, hard working people getting "taken" on something that they depend so much on and can't get help with.
Now let's address this CEO issue... Lundsford is just another puppet in EL's "Grand Scheme" of things, to get to the much sought after..."Bottom Line", to continue filling their coffers. Now the issue of West's contract coming to an end is true and that is falling right along the time line that EL had projected to get all the TS outsourced OUT of the country. It has nothing to do with EL not wanting to renew, as their is no need since the "Master Plan" has been fulfilled.
NOW..dealing with call times and resolution, jim bob is correct. EL has guidelines they want us to follow while West is after the almighty dollar even more so than EL. EL would give us training on what they wanted on call times and resolutions, then West came in behind them and basically said, "This what WE want". End result... EL's customers got the screws put to them and continue to get them. Example: during a TS call, if it was obvious to the agent that an issue existed that would take some time to fix (that go outside the AHT-Average Handle Time), the quick release of the call was to tell the cx (customer) after doing clearing cache and reseting security levels, was to power down the computer, wait 5 mins and power back up as this would clear the computers real time memory of errors and come back up with no prior knowledge of the errors and work fine. Unfortunately, the tech would say they could'nt stay on the phone with the cx during this time, but rest assured this will correct the issue, giving them a case number to reference, IF they needed to call back. Some TS huh... If you don't have a conscience, then you would be just fine with this line of bull.
NOW... that is my rant for now as I'm out of coffee. |
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alexland
join:2007-05-20
New York, NY
| reply to amigo_boy
said by amigo_boy :What I don't like about offshoring is that it is essentially unfair, unfree trade. You could work for $10k a year (and compete fairly) if you could opt out of society's forced standard of living (like trash pickup, sewage treatment, water quality, environmental protection, building codes, etc., etc.). If you were allowed to use your gutter as a sewer, your backyard as a smelting plant, and add 5 stories to your house to have rental income (regardless of building codes or zoning) you could work for a lot less money. Something seems perverse about a society *forcing* someone to live with all this "overhead," and then shrugging its shoulders when you're forced to compete with those who don't, saying "it's just a free market." There's nothing free about that. Mark Scary thoughts come to mind...
As multinational corporations are no longer tied to any particular national interest, those who are diversified around the world may one day decide to stop doing business in the US (since it's too expensive, too regulated, etc.).
Just as we lost our manufacturing, we may lose essential other services as well. Even if they don't leave completely, but rather substantially reduce their investment into the ongoing maintenance and support (what is beginning to happen now), the widespread decline in quality of services will negatively affect the US economy, which will, in turn, cause them to further divest themselves from the US operations - a positive feedback with a disastrous outcome.
Is it time to move to China yet? |
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wlpeavy
join:2007-07-19
Houston, TX
·Consolidated Commu..
|  reply to Jim Bob Jr
 I've been on the phone to EL "TS" (it doesn't stand for "Tech Support" anymore) almost every day for over two weeks now. I've been trying to add Static IP to my DSL account. I keep getting told that "it's not available on your line right now". I've also been told that I should check with AT&T to see if I could force them to make some more Static IPs available. I've also been told that I could have Static IPs if I would sign up for a "business account". But the web page says that this particular feature is available to "residential subscribers only". It's even been suggested to me that I MIGHT be able to get Static IP whenever somebody cancels theirs. I keep asking when EL is going to get more and nobody knows. And it's evident that nobody really gives a $hirt either. Quite apart from the "bait and switch" aspects of this situation, it occurs to me that if I went to Radio Shack to buy a part for a piece of equipment and they were sold out, I'd be able to initiate a back-order or something so I could know when it would be available. Not so with EL.
I've been a subscriber for several years. First, it was cable via TWC (who really couldn't keep their cable working in my neighborhood and wasn't at all bothered by that fact) and now DSL via AT&T.
I'm giving up and I'm going to try to find an ISP that delivers what they market. That may mean AT&T for me and I really am not excited about that but I may not have a choice. |
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