Telecom New Zealand to trial offshore contact centre for main customer services
You know, it is the contact centre that answers your call when you dial 123 from your Telecom phone and it gets answered by a Kiwi based in Hamilton.
I have just had a phone call with Mark Watts, who gave me some more information about this project.
It is nothing new really. The Telecom broadband call center is already handled (in part) by the same group in Manila.
There is nothing decided yet about what happens in four months, the time they expect to run this trial for. It could be that nothing changes, part or the entire service is moved offshore.
Telecom staff received some e-mails yesterday announcing the trial, but they made it clear that final decision will be heavily influenced by customer satisfaction results.
When asked how this would be measured, Mark told me an independent research company will follow up with callers who contacted the 123 service and capture the metrics.
I also asked if the overseas staff will have the same powers to access account information and work on it, and Mark assured me they will have all the tools needed to provide the services people are used to.
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Comment by Steve, on 20-Feb-2008 14:50
Do Telecom's terms and conditions allow for people's personal details to be supplied to an overseas third party?!
Comment by Zonky, on 20-Feb-2008 15:34
Surely the question is the protections of Philippines privacy law equal to New Zealand?
Comment by Juha, on 20-Feb-2008 15:43
Steve's point is a good one... is it really OK for Telecom to ship NZ customers' details overseas like this, into a very different jurisdiction?
Comment by tonyhughes, on 20-Feb-2008 16:18
No different to a web based service in New Zealand shipping some of your data offshore to cheap hosting etc...
Comment by willnz, on 20-Feb-2008 18:37
It's Telecom's responsibility to keep your data protected. If your data gets into the wrong hands, Telecom is to blame, as they released it to a supposedly 'secure' third party in the first place. Of course, the third party is also somewhat to blame, but I'd be going after Telecom New Zealand in the first instance -- the agreement to keep my personal information secure is with them, not TeleTech Manila.
Comment by nic.wise, on 20-Feb-2008 22:44
Interestingly, there are quite a few companies over here in the UK who advertise that they have UK-based call centers. there is a BIG backlash against overseas call centers.
But either way, if the people are helpful, and it means I dont have to wait 30-60 mins to get a human (like I do with BT over here, or how TelstraClear used to be), I'd go for it :)
Comment by Stephen, on 21-Feb-2008 00:40
I think this is wrong, I dont know how many people complain to me about how they cannot understand the xtra helpdesk staff, who are based overseas giving text book answers, not listening to what you say cos they dont know how to answer.
When it comes to communications companies, they seem to be the worst at communications. All people want is nice friendly helpful staff that are in NZ and can speak english clearly without too much accent and low wait times. Is that not too much to ask.....
And xtra wonder why they are slipping down the customer satisfaction ratings. A crap call centre matched with crap services, what more can you ask for really?
Comment by KevDaly, on 21-Feb-2008 08:42
I'm sure it will be as much of a stunning success and customer pleaser as their other bright idea of handing Xtra email over to Yahoo in Australia.
- I don't know how I got by without important information about replica watches and cialis.
And it's *such* a relief not having to bother with emails from people I actually know.
Likewise, I'm sure it will be nice for some more New Zealanders to be relieved of the burden of having actual jobs.
Thank you again Telecom, we know you always have our best interests at heart.
Comment by nzbnw, on 21-Feb-2008 13:46
Come on guys, it's just a trial at this stage. Callers to the TeleTech 123 Help Desk will receive a follow up call from a survey company which will in the end define the success or not of the trial.
nzbnw
Comment by Wench, on 22-Feb-2008 07:57
Firstly, 123 in itself is a NZ icon and Telecom is a NZ company employing NZ people and for that reason I feel VERY strongly that 123 needs to stay in NZ.
AND "sbiddle" People DO want to work in that Call Centre, its not your average call centre by any means, there are some excellent people there that love there job and love dealing with the customers - The Place ROCKS.
Comment by David Robson, on 27-Feb-2008 08:57
I have had some very poor Xtra help desk service since they shifted it offshore and now they intend to do the same with the "123".
Enough is enough.
Can anyone tell me if there is an ISP in NZ who are wholly based in NZ because I am ready to change.
Comment by Allan David Watson, on 20-Jun-2008 00:08
I recently had to wait about 30 minutes for a call to 123 to be answered only to find out I needed the Business Faults number. I was transferred to that number and was almost immediately answered by someone with an Indian accent who quickly informed me that a local building contractor had severed a cable and it was expected to be repaired by 7pm that night.
When I checked at 8pm the offending line was working (Our Club restaurant with EFTPOS). I was very happy with the service provided by the, apparently, overseas call centre while the NZ one took way too long to answer.
Comment by s1rr0n, on 21-Dec-2008 04:17
why don't you ask AT&T, Verzin Cingular wireless for you to find out.
Comment by s1rr0n, on 21-Dec-2008 04:24
why don't you ask AT&T, Verizon, Cingular Wireless for you to find out.
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Comment by sbiddle, on 20-Feb-2008 14:48
It's hardly surprising that Telecom are simply following what everybody else are doing. The reality is that people don't want to work in contact centres and be abused by grumpy customers all day every day. If NZers don't want to work in call centres (staff turnover is high and getting new staff is difficult) but continually moan about the poor service they receive and wait times then there are no real options for companies but to outsource the work to foreign countries.