BPO Outsourcing- Going Offshore And Its Effect On Customers
BPO outsourcing, otherwise known as business process outsourcing, is something, especially when concerning any offshore company, which is becoming a worrying trend in the United States. As the cost of doing business increases, more and more companies either relocate to another country or outsource their non-core duties to other countries such as India and the Philippians. While this trend has some very positive effects on businesses, there are also some very negative effects on the customers.
The most common of the BPO outsourcing that is currently occurring is the BPO outsourcing of call centers to other countries such as India and the Philippians. While these are English-speaking countries, English is the second language there, not the first. This has a serious effect on the understanding of the English language and the pronunciation of the words, causing heavy accents and miscommunication.
While the study of English is mandatory in India and the Philippians and is used in business practice, this does not ensure the proper usage, grammar, or pronunciation. It is well known that if one speaks a language or has learned a language a certain way; they will not notice an accent or a missed or misplaced verb. With the job interviews in both countries being in English but not conducted by native English speakers, it is very easy to get people working at a BPO outsourcing company who speaks with a heavy accent and flawed language. The effect of this is that the BPO outsourcing to other countries on the customers is noticeable. Many people have problems understanding the operators who speak with heavier accents. Many people also have problems dealing with the improper usage of the language. This can cause miscommunication between the operator and the customer resulting in lost business or unhappy customers.
American customers are currently stressing the “Made in America” mentality for the products that they purchase. With the customers wanting to purchase only American made products in many cases, some become very upset to learn that their calls are being handled through a non-American company. This can result in harassment of the operators and upset feeling by the customer. This could eventually lead to the loss of customers as well. While there is a serious effort put out by the outsourced company to provide personnel with the best English and least accent possible, it is impossible to weed out all those who speak with heavy accents and broken language. When one of the operators who are not as proficient with English places a call or receives a call, it then becomes apparent that the BPO outsourcing company is not an American company. While the use of BPO outsourcing to other countries can save a business a lot of money in the areas of transactions and calls, each business must weigh the risks as well. With proper knowledge of the customers and the BPO outsourcing companies, a good and proper selection can be made, even if it is an American company supporting American employees in the end.
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