so, i just needed some technical help from AOL, and after i finally got connected to the right place i encountered a woman who spoke extremely accented english. i had to have her repeat everything at least twice, sometimes three or four times. we got the problem solved, she was quite helpful in her own inscrutable fashion, and when we were through with the technical part of the phone call i asked her where she was from (india) and where she was at that moment. also india. so. my internet service provider is part of the great corporate program of "outsourcing" jobs to the third world, where they can pay dog's wages to their workers and leave american workers jobless, in order to plump up the corporate bottom line. this is something i rage about regularly. i obtained the corporate address and am going to write a letter of complaint, but the only vote that really counts is my monthly payment to AOL. i've had AOL as my ISP since i bought my first computer five years ago (i still have my first computer, it's my only computer so far) and have routinely threatened to leave them for another service. this may be the time i actually do it. however, first i'll have to find out if every other ISP's phone number connects to someplace in india or pakistan or the philippines. it's great to give jobs to people in these countries, god knows they need them. it's not great to take these jobs away from american workers, and it's not great that a corporation can pay workers in third world countries a pittance.
goddamn it. now i'm in a serious funk. would you like the AOL Corporate Office address?
22000 AOL Way, Dulles, VA 20166
a serious barrage of mail about this might make them pay some attention.
3 comments:
I would imagine that this problem is not confined to AOL, but I don't know for sure. The service industry jobs started leaving right after all the manufacturing jobs were gone.
For a while I had two separate AOL accounts. The only time I have talked to someone who spoke fluent English was when I called to cancel my other account.
unfortunately, it's a common practice now. they're either outsourcing or moving their plants to other countries altogether. Walmart will probably outsource their salespersons overseas if they can get away with it.
This morning I called AOL trying to get a problem resolved, and although the people I talked to (6 in all) all spoke perfect English without a hint of an accent, I am still not happy. Perhaps when they are hired over there, they are drained of personality or something. They are snotty, rude and patronizing. AOL come on get with it...or I am going to get with another company..
Post a Comment