Kevin Mc

Story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3199598.stm

Well I am currently with HSBC, and am seriously considering moving elsewhere because of this.

I would rather pay more interest / charges to have UK call centres than to speak to someone in Asia who hasn't got a clue what I'm saying (and vice versa).

If all companies export the work to Asia, they'll be no-one left here with an income to buy their goods and services.

Can anyone recommend another bank who has not (and isn't about to have) a call centre outside the UK?

[Edited by Kevin Mc - 10/17/2003 12:33:49 PM]

HumptyDumpty

were all doommed

HumptyDumpty

anyone fancy a curry?

SPEN555

Spot on Kevin.

My current account is with HSBC and if I have to ring up and find myself struggling to just communicate with them never mind the problem I have then I will be closing my account. Trouble more and more banks are doing this.

Damian.

RB170

Kevin don't be fooled into thinking that it's only HSBC that are doing this.

There are currently 4 other highstreet banks and a number of other banking institutions looking to move their front line customer support operations offshore.

Lloyds TSB have a centre in Newport South Wales, the reason they moved it there was that the wages were cheaper in Newport than in Korea. This is now not the case so they may be looking to move this operation again

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

HumptyDUMPty,

Very Clever comment...NOT

SD

Well I work in the IT dept of a call centre for a subsidary of a major oil company and I can tell you that we aren't bulk buying P45's.... Yet.

DAC

they should all go on an immediate strike - will certainly knacker the business. and they are going to be made redundant anyway.

do as they are doing - hold them to ransom - HSBC have threatened staff who speak to press etc. will lose all redundancy payments.


We are so subserviant in this country - IIRC HSBC is far east owned anyway so they've done the usual - buy a big UK based business - milk it/expand it - and move the jobs out of the country.

why is our government so spineless - you couldn't do this in say France - have to have the union agreement first.

RichWalk

Bloody marvelous effort from the last Con & Labour Gov's, destroy the Unions, ruin any manufacturing left in the UK, drive all these people into the service sector then replace their roles with slave labour in the far east!!

Surprised they havnt advocated the legitimistation of crime to reduce unemployment figures.. "Hi Johnny, got a great opening as a car thief for you this week"

289

HSBC stands for HONG KONG & SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION. Exactly what is wrong with them wanting to transfer some jobs to their home region?

RB170

The majority of HSBC's business in the UK has resulted from the purchase of the Midland Bank (remember the Griffin) so you could argue that europe is their home region

[Edited by RB170 - 10/17/2003 2:13:36 PM]

Hanley

For an Ethical Bank have a look at The Co-operative Bank.

Have a look at their Ethical Policy

Or, if you prefer more online services with the same Ethics then take a look at Smile which is the Internet arm of the Co-operative Bank.



[Edited by Hanley - 10/17/2003 2:22:13 PM]

Htd

IIRC The UK has the 2nd largest number of HSBC branches in the world, the first being Brazil.

Approx 1900 in UK, 2100 in Brazil

Scooby96

ABS anyone?

Scooby96

RichWalk - its not slave labour. Its actually 80% cheaper but those that are fortunate enough to land a job in Bangalore etc are soooo grateful that they work their ***** off and dont whinge like us Brits doing the same job. Hmmmn - if I owned my own company and could make a saving of 80% in staff costs, not have to offer a pension, healthcare, sick pay then I damn well would employ anyone who was competent to do the job.

I'm sure they dont spend all their day on SN either

MooseRacer

nope they're all on Tatanet

civictyper

Funnily enough I rang First Direct (part of HSBC) after the news last night and they have told me that their operations at least will not be moving abroad.

Glad to hear it as they have been the only call centre I've experienced that actually action your requests (don't get me started on Barclays, BT, N-Power, NTL etc, etc).

Goochie

A funny thing happened to me last week thats slightly related to this - I rang Cable Direct's directory enquiries service (they are our phone provider at work) to as for the number of Carphone Warehouse in Oxford.

The guy had never heard of Carphone Warehouse and asked if Oxford was a part of London!!!

Chris L

HSBC was actually founded by a Scot and it opened offices in London in the same year as it did in Hong Kong. The names suggest they are an Asian bank, but they are far from it. Their official headquarters is still in Hong Kong, but their registered offices are in London. Regardless of that, it is just a sign of the times. If it works for them, they'll be happy. I can't believe they made the decision lightly given the impact this could have on their customer base. It is pretty easy to change bank accounts these days, people won't hesitate to change if they feel they aren't getting the service (I've done it several times).

Chris

DAC

The guy had never heard of Carphone Warehouse and asked if Oxford was a part of London!!!

and is it ?

Kevin Mc

corner! (My first ever corner!)

I'm actually with First Direct - I thought it'd be the whole group. Wouldn't be surprised if they go in the long run...

NACRO

I don't blame them, it makes a lot of sense in todays market place. Particularly for first line stuff you can train anyone to do. Then again I would say that as I'm a mostly silent partner in a computer support business based in India.
Where I agree they can fall down is in the quality of the personnel in place and their standard of spoken English. We only hired people who had been educated outside India during their University education and we are yet to receive any complaints from clients. It can work and as far as I'm concerned these people deserve the work as much as anyone in the UK. Regarding exploitation, yes wages are lower but to give you an idea we pay them double the money they would receive working for an Indian company.

Luke

Not that many years to go when no english people will have a job in this country.... Its all going either abroad. Or to cheaper foreign labour... Maybe I understand why... But its a sad thing

DrEvil

Luke - it won't be long before the wages in these other countries increases to similar levels as in the UK and US - supply and demand and all that. IMHO

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Luke,

Are you implying that non-white British Citizens are not British?

pbee

yep im a hsbc customer, I opened new current acounts at the halifx online today will tasnfer everything next week,

vote with your feet.

Dunk

iTrader: (1)

Air India outsourced years ago, ring up & you get through to a call centre in Slough.

D

Luke

BOB

My post says "English" not "British"... I regard anyone born in this country to be british.

civictyper

The chappie I spoke to offered to read out a memo distributed through the office saying that they were staying put. I guess they were crapping themselves with the news too.

I guess they will all move abroad in the end but I hope not. FD have built quite a reputation from the Leeds based centre so it would be a shame to shaft the people that helped to build the company in the first place.

juan

Service will probably improve not go downhill anyway!

Plus might be easier to understand than some of the broadest Scottish / NorthEast accents you often get currently.

Been with em for 15 years and won't be moving until I experience problems

[Edited by juan - 10/17/2003 5:42:43 PM]