This was forwarded to me by my husband. It was written by someone that works for the same company he does, but in their Portland, OR location.
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GM has always used a third party customer service provider to handle
customer interactions. From 1999-2005 this company was SITEL. GM signed a
five year contract with SITEL, valued at an estimated $100,000,000 per
Year. It was outsourced, but at least GM kept it in the states. An American
pride based auto manufacturer should have American employees help their
loyal American customers. GM set up call centers for SITEL in Portland,
Austin, Tampa, and Detroit. A Texan who is extremely proud to be and buy
American wouldn't take too kindly to the idea of talking about his broken
Silverado with a Phillipino in Manilla.
During 2005 SITEL decided not to bid on a new contract with GM. GM wanted
the outsouce structure set up differently, and SITEL claims it did not have
time to prepare for it. Setting up new business plans takes months, you
can't make huge moves without heavy financial planning.
IBM stepped in, and decided to handle all of GM's customer interaction.
IBM, then hired third party customer service companies. Convergys took
Portland and Tampa. This was announced to SITEL employees in October 2005.
As of January 1st, all of us (600 in Portland) would be terminated with
SITEL. SITEL was a pretty shitty company with terrible medical benefits and
no opportunity for advancement. The pinched every penny and never, ever
gave raises. Most employees were not sad too see SITEL go. There was the
lingering question though; how could a company underbid an entity as cheap
and shitty as SITEL?
During the next 2 months we were all assured Convergys was awesome.
Everything would be better. If we didn't apply to be hired on at this
glorious new Convergys - SITEL would fight us tooth and nail if we applied
for unemployment. We got daily voice mails and emails demanding we apply,
and lists posted of people who didn't apply.
Most of us did apply, and quickly realized we had been had. Convergys is
extremely disorganized. They don't show an interest in changing the site
much, or conveying plans and policies to the new employees. The Convergys
health coverage was twice as expensive, and covered half of what SITEL's
shitty medical coverage did.
A month and a half into our Convergys experience, we were told that They
were shutting down the US call centers. They are outsourcing their
outsourced business to Argentina, The Philippines, and Nova Scotia. This
was on the Front page of the Oregonian's business section February 16, 2006.
2,000 employees will be out of work some unannounced time in 2006. 2007 are
when the very last employees will be out.
Now we see how a company can underbid another equally cheap company. Hire
workers in foreign countries for much less pay, and no benefits. Try to do
it quietly, and fire Richard Campbell for going to the Oregonian about it.
Teach the new employees in The Philippines and Argentina to speak with
American accents, and give them fake names like "Bob Smith".
The worst thing about it is they lied to the loyal employees of the GM
contract. Many of us had been there when the SITEL sites first opened up.
Some asked in the Meetings "Why did you demand we all apply and promise us
a career if you were just going to fire us?". The answer to that question
is obvious - they wanted to use us up and throw us away in a few months.
What a bunch of half-assed fucking liars!
Convergys had to have been planning for this since at least mid 2005. You
just don't open up call centers across the globe without a lot of planning.
They told us they weren't planning it early. Again I say, what a bunch of
fucking half-assed liars!
While Convergys is the main culprit, GM has a lot of the share of blame
too. They signed a contract with Convergys and IBM to handle their
customers. GM knew they were going to outsource it off shores and cost
thousands of loyal employees their jobs. These contract negotiations are
complex and heavily detailed. There is no way in hell they completely
omitted the part about closing the US call centers down, and then said
"Surprise GM!! We're moving the business to The Philippines!!".
I'm tired of Loyal US employees getting fucked over and stepped on by
corporate greed. I'm tired of seeing jobs for US companies go offshore to
sweat shops. If you are to, spread the word about what GM/Convergys/IBM is
up too. Consider this the next time you buy a new vehicle, or when you call
GM because your having problems with your GM car.
A couple of other stories I found on the internet that were interesting.
Click links or copy/paste.
http://www.wweek.com/editorial/2944/4276/
http://www.tampabaypartnership.org/press.asp?rls_id=1053&cat_id=1&
