offshoring: presentation articles

What decision did Bankco make regarding its telephone customer service centre?

Bankco closed its UK telephone customer service centre and relocated the work to India.

Why were Bankco employees shocked by the relocation?

They believed their jobs were stable and that Bankco was enjoying record profits.

What was one reason Bankco decided to relocate its customer service operations?

To save money and obtain a more consistent workforce.

What challenges did Bankco face after relocating to India?

Struggles with standardized customer service and cultural training efforts were ineffective.

What skills are important for call center work?

Social and interpersonal skills, including the ability to control customer emotions.

What demographic primarily filled the labor demand at Bankco's UK call center?

Women, often working mothers, students, and school leavers.

What implicit aspect began to creep into the customer service roles at Bankco?

An implicit sales component, promoting loans while handling customer requests.

What was the training process for new employees at Bankco?

An 8-week training period consisting of 4 weeks in class and 4 weeks on the job.

What issue did Bankco face with its workforce of students?

The inexperienced workforce led to many customer service issues and high turnover rates.

How many paid sick days did Bankco offer, and how were they abused?

22 paid sick days were offered, which employees abused from the start.

What was a key reason for the success of other call centers compared to Bankco?

A more mature workforce at those centers contributed to their success.

What happened to Bankco's operations in 2007?

Operations returned to the UK, but the original center was not reopened.

What was a significant cultural challenge faced by Indian call center agents?

Accents and cultural differences made communication difficult with British customers.

What did Indian agents struggle with in their customer interactions?

They focused too much on following scripts and lacked the flexibility to engage personally.

What was the public's reaction to Indian call center agents?

Many British customers refused to use the center if they were connected to an Indian agent.

What does the Bankco case illustrate about globalization in service work?

It shows that while technical processes can be globalized, social and emotional dimensions remain local.

What was one of the main takeaways from the Bankco case?

Local social relations can limit the development of global workplaces.

What was the outcome of Bankco's initial offshoring attempt?

Bankco withdrew operations from India due to customer dissatisfaction and returned to the UK.

What type of center did the Indian BPO open in the UK after Bankco's operations returned?

A 'near shore' call center.

What was the primary responsibility of Bankco's UK call center employees?

Dealing with routine customer transactions such as account balances and setting up orders.

What stereotype influenced the hiring practices at Bankco's call center?

Women were stereotypically believed to have better interpersonal skills for customer service.

What did the Indian call center implement to improve performance after taking over from Bankco?

Stricter regulations regarding sick days and performance tracking.

What was a significant factor in the failure of Bankco's offshoring strategy?

The difficulty in replicating unrecognized customer service skills in a different cultural context.

What is the central argument of the article 'Wal-Mart Goes to Germany'?

Globalization is not an unstoppable force; efficiency is context-specific and Walmart failed due to its inflexibility in adapting to Germany's culture and institutions.

What does the article argue about globalization's impact on markets?

The article rejects the idea that globalization forces all markets to converge toward a single, most efficient model.

Why was Walmart's efficiency not absolute in Germany?

What works in the U.S. was not effective in Germany due to cultural norms and market institutions.

How did German cultural norms affect Walmart's strategy?

German cultural norms regarding shopping and labor relations conflicted with Walmart's business practices.

What was a key challenge Walmart faced with German suppliers?

German suppliers had established networks and strong market structures, preventing Walmart from intimidating them.

How did German labor laws impact Walmart's operations?

Germany's labor laws and high unionization prevented Walmart from imposing its non-union, low-wage work environment.

What restrictions did German shopping laws impose on Walmart?

Germany's restrictive store closing hours and zoning laws limited Walmart's ability to build large 'big-box' stores.

How did Walmart's corporate culture affect its employees in Germany?

Walmart's strict internal policies alienated employees, as they conflicted with German workplace norms.

What was the reaction of German consumers to Walmart's customer service approach?

German consumers found Walmart's American-style customer interaction confusing and annoying.

Why was Walmart unable to compete on price in Germany?

Walmart could not offer substantially lower prices than local discounters like Aldi and Lidl, who had efficient models.

What conclusion does the article draw about Walmart's withdrawal from Germany?

Walmart's withdrawal was due to its inflexibility in adapting its global strategy to the specific realities of the German market.

What does the article suggest about the nature of efficiency in business models?

Efficiency is context-specific and cannot be universally applied across different markets.

What aspect of Walmart's corporate culture was viewed as 'paternalistic'?

Enforcing rules like smiling at customers and engaging in group chants was seen as paternalistic and authoritarian.

What was Walmart's approach to cost reduction in the U.S.?

Walmart's strategy involved dominating suppliers and reducing labor costs.

What was the impact of Walmart's inflexibility on its business model?

Walmart's inflexibility led to its failure to adapt to the German market, resulting in its withdrawal.

How did Walmart's strategy clash with German institutions?

Walmart's cost-cutting strategies were ineffective against Germany's strong supplier power and labor laws.

What does the article imply about the adaptability of global business models?

Global business models must adapt to local cultural, institutional, and legal contexts to succeed.

What year did Walmart withdraw from the German market?

Walmart withdrew from Germany in 2006.