As someone who lost their job to outsourcing in 2002, I'd like to make a few comments:
1) Outsourcing will happen, it's the company who is hiring the outsourcing company that is to blame, not the employee of the outsourcing company. 2) Don't ask me to train the outsourcing employees on how to do my job. 3) If you are going to take over my job at a reduced rate, at least know what the concepts are behind my job, don't ask me to explain how EDI works to you if you are being advertised as a consultant 4) If you are paying someone to do a job, they should at least know the basics what the job entails. 5) I don't care where you are from or who you work for. You just cost me my job. Don't expect me to be happy about it. 6) Don't call me the day after I leave the company and ask me to help you. Don't call me a month later and expect me to help you. I have to find a source of income to support my family, and explaining to you what EDI means is at the absolute bottom of my priorities. 7) Be fluent in the language of the business you are working for. Communication is key to success, and if you can not properly communicate with your client, you will waste their time and money. If you are going to work for an American company, be fluent in English. If you are going to work for a Chinese company, be fluent in Chinese, etc. I was asked by the company I worked for to help out an employee from the outsourcing company, and was told that he would be my new "assistant" (I knew that was BS the second they said it). I was to train them on how EDI worked at the company so that they could help take some of the load of my plate. This person couldn't spell EDI. They couldn't understand the English language well enough to speak with the Vendors effectively and with the internal IT people effectively. So much time was spent trying to explain simple concepts that any benefit of time was lost. The only vindication I have is this: I was told that they could have 4 people from the outsourcing for the same money that I was being paid as the full time employee. I found out six months later there were SEVEN people needed just to keep up with what I alone was doing, let alone move forward on the processes I had implemented. So in my case, the company that decided to outsource ended not saving money, but spending more. In the race to cut costs in Corporate America, sometimes it is better to look at the long term results, not the short term financial benefits. I am sure that there are many cases where outsourcing was a true cost benefit. However, in my experience (not just my particular position but the entire process at that same company of outsourcing other areas of IT as well), it didn't help them at all, it hindered their business. Just my opinion :) Jon ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 3:40 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [EDI-L] <Tech> OSTRPT message - Thanks John Ask yourself this question: If an American who is new to EDI asked this question, would you see it as the purpose of this group to be helpful and give some guidance? It used to be so. A qualifier: I am now employed, but this is after 5 years of living the life of one outsourced. I got replaced by both offshore resources (people of color in foreign lands) and by younger Americans (change the job title, and you don't have to call it age discrimination). The only time I outright refused to give help to someone was when the specific person who replaced me at my former company called and asked for help on the specific project I'd been working on. Sorry, dear, the company isn't paying me anymore, try somewhere else. Please don't rant against people trying to make a living and survive. Save the rant for the larger system that treats people as disposable. Meant respectfully and compassionatly, Stephenie Cooper Application Integrator Analyst Global Professional and Customer Services www.gxs.com +1-408-289-8963 v San Jose, CA 95125 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bud Blankenship Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 12:16 PM To: JOHN KNIGHT; [email protected] Subject: Re: [EDI-L] <Tech> OSTRPT message - Thanks John John, I personally appreciated your rant. Thanks. You said what needed said. I find it intriguing that while we were at once repulsed at the thought of outsourcing simple shipping port operations to an off-shore concern, under fear of some unforeseen harm coming to the American people, we then retreat to our self-imposed (politically correct?) posture of supporting businesses putting the screws to the American worker. In view of the scorn your post elicited, may I suggest next time you feel inclined to vent in such manner you consider using a subject title such as "<SALES> My Country" Bud . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L _____ YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS * Visit your group "EDI-L <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L> " on the web. * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . _____ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L --------------------------------- YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS Visit your group "EDI-L" on the web. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. --------------------------------- __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L Yahoo! Groups Links . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
