Has Weber outsourced its customer support?
- Thread starter Chris Allingham
- Start date
Steve Hoch
TVWBB Diamond Member
I guess we don't know for sure. For my part, the last time I called them (3 or 4 weeks ago) I had my suspicions and asked the rep if they were still in Palatine, IL. He told me that he was in fact in Florida, which I thought odd but let it go at that. I can't say why daron_a believes this to be true other than it aligned with my own thoughts.
Bruce
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
I knew a girl about 7 or 8 years ago that said she did customer service for Weber grills from her home. She also did that with Lands End. I guess I kind of assumed that Weber farmed out the C/S that way by having them all work remotely out of their homes, wherever that might happen to be.
LeeHarvey
TVWBB Pro
It’s been my experience since at least the COVID era that most phone support is done from the workers’ homes. You can’t really make blanket assumptions, anymore. The one thing I would bet money on is that Weber’s new corporate overlords have cracked down on generous customer service agents, and forced them to stick to “the script”.
I've been exiled as an IT contractor for a few years now. Outsourcing depends on a couple of factors. The first is that contracts are considered to be expenses, and an expense dollar is about $0.70 of a capital dollar (used to pay full time employees.) Minor benefit supposedly is that you can expand and contract your work force much cheaper. Another is that butt A in the seat is exactly the same as butt B, something that just flat out is not true in an awful lot of endeavors.
These days, with VoIP phones, VPNs, etc., it's a lot more attractive to have a pool of customer service reps that can work with a number of different companies at once. The CS applications will light up depending on which portal the customer has accessed.
Having said all of that..... IMO, it's hot steaming garbage. I don't buy into the accounting fictions of capital being so expensive, and for sure don't buy into everyone is the same. "But we're gonna do it differently! It'll work!" Uh, no, it most certainly will NOT work. The contracting houses have a bunch more experience with contract language, and how to get revenue with minimal effort. Shoot, usually it's a war just to get no-so-competent staff off a contract, it's nowhere near as simple as "replace this resource." It devolves into several months of documentation, coaching and proof that the resource just isn't doing it.
These days, with VoIP phones, VPNs, etc., it's a lot more attractive to have a pool of customer service reps that can work with a number of different companies at once. The CS applications will light up depending on which portal the customer has accessed.
Having said all of that..... IMO, it's hot steaming garbage. I don't buy into the accounting fictions of capital being so expensive, and for sure don't buy into everyone is the same. "But we're gonna do it differently! It'll work!" Uh, no, it most certainly will NOT work. The contracting houses have a bunch more experience with contract language, and how to get revenue with minimal effort. Shoot, usually it's a war just to get no-so-competent staff off a contract, it's nowhere near as simple as "replace this resource." It devolves into several months of documentation, coaching and proof that the resource just isn't doing it.
and in plain language this means........?
LeeHarvey
TVWBB Pro
It means computer people talk funny.
Okay, that's pretty darned true...
@Joan it means that in my opinion, outsourcing IT, customer service, sales entry, semi-professional to professional positions, is built on bad assumptions. I'll use myself as an example. I can frequently do more before I finish my cup of coffee on Monday morning, than my offshore compadres can do all week. They're pretty good at paperwork (as long as someone holds their feet to the fire,) but serious troubleshooting is really outside of their capabilities. I am a very high cost resource on this project. I'd like at least 2 clones of me on this project as well. My employer has no incentive to really put qualified resources here, that's a straight draw on the bottom line. My employer will always put the minimum resources that are just sufficient to not drive the client away.
While I haven't read it personally, _The Mythical Man Month_ apparently has a really good discussion.
Hey.... here's a better example. Joan, you can make a baby in 9 months. You and 8 of your lady friends cannot make a baby in 1 month. That's a major part of the fallacy of this sort of contracting.
Are you saying.....in other words......employers are cheap? lol
I don't understand how these people can think that a customer/client having to deal with a CS rep. who does not speak in a language that we can understand, will not drive that customer/client away. (also, so many times in a voice that is soo low)
DanHoo
TVWBB Olympian
Bruce
TVWBB 2-Star Olympian
Yah, I have hearing issues and listening to a girl with a deep oriental accent and a low command of the english language is a nightmare for me. Especially when it seems like they are trying to talk quietly while every one of their co-workers are talking up a storm in the background.
Dan, I just wish I was that good at interpreting.
I just read it again with DH. He was the "Hotel" and I was the guest. He said to thank you, that was soo funny.
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This is so true. My wife and I both worked in tech for many years, we've been accused of this by relatives.
Bruce McClure
TVWBB Fan
Just called into CS to make a claim. I seemingly spoke to a Weber associate who was working from home and had me taken care of in nothing flat. A fabulous customer service experience.
Lew Newby
R.I.P. 1/26/2024
My 3 grown kids are all geeks. It goes with the territory.
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
It does depend on who you get.
Like walking into HD or Ace. You have a rough idea on what you need but not really sure so you bring the old part with you.
First " can I help you " person is a young one. Has no idea what you have but can Google it or make a few calls to find out.
Second is a older person who has been there for awhile and has no problem finding you that part or recommending something equal or better.
Like walking into HD or Ace. You have a rough idea on what you need but not really sure so you bring the old part with you.
First " can I help you " person is a young one. Has no idea what you have but can Google it or make a few calls to find out.
Second is a older person who has been there for awhile and has no problem finding you that part or recommending something equal or better.
Doing a bit of research on this, I've not found any info (so far) that Weber has moved customer support overseas.
I have learned that for many years, Weber has used third-party call center resources to supplement the in-house support staff during peak grilling season when the call volume goes way up.
I have learned that for many years, Weber has used third-party call center resources to supplement the in-house support staff during peak grilling season when the call volume goes way up.
Same here Bruce. It is bad enough when we HAVE to talk to someone under those conditions, but what about almost ALL of the spammers that call everyday are the same way.