Posted by Linda_in_MI on 5/29/07 10:32am
Msg #192506

OT Wendy's: "outsourcing" of drive-through? ? ?

From newsletter "48 Days to the Work You Love" (48days.com)

When you pull up to your local fast-food drive-through window, the voice you hear may be coming from someone several states away. In a test program, Wendy’s is using workers at one centralized location to handle the orders for five states. Rather than having in store workers interrupt making food to take a drive-up order, these phone workers do nothing but take orders. Customers must be greeted within 6 seconds 95% of the time.

American’s have become used to fast meaning “fast.” They will switch eating establishments over length of the line or having to wait an extra 30 seconds.

This is just another example of the changing work environment. What part of your job could be done by someone in another state – or on the other side of the world? What can you do to make yourself irreplaceable?

Reply by Stamper_WI on 5/29/07 10:37am
Msg #192510

My brother who inpects HVAC systems for Underwriters told me the climate inside Walmarts is controlled from the main center down south (Alabama? Arkansas?) Hard to believe...He does have a history of teasing me.

Reply by FCCARKANSAS on 5/29/07 10:55am
Msg #192512

I live in the heart of the Wal-Mart community and have worked in that arena for several years here in Bentonville, Arkansas. I've had a store tell me that it was controlled from the home office when I complained about how cold it was. WM is truely an original. You wouldn't believe what they are capable of from this little twon. Anyway, the outsourcing drives me insane. I had a Dell Axim PDA, and always spoke to someone in India when I needed assistance. It was a major factor in my purchase of an HP Pavillion over a Dell.

Reply by Lee/AR on 5/29/07 11:03am
Msg #192514

Think FCCArkansas is right. Did a refi for a lady who 'counts the cash' at local WalMart & she says they're in a vault-like room that is freezing cold and all they can do is wear warm clothes.... and peel 'em off when they leave. WalMart HQ is in Bentonville, AR.

Reply by LJ on 5/29/07 1:40pm
Msg #192549

Our schools in our town (rural IL) is also heat and air controlled from another state. Its common in a lot of public places. My husband would like to do that with me. I can't leave the thermostat alone. Up and down all the time. lol

Reply by Gary_CA on 5/29/07 5:05pm
Msg #192589

It wouln't be long...

If that experiment works I predict this time next year we'll be ordering hamburgers in a strange language that almost sounds like English from a person whose never tasted one.

If your operator can't understand the difference between mustard and moose turd back the car up and pull forward again, maybe the next operator will be a little better.

I think I'd rather get a finger in my chili.

Reply by JenCA on 5/29/07 5:15pm
Msg #192591

Re: It wouln't be long...

LOL... I remember the finger in the chili fiasco!!! But just my 2 cents... I had a solicitor from a very well known wireless company call me at 9:30pm...and I asked him where he was he told me Arizona, then I said well what time is it there, he stalled and said....um... 11:30pm, I said no, if your in Arizona its 9:30pm...at anyrate its too damn late for you to be calling my house trying to sell me a service!!! To make a long story short he ended up telling me that he was in India, and it was 10:30am over there, I said well you need to talk to your people to get your time conversions right!!! (BTW, when I said your people I quickly clarified by saying boss, cuz I really was trying to be nice, but I was pissed off... I was watching my tivoed CSI for crying out loud!!!!)

But its horrible how pretty much EVERYTHING is being outsourced... quite frustrating!!! Hope everyone is having a Happy Tuesday!