Lessons in Banking: Outsourcing Jobs Overseas

In 2006 and 2007, when I worked as a customer service representative for one of the largest banks in the country, they had already moved whole departments to India and the Philippines and maintained call centers in both countries.

My job involved talking with representatives in these countries and transferring customer calls to them on a daily basis. Most of these overseas employees spoke good English and were courteous, competent, and well educated. Unfortunately, they were subjected to more than their share of verbal abuse from customers and disrespect from fellow employees in the U.S.

I have worked for the past five years at one of the largest credit unions in America. They don't outsource jobs overseas and I don't think they ever will. I don't know of any credit unions who do.

But I also know that the global economy is a reality that is not going to go away. Big business is going to keep outsourcing jobs overseas and it's unrealistic to expect our government to stop them, although every election year, the rhetoric seems to suggest otherwise.

That said, I think issues of taxation and regulation of business should be considered on their own merit or lack thereof. I don't buy the assumption that if big businesses have more money to spend, they are going to spend it creating jobs for American workers.They may and then again, they may not.