First Direct callcentres going to India?

From the Times "As a result of HSBC's decision that 4,000 call centre and processing jobs will be transferred to India, China and Malaysia by the end of 2006, many staff are worried about job security so only 65% have confidence in the leadership of senior management, one of the lowest scores in the survey."

"Tumbleweed" wrote

Does that apply to FirstDirect as well as the rest of HSBC ?

Info was from a google search for 'first direct', most likely is they pool all these systems.

"Tumbleweed" wrote

Nah - (AFAIK) FirstDirect have always had their own dedicated call centre, in Leeds. I'd be very surprised if this was pooled with HSBC!

It's not. It's entirely separate, with different salary, T&Cs, benefits - like working for a different company altogether.

FD is publicly very proud of its UK call centres (Leeds and Hamilton) and it'd be surprising (to me at least) if they too relocated overseas.

They are in the same building. I can see it from here. ;-)

No rumours locally AFAIK.

DG

FWIW I've just had the following response from FD in response to my question on this subject.

[start] Thank you for your message dated 15-Nov-2004*, regarding Call Centres moving to India.

first direct confirms that its call centres will continue to operate in the UK.

first direct has always used HSBC, in the UK and overseas, to undertake processing work (eg.cheque processing, cards processing). We expect that this will continue. By ensuring that our processing work is done in the most cost-effective manner, we are able to invest more in the things which really matter to customers, good value and our market leading service in dealing personally with each individual customer's needs and requests. We believe this approach is a major factor in first direct's track record as the most recommended bank in the UK for the past 11 years.

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to contact us and please let us know if we can be of further assistance

[ends]

Seems pretty straightforward to me

__ Richard Buttrey Grappenhall, Cheshire, UK __________________________

Surely the crucial part of the reply is "first direct has always used HSBC, in the UK and overseas, to undertake processing work". Was the question being asked about `processing work` or call centres? Nothing else in the reply suggests the call centres are currently in the UK, nor will they continue to be in the UK.

I think that paragraph makes it pretty clear that they are both in the UK, and will continue to be in the UK.

Jim.

A dictionary definition of operate is: 'to be in activity, act, carry on business'. Nowhere does that imply any location of the function that 'operates'.

Not to me, it doesn't. Let's take another look:

So they won't shut them down. They can certainly reduce the number of people working in them, and instead use many more call centres outside the UK.

What they've done in the past is not pertinent here.

I expect that the last sentence of this post will start with a number.

Nothing there about how much customers value having support from people in the same country.

Sadly, due to the prevailing market conditions we are unable to start this sentence with a number.

The words "in the UK" do that.

OK, I'll put it another way, 'operate in' is not the same as 'operate from'.

That's purely a question of if you believe a call centre operates in the location that people can call it from, or the location that it answers the calls in, I would say the latter, but rather than pick their language apart here, why don't you just ask them if you feel it wasn't un-equivocal enough?

Jim.

I'd say it is in normal useage (i.e. disregarding usenet pedantry)

Dontcha just love Use-Net and the pedantry it inspires.

I think FDs response was pretty straightforward, as understood by most normal people.

Cheers

__ Richard Buttrey Grappenhall, Cheshire, UK __________________________

message news:...

We shall see.