TMCnet Feature Free eNews Subscription
February 01, 2013

Outsourcing from Australia

By Robbie Pleasant, TMCnet Contributor

Outsourcing can happen anywhere, as long as there’s a need and a way. In this case, Australian online clothing retailer, The Iconic, has moved its customer service jobs to India.



Since December, The Iconic has been slowly but steadily moving its e-mail customer service, although the exact number of jobs that have been outsourced is unclear. There are no redundancies related to the launch, according to the company, and those that exist are due to a reduced need for customer service.

This outsourcing is, according to the company, the result of its efforts to improve the customer experience. As fewer customers have needed to contact them with issues, there has been less of a need for on-site customer service, allowing it to outsource.

As the customer service is done through e-mail primarily, it probably won’t have to deal with the usual complaints that companies get when outsourcing customer service phone representatives. E-mail tends to be fast and there’s no way to tell who exactly is on the other end of the computer. So, as long as the customers receive answers to their queries in a fast and helpful manner, there shouldn’t be any problems.

There are some complaints about the loss of jobs in Australia, as with all outsourcing, although Managing Director Adam Jacobs insists that it’s only five to eight people, a small fraction of the company. For those five to eight people though, it’s more than likely an unhappy day.

Outsourcing is common practice nowadays, although one that’s often looked down upon. However, thanks to today’s communication technology it’s easy to receive customer service from anywhere in the world, whether by phone, e-mail, or video. What matters is that the customers receive the help and attention they need when they want it.




Edited by Jamie Epstein
» More TMCnet Feature Articles
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]
SHARE THIS ARTICLE

LATEST TMCNET ARTICLES

» More TMCnet Feature Articles