When outsourcing negatively affects you, just find the local guy.

My recent experience with AT&T has left me dumbfounded by how outsourcing can impact customer service. The reality is that the people in India (or across the Country, say Nevada) have no idea who to talk to locally. It is like them attempting to contact the other outsourced branch of service who probably outsources their communication as well. The solution: hunt down a local service guy.

Find the AT&T van on the side of the road and see if that guy will help you. Bob (and this is a legitimate Bob, not the person whose native name would be too long to tell you) is helping me and I think I will finally get somewhere. Part of the reason may be that I know where he is working tomorrow (and he can see the murder in my eyes). But, most likely, he is helping me because we have established a human connection, an element that is invaluable to improving how businesses treat their customers.