Customer Service Come Home

Summary

The article laments the decline of good job opportunities in the U.S. and the impact of automation and globalization on customer service and employment.

Abstract

The article "Customer Service Come Home" discusses the decline of quality job opportunities in the United States, particularly in customer service. It highlights how the rise of the internet and automated systems has replaced traditional over-the-phone customer service, often offshoring these jobs to overseas call centers. The author expresses a sense of loss for the era when jobs like being a janitor or working at the Post Office offered career prospects with benefits and job security. The piece criticizes the current state of affairs where American workers are faced with choosing between low-wage service jobs or acquiring expensive college degrees that lead to debt without guaranteeing a living wage. The author reminisces about a time when hard work and loyalty were rewarded with job stability and respect, and points out the irony of experienced workers being replaced by younger, overseas talent due to corporate cost-cutting measures. Despite the challenges, the author does not blame the individuals in overseas call centers but rather the system that prioritizes profits over the well-being of American workers.

Opinions

The author feels that the average American worker is experiencing a decline in job opportunities, with a stark choice between low-paying jobs or debt-inducing higher education.
There is a sense of resentment towards the corporate culture that has led to the offshoring of customer service jobs, which the author believes has contributed to the loss of good jobs in the U.S.
The article suggests that the author values job security, benefits, and respect in the workplace, which are seen as increasingly scarce.
The author expresses jealousy and frustration with the language and cultural barriers that come with overseas customer service, while also acknowledging the hard work of individuals in these positions.
There is a call for a return to the days when jobs like those in the Post Office provided a stable and respected career path.
The piece criticizes the practice of downsizing, which often involves cutting staff and increasing workload rather than investing in productivity-enhancing technology.
The author encourages readers to support writers by subscribing to their newsletter or becoming Medium members, hinting at the need for sustainable income for content creators.
Lastly, the author recommends an AI service as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus, indicating a preference for value-for-money solutions in the face of economic challenges.

Customer Service Come Home

Where have all the good jobs gone? Here in the U.S., the average worker has declining opportunities.

Now that the internet dominates our world, over-the-phone customer service has become a thing of the past. Dialing an 800 number will lead to a conversation with a robot called an “automated system” most of the time. For simple interactions, that works.

God help you if you need human assistance.

Getting routed to an overseas call center is the worst for two reasons. The first reason (for me) is primarily jealousy. Why are the excellent customer service jobs overseas? The second is the often-difficult language and cultural barriers.

Typically, I enjoy and value getting to know people from other countries. I like communicating despite the language barrier. I love building relationships with people that are different from me. When I need to speak to someone about a technical issue with my phone or a lost package — I find these challenges can add difficulty and, unfortunately — frustration.

The American worker has two choices, 1) work at a low-wage service job that won’t pay your bills or 2) get an expensive college degree that will leave you in debt and — since the lion's share of jobs are low-wage — still won’t pay your bills.

There was a time when a janitor could have a career that included benefits, job security, and respect. Working at the Post Office was once a great job. It was hard to get and offered excellent job security and benefits.

In practice, downsizing is too often about cutting your work force while keeping your business the same and doing so not by investments in productivity-enhancing technology, but by making people pull 80-hour weeks and bringing in temps to fill the gap. ~James Surowiecki

I miss living in a country with real job opportunities. I want the option to have a real job that pays real wages and benefits and still lets me live a happy life.

Good luck with that.

I long for the days when people had stability and respect at work. In my working life, I have watched software engineers that sit right next to me get fired after 25 years of service only to be replaced by a kid from India.

Nothing against the kids from India. They have worked hard to get where they are. It’s not their fault! They have to take the opportunities that they are given, just like we do.

People need good jobs to live, and those are increasingly hard to find here in the U.S. When I have to call customer service, I am reminded of this. I don’t resent the worker on the other end of the line.

I resent the decades of corporate-speak and profit chasing that continues to leave the American people out in the cold.

Bottom line? I want good jobs to be a thing in the U.S. again.

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POLITICS & SOCIETY

Customer Service Come Home