Hey there Haligonians,
I’ve recently been made aware of something and I think many of you might be interested or concerned.
It’s come to my attention that a certain well known financial institution has decided to outsource their customer service to a certain well known craphole third part local call centre. This means that if you are a customer, people making little over minimum wage will now be serving your needs, and having access to your name, address, phone number, bank account info, SIN numnber, financial info such as how much you owe on your house, your car, your personal loans etc.
I don’t know about the rest of you but this makes me pretty uneasy. I know first hand what it’s like to work at these places, this particular place, even. To sum it up, it sucks. It’s THE worst craphole call centre of all the craphole call centres, I’ve worked at all of them. That’s why turnover is sky high. Not only is this bank cutting corners at the cost of their customer’s satisfaction, but they are putting you at a higher risk of being a victim of fraud or identity theft. You think it’s all that unlikely that someone working at a crappy job for $11 and change per hour, no benefits (they only kick in after 12 months which is WAY longer than most people stick around) is going to try and steal some valuable info? I’d say the chances of something like that occuring definitely increase when the job all the sudden sucks and pays crappy. When I call the bank, I want to be talking to someone employed by the bank. I don’t have a big problem with outsourcing, I myself work for a 3rd party call centre, but I deal with stuff a lot less sensitive than people’s bank accounts and loans, and I make more than these banking representatives are making. It’s not like these guys at the bank are hurting for money, they are cutting corners at their customer’s expense, I am going to be taking my business to a bank that has the sense and the decency to pay their employees a decent wage (I was offered a call centre job with one of their competitors that started off at 30k/year + benefits) so that their customers’ info is safe and their customer service is of a high quality that 11.40 per hour can’t buy. I contacted them to voice my displeasure and they quoted their service agreement that gives them the right to be cheap greedy POSs. —Taking my money elsewhere
This article appears in Jul 18-24, 2013.
“Guess what shithole bank is doing x?”
When the words shithole and bank are in the same sentence, it doesn’t narrow it down much.
This isn’t new news.
no kidding…
here’s an article from 3 months ago.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/…
OP, you’re living in the past
From my understanding of the call centres is that the employees are kept extremely busy, always someone looking over their shoulders, and even their pee breaks regulated. I doubt they’d have the time to do anything nefarious.
Nah, Z, not all banks do this. But yeah, this bitch is about RBC, Minacs is now responsible for their customer service. Having worked there this makes me uncomfortable. I also have accounts with TD and their customer service is exceptional. I guess I don’t care if you outsource but pay your people an appropriate wage. 11.40 isn’t enough to pay someone to keep my bank account info safe and give me efficient, friendly knowlegable service. It’s cheap and greedy and unethical.
I don’t do any banking over the phone – there are some things that are better left retro.
But that’s the point Tim, the reason these places are so closely monitored is that they know that the job sucks ass. Therefore there is a higher risk. Someone who is happy in their job is much much less likely to try something like that. Do you think it’s acceptable that I make more money taking calls about barbecues than someone who has access to my credit card, car loan, and bank account makes? Trust me my job is way easier and less stressful and a lot less demanding as far as confidentiality goes. This is not right.
outsourcing. disgusting. probably to some apu-speaking jerk in some loser country. i dont trust my finances to somebody that cant speak english!!!
Word, TJ. I believe they tried firing some of their staff and replacing them with temporary foreign workers. Don’t think it worked out the way they planned, this must be their plan “B” to milk every dollar out of their sinking ship.
The other thing TJ, anyone caught trying anything could result in the loss of a multi-million dollar contract. Do you any idea how many people have access to your info? Your doctor/hospital. bank. other financial institutes, heck even certain stores have access to various information and the vast majority of people who handle it do not care about what you make or spend or whatever. They are too busy doing their jobs. There are hundreds of thousands of people in this country that handle sensitive information, some well paid, some not. You should be more concerned about having your pocket picked after using your debit or credit card.
“outsourcing. disgusting. probably to some apu-speaking jerk in some loser country. i dont trust my finances to somebody that cant speak english!!!”
Verily spoken, HonWogRim. Outsourecing isa khufar practice, akin to usury, and therefore haram in the sight of Supreme Allah (P.B.U.H.). My own Borther-In_law, Haider Salameh was hosting a wedding reception at a call-center in Ghotefuqabad when the Nazi Jew Immigrant Obama ordered a drone strike and killed 3 of his 4 wives and all six of his female slaves.
Truly, who is the savage?
Salaam Alaikum.
All banks and companies do this, its not really news.
Really Tim? Because last I checked identity theft is the fastest growing crime by a longshot. I’ve been pickpocketed and lost my wallet before, that’s a super easy fix, you just call the bank and cancel all the cards. People having access to everything they need to steal my identity who might not work there tomorrow and who I’ve never seen is a much bigger concern to me. BellAliant also uses Minacs and they are the worst I have ever had to deal with, they are a complete joke.
I tell people if you want my identity, please take it.
Benefits after a year? That is insane. Way to invest in your employees. I work for one of the other big 5 and our starting wage is nearly double what OP quoted and benefits kick in day one and the basic level plan covers 80% of medical costs and a good number of paramedical services like massages.
That place is going to reap what they sow. I’ve known so many people who have worked for the 3rd party place mentioned above and not one has ever had a positive thing to say about their time there.
thank you blastbeats, (it’s Mike, right?) finally someone who knows what they’re talking about. You guys remember that incident a few months back where the armored car guy robbed his work? He killed a couple co workers. That’s what happens when you pay people low wages to look after hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, this is the same idea.
Well OB, close your account and stuff your mattress. And when you do, post your address, eh?