Modern Times

I saw a video of some touch screen laptops featured at the Computex. I am amazed how the screen of a laptop can now respond to touch. There were also a few that could be folded 360 degrees.

This makes me wonder, with all the latest high tech equipment available in the market now, are call centers buying better equipment for the use of their call center agents? I remember when I was still working as technical support for this company, their monitors were all in CRT. These monitors were so old, looking at the text felt like I had double vision. Some were also giving a blue or gree hue every now and then.

They were really OLD.

Today in Outsourcing

RF Micro to outsource 70 employees

RF Micro Devices Inc. said Wednesday that it is outsourcing a unit of wafer production, and 70 local employees, to an English supplier of advanced semiconductor wafers. RF Micro, based in Greensboro, said its molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) wafer-growth facility is being taken over by IQE plc. IQE valued the equipment and building involved in the transfer at $27 million. The transaction is expected to close within a few days, the companies said ... [more]


‘Newton outsourced fund will help IFAs’ 

A spokesman for BNY Mellon said the fund offered an outsourced solution that would give advisers access to other Newton funds and give them more time for financial planning. She said: “As the investment advice market is evolving, the outsourcing of a client’s investments is a chance for advisers to redefine the way they work, devolving responsibility for asset allocation and sector-specific decisions to an experienced investment professional...[more]

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Need to Learn New Things

Sometime ago, I applied for a job at a call center that provided services for a financial institution. All the the while I thought standard call center questions would be asked but I was wrong. I was asked finance related questions like what an annuity quote is. I was stumped. I have no background in finance, I nearly flunked my economics and basic accounting subjects in college. I decided not to pursue this path. There was way too many terms I couldn't understand. Finance is not for me.

Outsourcing Firms and City Council Sign Code of Conduct and Ethical Practices Guidelines

I haven't encountered any serious problem in regard to ethical practices of BPO companies and employees but it's a good thing that the industry is being proactive. The outsourcing industry employs hundreds of thousands and employees in the Philippines and combining it with India's digits, the the total can easily reach a million.

Because of that, failure to address potential sources of problems may lead to breakdown. In a Philippine province, the city council and the big business process outsourcing companies forged an agreement to address the issues at hand.

The code provides benchmarks and best practices to meet ethical, social, and environmental obligations and maintain a high standard of effectiveness, in addition to voluntary commitment to adhere to legal requirements, good customs, public policy and ethical and moral standards. 

I'd say, GOODAH!

Time for the rest of the world to follow.

Akayiii

A lot of people in my call center do not know that I grew up with this brand. Our stereo component systems and other musical home gadgets had this brand and it won’t really surprise me that people my age would instinctively buy Akai brand stereos for sentimental reasons. 

The brand is very good, as far as I can recall. I also remember seeing its television ads in our black and white boxes and the name still echoes softly in my ears… Akayiiiii.

Let's Rock!

My famous DJ of a co-worker came to work in a daze. He got robbed on his way to work. He wasn't hurt but he lost a lot, from his cellphone to them money he was supposed to use to buy a buy boomerang looper. Yes, he lost a huge amount of money. I feel sorry for him for losing his money and cellphone but he was aware of the hazards of working at a call center. 

Call center agents are targets of robbers and muggers. He should have put his money in the bank, used his ATM card to withdraw it once he's ready to buy the his favorite musical instrument. I'm happy he's not hurt and very much alive. Money lost can always be earned and music goes on. Rock N' Roll never lives on!

A Bit About World Affairs

I read somewhere that one of Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, had his private palace decorated, however poorly, with nice Indoor Fountains and erotic murals. I tried to imagine how his palace would look like. Maybe he put indoor fountains everywhere, including the bedrooms. Or his entire palace was was decorated in erotic murals but the faces of on the murals were ugly? They had lots and lots of money. They could have just hired a decorator or designer. Oh well, money can't buy class.

Money Transfers and Precious Metals

One of my callers asked how much it would cost to have her money wire transferred to her daughter. She explained to me that her daughter wants to buy gold at Golden Eagle. Her daughter told her that gold is the best way to invest now as the price is going up. She sounded excited. I wish I could be happy for her. I can't seem to relate. We don't have institutions here that sell gold and if there are, the quality of the gold would be questionable.