The Ethics of Outsourcing Customer Service

Sending jobs overseas may be good for the bottom line in the short term, but frustrated customers will vote with their wallets.

It’s a familiar scenario: A product you purchased recently has developed a problem, so you call the company’s toll-free number and are connected to a “customer service associate” in India or the Philippines. You describe your problem but have a hard time understanding what the company representative is saying. You try several more times to communicate why you are calling but cannot get information that you can comprehend. You ask to be transferred to someone in the U.S. and are then put on hold for what seems like an eternity. You hang up in frustration and vow never again to purchase anything from this company. [Read more...]

The Ethics of Multitasking

Stop the multitasking madness: Put down the iPod and your BlackBerry, and pay attention to the task at hand

By Bruce Weinstein, PhD

I’ll never forget how great I thought it was when I first discovered multitasking on my computer. Suddenly it was possible to switch between tasks seamlessly; with multiple windows, tabs, and programs open simultaneously. I could write articles, check e-mail, do research, and build spreadsheets—barely pausing between activities. I felt as if I were doing everything at once. It seems like ancient history now, but being able to move quickly and smoothly from one activity to another on a PC was nothing short of a revelation. [Read more...]