| Me, outsourced? Impossible. How could
| |
| | have an overseas caller. Welcome to our
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| they replace a business-humor columnist?
| |
| | show.""What is it about doing business
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| But my brother-in-law, the radiologist,
| |
| | with Americans that you find most
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| told me his hospital was threatening to
| |
| | intriguing or disconcerting?" I asked."A
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| cut his position because they had found a
| |
| | great question," the talk show host
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| medical group out of India that would
| |
| | realized he had an issue that could
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| read MRIs at half the cost.He warned me,
| |
| | generate some controversy. "Mr. Hesh, why
|
| "Hesh, don't be so smug. No one is
| |
| | not hold on as we let our callers
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| indispensable in today's world
| |
| | respond."The first caller began, "Mr.
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| economy."He was right. I had become
| |
| | Hesh, you Americans have such a childish
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| blasé. I needed to diversify and find
| |
| | belief system. You expect every problem
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| readers outside the USA, especially in
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| | to be solvable. Our culture has taught us
|
| the booming call-centers of India.Do
| |
| | the inevitability of misfortune. I want
|
| Indians find our business customs
| |
| | to say to callers, 'Sorry, Mrs. Grady,
|
| humorous? I decided to do some research.
| |
| | your hard drive is forever broken and can
|
| I called the IBM help desk. I asked the
| |
| | never be repaired. Please unplug it and
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| technician where he was located. He said
| |
| | grieve for the next 10 minutes.' But, I
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| "Birmingham, Alabama," and he said it
| |
| | am not allowed."The second caller said.
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| with pride.I asked for his boss. I told
| |
| | "We are obligated to try to sell you a
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| her that I wanted to be helped by someone
| |
| | software upgrade with each call. We think
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| in Bombay. "What? I usually get the
| |
| | that this is very inhospitable. In our
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| opposite requests," she blurted out.I
| |
| | culture when someone calls for help, one
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| told her that I found their staff people
| |
| | must never try to gain an advantage from
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| in India to be more helpful and
| |
| | another's adversity. But we are taught
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| courteous. And I found their English
| |
| | that this is what makes you Americans so
|
| easier to comprehend compared to the
| |
| | wealthy."The producer asked me to call
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| southern accents from Birmingham.Within
| |
| | again. He had dozens of local callers
|
| seconds, I was talking to Bombay. After
| |
| | waiting to talk to me. Before I knew it I
|
| spending a few minutes on a fictitious
| |
| | was a radio personality in India with my
|
| problem, I asked my help-support person
| |
| | own morning business call-in show.Now, I
|
| what he found humorous about working with
| |
| | visit India almost twice a month. I am a
|
| Americans.He said, "Sir, it would be
| |
| | regular commentator on their TV morning
|
| inappropriate for me to comment on you
| |
| | shows and a sought-after lecturer at
|
| Americans and your business practices."I
| |
| | business conferences.The travel back and
|
| kept on digging. "You must be frustrated
| |
| | forth is brutal even in first class.
|
| spending eight hours a day listening to
| |
| | Plus, because of the time difference I
|
| us Americans. How do you blow off
| |
| | have to be wide awake from 2 a.m to 5 a.m
|
| steam?He suggested I call a business
| |
| | to take the calls from my audience. Why I
|
| radio talk show in Bombay where the
| |
| | am actually considering moving to India
|
| locals call in with their problems of
| |
| | permanently.Somehow the governor found
|
| working with westerners. It was called
| |
| | out about my impending move (I bet it was
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| "Can I Speak to your Supervisor,
| |
| | from my mother) and he called asking that
|
| Please."Using my computer I was able to
| |
| | I not take my business overseas. It would
|
| find a real cheap Internet-phone line to
| |
| | be a terrible loss to our region's
|
| Bombay, and I called. The radio show's
| |
| | image.He had funds to help businesses
|
| producer doubted my veracity when I told
| |
| | keep jobs here. I would qualify for an
|
| him I was calling from the USA. He
| |
| | economic-development grant if I did not
|
| thought it was a crank call. But when he
| |
| | relocate. I guess it is like paying
|
| listened to my accent - half Pittsburgh
| |
| | farmers not to plant corn. (Do they still
|
| and the other half Brooklyn - he knew no
| |
| | do that?)I called my brother-in-law with
|
| Indian could impersonate that dialect.He
| |
| | my good news, and said, "I told you going
|
| reminded me to use only my first name,
| |
| | to medical school was a poor career
|
| when being interviewed. The talk show
| |
| | choice. You should have majored in
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| host began, "Our next caller is a Mister
| |
| | English, like I did."Hesh Reinfeld writes
|
| Hesh from the USA. We are very lucky to
| |
| | a syndicated business humor column.
|
