Are you ready to deal with Safelite Call Center reps in Samoa?

http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=20169

And here is the reason why...

http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/AS/table4b.htm

I'm guessing call center hourly wage would fall somewhere between hotel workers and fish canning workers, as all 3 would take minimal training and minimal education to perform.

I wonder why we all can't match their prices... lol

JC

As much talk as we all do about "quality" has anyone ever done a consumer survey or industry survey on the "quality of different TPA Csr's?

Much like many glass shop crs's are different,to me there is a huge difference from one TPA to another when it comes to TPA crs's and their professionalism, knowledge of auto glass, etc. We have insureds upset or down right breaking down from frustration dealing with some TPA crs's. Of course, I am sure HAL never hears these "recorded" phone calls does he?

Just wondering?

I GUESS THE UNEMPOLYMENT RATE IN COLUMBUS IS GOING TO GO UP. I BETTER BRUSH UP ON MY SAMOANESE.

Pretty sad that 600 people in the U.S. will not get jobs now so that Safelite can steal more jobs for even less money and install junk glass even cheaper.

I know that the object is to make money and keep costs down, but I just couldn't live with myself being them...

JC

Do the current call center workers know of their employers plans to replace them?
And if not, should they maybe be informed???????

Does this mean we will see even lower auto glass prices when they start using the new call center.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

I would asume it will mean more wasted time on our part also . the only Soman I ever learned was fe u fu fu or some thing like that I sure we will have trouble .

My company's csr's WILL be advising Safelite reps of their pending job loss as a "professional courtesy".

This is just one more case out of many that takes 600 jobs out of our economy. So one more example of a company sending jobs overseas yet wanting an economic base here to buy their product. Why not stand at a concrete wall and keep hitting your head on it and think how good it will feel when it stops hurting.

We all need to think about this situation of job outsourcing next time you need tires or parts and look at saving a dollar or trying to help keep money in our local economy to help our customers support us.

starting monday we are going to enclose a copy of the outsourcing article with every invoice to safelite. i feel sort of sorry for the current csr's at safelite, it's kind of funny that the people that trained them to screw us by "steering" is now screwing them by moving their jobs. " man, is this a great country or what? "

Just a thought-
Could this not only be a way to save money,but also a possible loop hole to not have their CSR's licensed in all the states when adjusting and taking claims......just a thought....better re-think those law suits!

Email sent to my call center manager...

Safelite is moving their call center to Samoa (see article below). That means 600 fewer jobs in Columbus, Ohio.
Starting Monday, I want our csr's to tell Safelite csr's "Did you hear that Safelite is moving the call center you work in to Samoa? Will Safelite be moving you and your family to Samoa?"

Just as a courtesy I printed a copy of the article to pass to my call center csr's.Being an employee there.Just thought it would be nice to share the info with them.

Legend: Definition Field Listing Rank Order Introduction Samoa
Background:
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.
Geography Samoa Top of Page
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
403 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Terrain:
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m
Natural resources:
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21.2%
permanent crops: 24.38%
other: 54.42% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
People Samoa Top of Page
Population:
177,287 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.2% (male 24,517/female 23,660)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 73,495/female 44,208)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,204/female 6,203) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.59 years
male: 27.42 years
female: 21.42 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.23% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
15.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
-11.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.66 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 32.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.72 years
male: 67.93 years
female: 73.65 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
12
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3
Nationality:
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Religions:
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Government Samoa Top of Page
Country name:
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa
Government type:
mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Apia
Administrative divisions:
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Independence:
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated
Constitution:
1 January 1962
Legal system:
based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister in 1996, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice
elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)
elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held not later than March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoan Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: (212) 599-6196, 6197
FAX: (212) 599-0797
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Apia
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
telephone: [685] 21631/22696
FAX: [685] 22030
Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation
Economy Samoa Top of Page
Economy - overview:
The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000 tourists visited the islands in 2001. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1 billion (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
NA
GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 23%
services: 63% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
90,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
NA
Unemployment rate:
NA; note - substantial underemployment
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4% (2001 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2001-02)
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa
Industries:
food processing, building materials, auto parts
Industrial production growth rate:
2.8% (2000)
Electricity - production:
116 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption:
107.9 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:
1,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
NA (2001)
Exports:
$94 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - partners:
Australia 67.2%, US 5.7%, Indonesia 5.3% (2004)
Imports:
$285 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - partners:
New Zealand 25.1%, Fiji 21.5%, Taiwan 9.1%, Australia 8.9%, Singapore 8.5%, Japan 7.5%, US 4.7% (2004)
Debt - external:
$197 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient:
$42.9 million (1995)
Currency (code):
tala (SAT)
Exchange rates:
tala per US dollar - NA (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002), 3.478 (2001)
Fiscal year:
June 1 - May 31
Communications Samoa Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
11,800 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,700 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2002)
Internet country code:
.ws
Internet hosts:
8,225 (2003)
Internet users:
4,000 (2002)
Transportation Samoa Top of Page
Airports:
4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2005 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2005 est.)
Roadways:
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Apia
Military Samoa Top of Page
Military branches:
no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA
Military - note:
Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:

Remember that Safelite is in business, and has some stiff competiton. It makes sense to have multiple call centers in case of disaster.

Who really cares where a call center is located? Location makes no difference as long as they are effective.

Hal, I hope you go help work with them in that country. Or maybe that is where you are from, and that is why you dont care if people here in the US wont have a job. I wonder what you would do if they moved your job there. I guess you could do your job over there as easy as you do it here.

Just wondering how much auto insurance these people purchase a year.

I hope they out source your job Hal. There is one thing they can't out source, an thats the labor.

Some retractions are in order. This thread is embarrassing. American Samoa is part of the United States. You can see the original context of the article here: http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=20169

So now everone is concerned with the Safelite employees and the loss of jobs. Not that I am defending the illegal practices of Safelite, but some of you are so caught up in employees losing their jobs. You are the same people hoping for the demise of Safelite, what do you think will happend to those same employees if the IGA is sucessful. There has got to be bigger things going on than worrying about Safelite opening a call center in Somoa. Some of you are so contradictory and confused. In this case I agree with Hal.

American Somoa is a territory not a State. I don't have anything against them personally, but it is still U.S. jobs that are going somewhere else. My last 2 personal vehicles have been Ford's and my last 3 business vehicles have been Chevy and GMAC. If at all possible I try and buy products made in the U.S.A.

The minimum wage for the jobs these people will be doing in American Somoa is $2.57. I don't care if it's Safelite or IBM..., why do you think Safelite is moving the jobs there? To be nice? To give to the community? No, to cut out U.S. residents from jobs and benefits to save a buck (or millions in this case).

I have absolutely nothing against ethical Safelite employees. I just think it's wrong what the company is doing. They are a Glass company and this is a glass forum.

JC

I just completed a thesis on Outsourcing jobs to foreign countries and let me tell you this business trend is not going to end any time soon. Simply the cost savings, if implemented properly, is HUGE, to huge for any company to deny. When you look at the average wage in the U.S. being about 20 times higher, you can see why they do it, as well as the reasons HAL mentioned (have call centers in different times zones and locations offsets many technical concerns as well).

Until the wages in these countries becomes closer to wages in the U.S. this will not stop, even with government restrictions in some industries it still happens. U.S. companies will continue to find cheaper labor and jump from one foreign country to another foreign country.

I am with HAL on this one!!! Where the call center is doesn't really matter, as long as it is effective.

But to those of you who hint that you only buy American vehicles, have you checked where those parts are made? There are a number of Ford, GMC, and Dodge parts and vehicles being assembled in other countries. Better check that first digit of your VIN's.

And before you think I am all for foreign outsourcing, my thesis was actually titled: Why Outsourcing to Foreign Countries is d=Deterimental to the American Way of Life.

Remember we are helping the poor China working class , another new record - balance of payments, soon, they may own us, so much for the American way of life. This is multi. nat. gobal war and the American worker is loosing. At the least the richer are getting richer at a faster rate than every one else. Hal's job could be next.

Bob you are correct. During my research for the thesis it is estimated that the Chinese economy will be larger than that of the United States by the year 2040 if current trends hold true. Sorry I do not have the direct quote and source handy though.

Big business knows what they're doing but chooses to look only at their own situation (whitch sometime truly can't be helped because of competion). Here goes about 10 million dollars a year in money that could be used to pay insurance premiums or put a w/s in some cars or help Ohio not pay out unemployment claims. This is one company, how many more, many with even more jobs, have already left. Our areas economy is tight right now. Wonder why?

Hal-
Sometimes it is better when we do not hear from you.Please think about your comments and what board you are talking to.We are independent business folks trying to make a FAIR living.I'am sure you love the move to Samoa because it will drive auto glass costs down even more and allow your cost per claim to go down also.

I hope you have a plan to get thoses windshields installed when everyone here says NO MORE!!!!!!

Moving a call center anywhere, much less overseas, is a huge task and full of potential for screw-ups. This might just backfire on safelite.

On the other hand, it seems to me they sure need the cost savings after the last round of discounts given to insurers to keep Lynx away.

About the last thing left for them to do is close the glass factory and outsource it to China (that might not save money, but the quality of their glass would improve!)

maybe the other players can stop them from using their plants like FYG Cheeplite may never come out of bankrupcy but take many down with them.

maybe the other players can stop them from using their plants like FYG Cheeplite may never come out of bankrupcy but take many down with them. Is Samoa in the tomorrow time zone?

The plot thickens....just a bit.

http://www.pacificislands.cc/pina/pinadefault2.php?urlpinaid=20349