I believe it will yield real benefits. In theory an agent in India is just as skilled as in the UK, so there will be absolutely no difference. However there are a couple of practical considerations.

1. People know that outsourced centres are cheaper. This in turn can lead to the assumption that the company is more interested in saving money than service. This will naturally put the individual in a less agreeable mood, making resolution of the matter more difficult.

2. An accent is a problem. Yusuf mentioned that it is understood around the world, but this simply isn't the case. On numerous occasions I have spoken to agents whos accents make it difficult to understand what they are saying. Having to ask them to repeat themselves after every sentence is frustrating and time wasting. This isn't levelled just at Indian centres, but anywhere with a strong accent. If the customer is speaking to someone with an accent they are unlikely to encounter frequently in every day life there are bound to be issues, complicated further by the limitations on the quality of a phone line.

This difficulty in communication can breed the belief that they don't understand you. Often if it is a service problem, and the answer is unfavourable one begins to question if the agent really understands what you are saying. This leads to further repetition and arguments.

So, to the question, the Indian agents are just as skilled, but unless they can speak with no notable accent then there are real world benefits to being based in the UK.

Good day,

First of all I would like to say Instead of bringing back call centre's back from India we need to Install more. Please read the information below why?
1. Simbian, Tiscali, aswell toucan had the highest customer satisfaction level througout with the Indian call centres.
2. Indian call centre's aren't plug n play infact NO business work like that. You got to train, monitor and support on a constant basis like any other business.
3. Just because few customer's had an issue and then thinking of moving back to square one is rather being Foolish. Who says that UK customer had never had problems with a British employee?
4. India is an upcoming country and they speak Global English which is understood by anyone around the globe.
5. BT had an issue and they thinking of moving the business back to UK. Guess what? They gonna struggle more because you gotta be high training fees in pounds to the trainers available in Uk+ Wages according to UK employment policies+waiting for some form of revenue after all the expenses you shelled already.
6. India is the only country in the world which deliver's Quality and awesome Customer service skills. Survey showed 90% quality and 93% Customer service skills.
7. No other country can beat that rating but India

Hence thinking of moving Call centres back from India is Suicidal believe it or not that's the truth.

Thanking you
Yusuf Das

With the latest drip feeding of job cuts from The Lloyds Group of 1,200 more people and all the other job losses in the group there should be a talent pool of people to put into those jobs

I think some of the banks could take a look at themselves.

It seems morally suspect to me that the UK tax payer bails them out and then some of those same tax payers are made redundent by the banks whilst similar roles (not just call centre) are outsourced to other countries.

Of course there are cost saving arguments in a number of areas but they don't always come to fruition when taking into account the amount of re-work which is sometimes required, additional supervision & monitoring, extended project time causing go-live delays and customer dissatisfaction with the service.

A few years ago outsourcing of calls to India seemed like a good idea to reduce cost.

But there has been a really big customer backlash against it.

Today there was an announcement that BT is to bring 2,000 call centre jobs back to the UK.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article6715544.ece

Do you think that other companies should follow BT's example?