So today I heard that ABU just announced a massive IT outsourcing contract to LTI, with a large offshore component. Most abu IT chevron employees in the department will be made redundant.
What do y'all think ? Good / bad / Don't care ?
19 replies (most recent on top)
A man flying in a hot air balloon suddenly realizes he’s lost. He reduces height and spots a man down below. He lowers the balloon further and shouts to get directions, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" The man below says: "Yes. You're in a hot air balloon, hovering 30 feet above this field." "You must work in Information Technology," says the balloonist. "I do" replies the man. "How did you know?" "Well," says the balloonist, "everything you have told me is technically correct, but It's of no use to anyone." The man below replies, "You must work in management." "I do," replies the balloonist, "But how'd you know?" "Well", says the man, "you don’t know where you are or where you’re going, but you expect me to be able to help. You’re in the same position you were before we met, but now it’s my fault."
Let the games begin. The minions of the Taj Mahal have reached our shores.
The subscription-based Microsoft Office 365 is nothing I would personal pay for at home. I'm not sure if there is a convincing advantage for its application on an enterprise level. ITC and Chevron would have had a weigh the cost benefit ratio. As far as Windows 10 is concerned, it's a matter of choice between keeping the PC or switching to a Mac. Chevron and most corporate workforces use the PC, so Windows 10 is the only choice. One positive for Windows 10 is that once it's purchased, all future updates to the operating system (Windows 11, 12, 13....) are free. It seems that Microsoft has caught on to something Apple has been offering its customer for a long time already.
I have Microsoft Office 365 on a new home computer and I can not think of a single new feature that is either needed or particularity useful. Windows 10 is absolutely garbage and seems to demand a new update every few days... total annoying. I will put off updating my Gil box as long as possible! (which, unfortunately, is only another couple of months).
On the topic of value-added IT, hilarious how ITC managed to bamboozle CVX into thinking we need Microsoft Office 365 and stood up this global Gil agile project in this Capex constrained environment
IT outsourcing is nothing but business as usual. Get used to the accents or any other phobia you might have. Do you think your executives care about your whining on this board? They make decisions that saves the company millions and that's how they are rewarded.
@2cre , When you learn proper English, feel free to use it in your next post.
Until then, Merry Christmas.
I'm a person who doesn't waste time. Whenever I dial in for support and get a novice or someone I cannot understand on the line, I simply excuse myself with some pretext or I hangup the phone. I then dial again and cross my fingers the next person who answers is the one I need. That simple. I don't need to put up with mediocrity.
Although accents are a bit difficult at times, the reality is that there are strict guidelines that the service provider has to follow in resolving issues. There are different levels of priority the agent has to identify and considering the level of IT competence various by caller, they logically have to go through every single step with the caller.
I am one of those that have had mixed experience but then that is true whether the support stays local or is off-shored. That is what happens with humans, sometimes things go smooth, and sometimes not because of misinterpretations and assumptions.
IT is a completely pedestrian support function. Chevron has broadly identical needs to every large company. There is no reason not to consolidate and outsource all IT. We can get the required service at low cost. What's not to like? I'm always amazed at IT managers who delude themselves into thinking we are some kind of value-adding IT company. That is exactly what we are not and how we end up wasting money.
1xkf, In my book, When it comes to IT support, give me someone who not only speaks my English, but can also correctly diagnose my windows lock on boot problem in one call on any day of the week. Enough said?
The worst IT outsourcing was to staff in New Zealand. Their English was fine; they just did not know anything about computers, operating systems, networking....etc.
Most of the IT outsourcing is to staff in Argentina and Manila. The people I routinely deal with on the help line speak better English and are more professional than most of the mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging cretins on this board. And they get the job done. Maybe that is why they retained their jobs.
No truer words, UPC. Sad how often it's forgotten.
There's an old saying, "you get what you pay for"....
Thank goodness for some sanity, dgz. When I used to get IT on the phone and someone on the other end started talking terrible English, I would excuse myself for some made-up reason and hang up the phone. I would try to find a solution some other way or take a week of vacation and pray someone else solved the problem in my absence. Outsourcing the correct way could be a plus, but outsourcing just to save a penny is a complete waste of productivity and money.
@mrp, I agree that outsourcing can make sense, but not to the point that one picks up the phone to get IT support, and what you get in return is someone in India trying to solve your local problem and speaking back to you in broken English language. That kind of outsourcing is not logical.
Free market. If outsourcing can do it cheaper without dropping the ball then it would be crazy not to.
Just so you know, the US operations have been supported by LTI for approximately 10 years, maybe longer. They provide great service.
I am sorry about the folks who are impacted.