Localized Tech Support Outsourcing? 20
phebz23 asks: "I am a supervisor for a modest (7 person) technical support department. Our company is going through a growing phase, but we're hitting a wall support-wise. We do business worldwide, but when it comes to technical support we only offer it in English. My boss and I are starting to research organizations that can provide technical support in other languages like French, German and Spanish. Does anyone have any experience working with an organization in this capacity, and/or have any suggestions on an appropriate solution? Thanks everyone."
Why do you need native speakers? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Why do you need native speakers? (Score:2)
avec toutes mes excuses,
the AC
Canada (Score:1, Interesting)
Pick me! (Score:2)
Re:Pick me! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Pick me! (Score:2)
ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS!
Das computermachine ist nicht fuer gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das blinkenlichten.
Comment removed (Score:4, Informative)
Growing-pains in Spanish. (Score:2, Insightful)
Languages (Score:5, Interesting)
You might try a firm in that area.
You must be new here... (Score:3, Funny)
Check your local university (Score:2)
My local university offers classes in foreign languages. Off hand I know of Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, and Japanese. Thats just one (though one of the larger ones) I suspect I could find Greek and Hebrew in a religious school somewhere close by. (though not necessarily forms spoken by modern people)
Send your people to school. If you are in a hurry check summer school I used to be able to get a years worth of Spanish in one summer. (used the entire morning 5 days a week though, a
Third party translators-by-phone (Score:3, Informative)
Alex.
Details Please (Score:4, Insightful)
The details of your business operations matter in this regard.
You might consider operating a satellite office in Europe. Labor movement is unrestricted in the EU, so you could have one central office, hiring from all over.
You could also outsource tech support to a European firm, just like you would in America. Maybe you want to consider doing this.
Trying to hire locally might be an option. This depends on how diverse the labor pool is in your area. In New York City, finding foreign language speakers is easier than in Des Moines. If local talent can't do the trick, then you may need to recruit nationally, or even internationally. The farther afield you go, the more you will increase expense and hassle
What are you supporting? What skill set, in addition to language, do you require?
The question of outsourcing the work is a premature one. Language is just one skill among many required. If support is a core business function, then you don't want to outsource it. You may need to hire an outside consultant(feel free to email me) to help you get your ducks in a row, but your problem is a fairly simple one. You are approaching it wrong.
Details matter for everything in this matter. Examine them. Or get the help of someone who can help you figure out your problem. You should also talk to other departments. Sales seems to be successful selling to foreigners, maybe they can give you suggestions on how they get the manpower necessary.
You might even talk to your customers! There's a shocking idea. Ask them what they would prefer: Outsourced support at a lower cost, or in-house support in their language at a higher cost. Or do they even care?
You are probably best off hiring more people rather outsourcing. In the long run, the added cost should be only minimally higher. In the short term, recruitment will be more expensive. Be prepared to bite the bullet and justify it to your bosses.
Re:Details Please (Score:3, Informative)
Let me add some further background info. to Michel's excellent reply.
As Michel points out, your problem has two solutions: continued internal delivery, or outsourced service delivery. No matter which of the two solutions you choose, there is a base level of work you must continue to perform in enabling your support technicians:
English is a good start (Score:4, Funny)
In our company (Score:3, Interesting)
We've developed lots of extensive documentation in english and paid outside companies to translate them for us into a half dozen languages. When the docs don't cover it, the company finds an employee inside their orginzation that speaks passable english or spanish and have them call us. From what I understand, this isn't that big of a deal for them, and is a hell of a lot easier than us finding a dozen people who speak every language under the sun.
Keep in mind, english is the language of business.
It'll cost you (Score:3, Interesting)