If there’s one thing that browns people off, it’s trying to access services of the companies enjoying our custom, and finding you have to deal with staff located overseas. In the FSU’s recent Better Banking survey 90% of the public and 93% of finance workers wanted a commitment from Government and banks to stop off-shoring.
Even though we operate in a global economy, and we’re quite comfortable buying things from Amazon and Ebay, and emailing, Facebooking and Skyping friends and family on the other side of the globe, when it comes to commerce we want to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone local.
Companies know it too, and are starting to respond. Customer service staff in call centres with some major corporations have started to provide their location, in addition to their Christian name, when you connect with them.
We impart all sorts of personal information in these phone calls. First, we have to identify ourselves by providing our date of birth, address and the name of our first pet. And if you’re calling about your banking, insurance or superannuation, you’ll be asked to provide or confirm all sorts of sensitive personal financial data, like your income, or details of your assets.
When finance sector companies send jobs offshore, they’re also sending your personal details offshore. Think about it: loan applications, credit card processing, insurance claims, sent offshore, outside of the control of our government regulations and laws. And there’s no compulsion on the finance company to tell you they are sending your details offshore, or even ask your permission. Yet 87% of Better Banking survey respondents believe Government should require banks to let Australians know when their personal financial data is being sent overseas. Read more »
