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In November, Dell Inc., the world's second-largest computer maker, said it would switch some corporate customer support calls from a call center in India to the U.S. after receiving customer complaints.

Having been labeled a "free traitor" here some time ago, I had my first personal run-in with outsourced U.S. jobs last week: American Express customer service. I figured it out because every rep was named Preet, Jugdesh, Zima, or some other Indian name.

The experience was horrendous. The essential failure, it seems, in outsourcing a customer service function is the cultural differences. A sharp service rep in the U.S. understands that customer is "always right". Of course, that's not really the case, but it's a mantra that U.S. businesses have successfully used for decades. The Indian reps tended to strike an educational pose: "that's just the way it is". There is no nuance to their communication skills. Yes, they speak and understand English. But they don't understand Americans

End result is that Amex is losing a very good, long-time customer. I'm sure I'm not the only one. It's possible that this market force could draw jobs back. And, if in the end the IT talent is just as inept, we'll see a similar migration back to our shores.

Dell has already pulled their corporate customer support back form India for just the reasons you've mentioned. It may take a little time, but the ugly downsides of offshoring - the cultural gaps, the theft of IP and confidnetial business process information, the almost total disreaged for copyright law - will make themselves felt in the boardrooms. The short-term gains resulting from offshoring will cost these companies far more than they ever bargained for.

American Express customer service. I figured it out because every rep was named Preet, Jugdesh, Zima, or some other Indian name.

Not only that but the line quality sucks. Happened to me too with Amex. The first one I asked where she was calling from. "Ft Lauderdale". Um, yeah, right. Second one fessed-up and said New Dehli - a sales call for Providian.

I also have two open issues with Netgear support via email. Of course, they are all from India too (and if they tell me to install this flippin driver one more time I'm going to puke).

I play with them, say "what?" a lot and ask them to repeat everything. Then tell them no to whatever they want from me.

There is a total cultural and societial difference between the United States and India (far East...etc.). They can understand the English language, but they don't understand any of our slang or common usage. The Far Easterners have not grown up and experienced what the bulk of Americans experience. They interpret words strictly in their literal sense.

Having studied some technical computer areas (Cisco networking, etc.), I can see the differences in the interpretations, and it is very difficult to overcome. I have also experience Indian/Pakistani (?) customer support for computer equipment that I have purchased...it takes three to four times to get them to comprehend what is going on, and sometimes they treat you like an idiot, starting from the very beginning...while you have connected the equipment, run the installation program, configure and run through the initial program diagnostics...all to no avail.

Then after they walk you through their prescribed script several times, then they tell you their is nothing else that they can do. I have taken back several printers that have given me problems right out of the box.

I no longer buy HP printers anymore, or at least I will not bother to call their tech support, just return the problem... I also am going to write to Dell and tell them that I won't buy anything more from them unless they bring back their tech support to the states for individual customers as well, not just businesses. I don't feel that individual buyers need to be taken advantage of just because they can.