Just a heads up to anyone who uses either ip-relay.com or AIM MyIpRelay;
Stellar Nordia/Go America which have recently acquired the service are going to be outsourcing the entire ip relay system to the Philippines.
While you may not think this is a bad thing, in my personal experience as a relay operator for 2+ years I think it is.
Think about it, growing up in America you get used to accents and slang, when you're in another country and you learn English as a second language that goes right out of the window.
Now the GOOD news is that Stellar Nordia/Go America has implimented a system to block all of the west african scam calls coming through the system.. and I AM HAPPY for that, very happy.... the problem is that those calls made up a big chunk of our call volume. So naturally they have to let go of a chunk of operators.
The problem lies in the fact that not only are they letting some of us go, but they're outsourcing IP relay and killing ANOTHER huge chunk of jobs for operators HERE in America.
The 2 centers here in US are 1 in Riverbank CA and Memphis TN, Riverbank employs about 700 operators, of which 500 are being let go. Memphis employs about 250 operators, of which 200 are being let go.
And how are they choosing who goes and who stays? Seniority. Not quality!
That is a lot of people, and a lot of jobs.
I applaud Stellar Nordia/Go Americas effort in suppressing fraud, I am appalled by the decision to outsourse.
Editing to add a few webpage addresses for news sources on this issue:
The Modesto Bee | Outsourcing faulted in call center layoffs
and
The Modesto Bee | Riverbank call center for deaf to lose jobs
Stellar Nordia/Go America which have recently acquired the service are going to be outsourcing the entire ip relay system to the Philippines.
While you may not think this is a bad thing, in my personal experience as a relay operator for 2+ years I think it is.
Think about it, growing up in America you get used to accents and slang, when you're in another country and you learn English as a second language that goes right out of the window.
Now the GOOD news is that Stellar Nordia/Go America has implimented a system to block all of the west african scam calls coming through the system.. and I AM HAPPY for that, very happy.... the problem is that those calls made up a big chunk of our call volume. So naturally they have to let go of a chunk of operators.
The problem lies in the fact that not only are they letting some of us go, but they're outsourcing IP relay and killing ANOTHER huge chunk of jobs for operators HERE in America.
The 2 centers here in US are 1 in Riverbank CA and Memphis TN, Riverbank employs about 700 operators, of which 500 are being let go. Memphis employs about 250 operators, of which 200 are being let go.
And how are they choosing who goes and who stays? Seniority. Not quality!
That is a lot of people, and a lot of jobs.
I applaud Stellar Nordia/Go Americas effort in suppressing fraud, I am appalled by the decision to outsourse.
Editing to add a few webpage addresses for news sources on this issue:
The Modesto Bee | Outsourcing faulted in call center layoffs
and
The Modesto Bee | Riverbank call center for deaf to lose jobs
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