Fast food chain to start outsourcing jobs overseas

[devil21]

Yep, you read that correctly! Big business is bound and determined to ship every possible job overseas and it's now even happening in brick and mortar fast food joints. I'm boycotting Jack in the Box from now on.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stori...75180.html?npc

Fast-food outsourcing gets trial run in Charlotte

02:16 PM EST on Sunday, January 25, 2009

Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- A fast-food giant is trying to determine whether it’s easier to place your drive-through order with someone around the world instead of around the corner.

Jack in the Box Inc. has been testing a program in some Charlotte-area restaurants that outsources order-taking to a call center elsewhere.

Company spokeswoman Kathleen Anthony told the Charlotte Observer that the technology is intended to improve speed, accuracy and service. The San Diego-based restaurant chain hopes the process will free up on-site employees to process orders, accept payment and address other needs.

Anthony said the orders are routed to a Texas call center operated by Bronco Communications, and she said some orders may be routed outside of the country.

What it doesn't mention is how many people will be laid off.

[danberkeley]

Yep, you read that correctly! Big business is bound and determined to ship every possible job overseas and it's now even happening in brick and mortar fast food joints. I'm boycotting Jack in the Box from now on.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stori...75180.html?npc



What it doesn't mention is how many people will be laid off.

Protectionism doesn't work.

[Kalifornia]

Protectionism doesn't work.

Depends on what you call 'protectionism'. If you think that the American Middle Class isnt the foundation for liberty the world over, and if you think that it isnt currently beinng destroyed by design... well, I guess we wont have much to talk about.

Anarchists are so busy outsmarting themselves that theyll never change anything.

[danberkeley]

Depends on what you call 'protectionism'. If you think that the American Middle Class isnt the foundation for liberty the world over, and if you think that it isnt currently beinng destroyed by design... well, I guess we wont have much to talk about.

Anarchists are so busy outsmarting themselves that theyll never change anything.

The government is driving costs up in America, therefore, any rational individual would look for a way to cut costs. If that means firing employees in America and hiring new ones in India, so be it. Look at all the protectionism in the auto industry, that industry is collapsing.

Anarchists are so busy outsmarting themselves that theyll never change anything.

And neither will Obama.

[icon124]

Depends on what you call 'protectionism'. If you think that the American Middle Class isnt the foundation for liberty the world over, and if you think that it isnt currently beinng destroyed by design... well, I guess we wont have much to talk about.

Anarchists are so busy outsmarting themselves that theyll never change anything.

Plain and simple, If you understand anything about economics you WILL realize protectionism does NOT work.

Don't blame the fast food place, blame the Government...any reasonable company tries to limit expenses, they are not at fault here.

[angelatc]

Plain and simple, If you understand anything about economics you WILL realize protectionism does NOT work.

Don't blame the fast food place, blame the Government...any reasonable company tries to limit expenses, they are not at fault here.

I understand a little bit about economics. Please explain to me why protectionism doesn't work.

[Kalifornia]

The government is driving costs up in America, therefore, any rational individual would look for a way to cut costs. If that means firing employees in America and hiring new ones in India, so be it. Look at all the protectionism in the auto industry, that industry is collapsing.

The auto industry is collapsing because we have overvalued the dollar. This isnt protectionism, its globalism. There was a time when the US auto industry was a beneficiary of protectionism, but we havent had that situation for over 25 years. If our military wasnt propping up the dollar, wed be EXPORTING cars instead of importing them. I assure you that the current situation is by design, and it is NOT a free market solution.

As far as 'rational individuals looking to cut costs' I call bull$#@!. US Companies avail themselves of the US marketplace, exporting jobs benefits only the employer. Everyone else gets screwed. Liberty is the goal, but AMERICA first. In your world you would act as if nations dont exist. Great idea, but $#@!ty reality, much like communism.

And neither will Obama.

We agree on that at least.

[Kalifornia]

Plain and simple, If you understand anything about economics you WILL realize protectionism does NOT work.

Don't blame the fast food place, blame the Government...any reasonable company tries to limit expenses, they are not at fault here.

BWahahaha!

I understand alot about economics. Ever read any Tullock or the other Public Choice school economists?

I refer you to 'the prisoners dilema'

[danberkeley]

The auto industry is collapsing because we have overvalued the dollar. This isnt protectionism, its globalism. There was a time when the US auto industry was a beneficiary of protectionism, but we havent had that situation for over 25 years. If our military wasnt propping up the dollar, wed be EXPORTING cars instead of importing them. I assure you that the current situation is by design, and it is NOT a free market solution.

So what would you call the auto bailout? And the government-empowered auto unions?

As far as 'rational individuals looking to cut costs' I call bull$#@!. US Companies avail themselves of the US marketplace, exporting jobs benefits only the employer.

Yes. That's the whole point. That's why they do it. Just like I cut down cost for the benefit of myself.

Everyone else gets screwed. Liberty is the goal, but AMERICA first. In your world you would act as if nations dont exist. Great idea, but $#@!ty reality, much like communism.

$#@! it. California first! All the other states can go to hell.

We agree on that at least.

[icon124]

I understand a little bit about economics. Please explain to me why protectionism doesn't work.

To begin, when domestic industries become protected that means there was competition abroad. When people are buying abroad that only means the price was cheaper (Assuming same quality). When your protecting an industry you're lowering your net welfare. This usually falls under the "patriotic - Be American Buy American" bull crap.

Another argument is we need employment to stay here in America. That's almost always false. Yes we may lose labor in one industry, but that is almost always offset by shifting the labor to a new industry. If free trade were trully allowed Countries would be able to specialize in what they had comparative advantage in (this depends on factors such as land - natural resources etc., and labor).
Shifting labor from the dead protected losing industries to the comparative advantage industries.

Some also argue for protectionism to keep the money here in America, because if you do that will increase incentives to produce. That is simply false. They say the money will leave the country to never return...goods eventually have to pay for goods. The money that flows out for imports comes back to pay for exports. If we were allowed free trade we could focus on industries that ACTUALLY have profit.

The only time I even begin to lean towards some sort of barrier is when it comes to infant industries (because of all of the damn barriers set up all over the world by incompetent politicians and labor unions). But the hard part to get correct here is when is it time to let the industry go out on its own? Ideally there should be no protectionism what so ever in the world...this would allow us to produce what we specialize in and gain the maximum amount of welfare.

As long as we have people who argue for protectionism we will have protectionism, but if they take the time to study the results one can only come to the conclusion that protectionism only harms.

In this fast food case it's like feeding fuel to the fire. When do we stop?...

[danberkeley]

We should kill off the robots because they are stealing American jobs. And imprison truck drivers because what we need is to have everyone personally deliver the goods they make.

[Chester Copperpot]

Yep, you read that correctly! Big business is bound and determined to ship every possible job overseas and it's now even happening in brick and mortar fast food joints. I'm boycotting Jack in the Box from now on.

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stori...75180.html?npc



What it doesn't mention is how many people will be laid off.

Dude, a guy made a youtube about this a long time ago,, but as a joke.. let me find it.. its hilarious...

ok I found it here it is.... you have to watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR_-aMVQWZI

[The Grinning Maniac]

"Another argument is we need employment to stay here in America. That's almost always false. Yes we may lose labor in one industry, but that is almost always offset by shifting the labor to a new industry."

...What industy would that be?

Manufacturing? Gone.
Agriculture? Gone.
Computer repair? Mostly gone.
Tech support? Gone.
Toymaking? Gone.
Electronics? Gone.
Clothing? Gone.
Household items? Gone.

What's left apart from fast food (oh wait!), laundromats, and barbershops? What industry is offsetting the loss? The "Service economy" seems to be a myth.

Look I think this is a matter of greed. It's not about wanting to make things cheaper for the consumer. It's that the business owner doesn't want to spend money. It's logical to reduce costs, but there's a moral obligation to be met. You don't hollow out your country's manufacturing base to save dough. You don't put toxic chemicals in milk or use lead paint to save dough. It's the same argument.

And honestly, the people who are hardcore for globalism have to fail to realize the ultimate end of the process. How are we going to keep our standard of living when we don't produce anything or save money? When China takes our place and we're making slave wages Will you be cheering on capitalism when we take the place of some third-world country that we currently exploit? Will you enjoy living on 5 dollars a day and working in a sweatshop? I think not.

Comparative advantage is a fine idea, when you're talking about one country/group doing something BETTER than another. But CHEAPER is not the same thing as better. I don't know how we got that concept muddled. Slavery made things very cheap, but does that mean it's a fine way to do business?

I'm kind of rambling at this point, as I have homework to do and am just popping in, but someone mentioned robots. I think we actually should get rid of some of the factory robots and AI-receptionists and put people to work again.

This idea that robots are always better because they make things cheaper is basically the same argument that exists for some robotopia of communism in "Zeitgeist Addendum". Every job we have now could eventually be replaced by robots and AI...but does that mean it's a good idea? I'm sure the industrialists who don't want to pay workers money love that concept...but is it good for a country? What will people do for work? There has to be some common sense.

Also, as a tongue in cheek note...think about it...a fully robotic workforce of intelligent slave robots that do our bidding. How many sci-fi novels has that concept gone wrong in?

[pinkmandy]

Their business so whatever. People can choose to talk to someone in India to order a cheeseburger or choose to go elsewhere. I'm hoping as more and more people lose their jobs they'll start waking up to stuff like this and make different purchasing decisions causing businesses to make different hiring decisions.

[icon124]

...What industy would that be?

Manufacturing? Gone.
Agriculture? Gone.
Computer repair? Mostly gone.
Tech support? Gone.
Toymaking? Gone.
Electronics? Gone.
Clothing? Gone.
Household items? Gone.

What's left apart from fast food (oh wait!), laundromats, and barbershops? What industry is offsetting the loss? The "Service economy" seems to be a myth.

Look I think this is a matter of greed. It's not about wanting to make things cheaper for the consumer. It's that the business owner doesn't want to spend money. It's logical to reduce costs, but there's a moral obligation to be met. You don't hollow out your country's manufacturing base to save dough. You don't put toxic chemicals in milk or use lead paint to save dough. It's the same argument.

And honestly, the people who are hardcore for globalism have to fail to realize the ultimate end of the process. How are we going to keep our standard of living when we don't produce anything or save money? When China takes our place and we're making slave wages Will you be cheering on capitalism when we take the place of some third-world country that we currently exploit? Will you enjoy living on 5 dollars a day and working in a sweatshop? I think not.

Comparative advantage is a fine idea, when you're talking about one country/group doing something BETTER than another. But CHEAPER is not the same thing as better. I don't know how we got that concept muddled. Slavery made things very cheap, but does that mean it's a fine way to do business?

I'm kind of rambling at this point, as I have homework to do and am just popping in, but someone mentioned robots. I think we actually should get rid of some of the factory robots and AI-receptionists and put people to work again.

This idea that robots are always better because they make things cheaper is basically the same argument that exists for some robotopia of communism in "Zeitgeist Addendum". Every job we have now could eventually be replaced by robots and AI...but does that mean it's a good idea? I'm sure the industrialists who don't want to pay workers money love that concept...but is it good for a country? What will people do for work? There has to be some common sense.

Also, as a tongue in cheek note...think about it...a fully robotic workforce of intelligent slave robots that do our bidding. How many sci-fi novels has that concept gone wrong in?

I'm for FREE trade, call it what you like. The fact of the matter is we would have industries where it's more efficient for us to produce, but the Government has destroyed most of them. When are we going to stop all of this protectionism crap and let the free market decide...we have to draw the line in the sand somewhere...

what I'm saying is even small cases like this feed fuel to the fire...enough is enough...

And for the robot case...we would be spending the time in a more efficient manner, so I'm sure we would grow somehow...now how exactly I don't know...but I'm betting we would.

[WRellim]

This was anticipated years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR_-aMVQWZI

[WRellim]

Dude, a guy made a youtube about this a long time ago,, but as a joke.. let me find it.. its hilarious...

ok I found it here it is.... you have to watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR_-aMVQWZI

HAH! You beat me to it!

My favorite part is when he asks the guy in the India call center if he has ever tried a "Bacon Cheese Chicken" and the guy says... "No sir, I do not eat pork."

Funny stuff.

[ArchPaul]

Outsourcing is pure greed. Lets see how many Olympians there will be when you tell them all they'll get is a cup of rice instead of a big fat gold medal and million(s) dollar contracts. How many of you are willing to let the factory dump toxic waste into your water supply? Who want their house built on top of a pool of cyanide? How many of you are willing to work 16 hour days for a couple pennies? How about having your children work 12 hour days till their fingers are blistered for $1 a week, all the while doing it in inhumane conditions? How many of you are going to be out there whoring your ass to big fat sweaty Chinese men that want round eye for nightly pleasure. If only so you can have something to eat that night? Exactly! That's not competition! That's slavery. Calling it anything else is bull$#@!.

At least 12 million Indian children work instead of going to school, according to government estimates. Advocacy groups say the real figure could be as high as 60 million.

"This is a huge problem," said Anil Shah, who heads the Houston, Texas-based U.S. chapter of Pratham, an Indian nongovernmental organization working toward universal primary education in India. "Millions of children are being robbed of their future."

—Stefan Lovgren


here's your "competition"!

here's your "competition"!




And this is your future!




Good luck with that. I know, "not me" right? You better hope not.

[Omphfullas Zamboni]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...=Protectionism

[Bryan]

I heard about this last year, and I can certainly understand the use of call centers that could cut costs, but putting them overseas will cause some consumer blowback (such as not being able to understand who you're talking with, like tech support).

Of course, the future enslavement of the American middle class is, to me, a natural outcome of our ideological choice of our land ownership system- property taxes are just making it come much faster...

[Dieseler]

..

[danberkeley]

I heard about this last year, and I can certainly understand the use of call centers that could cut costs, but putting them overseas will cause some consumer blowback (such as not being able to understand who you're talking with, like tech support).

So the let the fast food chains suffer because of that.

Outsourcing is pure greed.

Not it's not. It;s a rational decision to save money. Especially now that profits are dwindling.

Lets see how many Olympians there will be when you tell them all they'll get is a cup of rice instead of a big fat gold medal and million(s) dollar contracts.

What does that have to do with anything?

How many of you are willing to let the factory dump toxic waste into your water supply?

That would be a violation of property rights. Next...

Who want their house built on top of a pool of cyanide?

Wouldn't the house sink?

How many of you are willing to work 16 hour days for a couple pennies?

The Chinese may be. Afterall, anything is the better after the Chinese government $#@!ed the entire economy.

How about having your children work 12 hour days till their fingers are blistered for $1 a week, all the while doing it in inhumane conditions?

Better than going to a government school where they will be robbed, sexually assaulted, battered, humiliated, don't learn to read, don't learn basic math, and made to believe that the government supercedes the family

How many of you are going to be out there whoring your ass to big fat sweaty Chinese men that want round eye for nightly pleasure.

This is one i don't get.

If only so you can have something to eat that night? Exactly! That's not competition! That's slavery. Calling it anything else is bull$#@!.

So what will the Chinese do if "we: retake "our" jobs?

[I]At least 12 million Indian children work instead of going to school, according to government estimates. Advocacy groups say the real figure could be as high as 60 million.

On the job training: better than learning some BS in school.

[Kalifornia]

I'm for FREE trade, call it what you like. .

There will be no FREE trade until there is FREE money again (gold). So long as the wizard is behind the curtain manipulating currency values, the only way to protect american political and economic sovereignty is to stop this craziness.

[Bryan]

So the let the fast food chains suffer because of that.

No argument here.

But we're still heading to economic slavery...

[Knighted]

I'm kind of rambling at this point, as I have homework to do and am just popping in, but someone mentioned robots. I think we actually should get rid of some of the factory robots and AI-receptionists and put people to work again.

Abandoning technology and the improved productivity that follows it, all for the sake of allowing people to keep their jobs, is the surest way to guarantee that society as a whole never sees an increase in their standard of living. It's a form of job welfare where the majority must sacrifice their potential well being so that the few can avoid unemployment or career changes, not unlike socialism. Society as a whole stagnates as a result.

If everyone had given into worker demands in the late 1800s, early 1900s to destroy all automation that was costing them their jobs, probably 90% of products we have today never would have been produced, because they would be unaffordable and unprofitable if pure human labor was required throughout the manufacturing process. The remaining 10% of goods would be necessities that a person would have to work feverishly to afford, with little money left over for anything else.

[icon124]

There will be no FREE trade until there is FREE money again (gold). So long as the wizard is behind the curtain manipulating currency values, the only way to protect american political and economic sovereignty is to stop this craziness.

This is my last response to this, but in all honesty you have it all wrong. Take this as you will...

Read any international economics study and you will be proved otherwise.

[acptulsa]

Abandoning technology and the improved productivity that follows it, all for the sake of allowing people to keep their jobs, is the surest way to guarantee that society as a whole never sees an increase in their standard of living. It's a form of job welfare where the majority must sacrifice their potential well being so that the few can avoid unemployment or career changes, not unlike socialism. Society as a whole stagnates as a result.

You have a valid point. Your society, however, must produce something in order to actually get that higher standard of living. You have to master that new technology, and be the one to provide it. And socialism won't help you do that.

Furthermore, you can't leave the members of your society behind who can't help directly push the boundaries of the new technology. So, there must be gainful employment for all, or as many as possible. Otherwise, there will be unrest and unhappiness that will interfere with your new technology inventors' thought processes.

And while protectionism may not work, boycotts sure do. And while you may save a few pennies routing your Jack's speaker to India, you wind up making your employees do more physical labor with fewer chances to catch their breath and your turnover goes up, and you put yourself at the mercy of weather patterns that can interfere with the communications net.

I think this is as short sighted as the mistakes that led to their disease scare (what was it again? Botulism? E coli?). We don't have Jack in the Box around here, and when I travel I do not eat there. This won't encourage me to start.

[Kalifornia]

This is my last response to this, but in all honesty you have it all wrong. Take this as you will...

Read any international economics study and you will be proved otherwise.

The problem is that apparently, youve only read one at random, and I dont have time to educate you. Keep on laboring under the delusion that our current system of international trade is 'free'.

It is not, it is managed and manipulated by a network of central banks and behind the scenes players, and it is setup particularly to transfer wealth from producers to leeches. We wont be free of this parasitical influence until we rid ourselves of the national banking systems.

[rancher89]

Interesting thread. I remember this coming up before, I think it was Mcky D's thinking about outsourcing the drive throughs.

Economic theory and history aside, the people losing jobs because of this are usually able to speak english marginally at best -- and the speakers don't help with the problem.

[danberkeley]

Also, the minimum wage doesn't allow the American workers to work for less.