I just boycotted Lillian Vernon

[silverlib]

an let them know why...

"I have just unsubscribed from you notification E-mail list and felt it was important that you know why I did this. I have just recently been introduced to your catalog and find your products interesting and diversified.

However, America is in an economic turmoil right now, in part because of the outsoursing of American jobs. You are one of the many on the Lou Dobb's list of companies doing this and I find it my patriotic duty to avoid, when possible, supporting any American company that uses outsoursing. I hope that many join me, as I know that the most important thing to these companies is their bottom line for their investors. I hope I soon see "not outsoursing" as a powerful marketing tool to increase profitability and hope that Lillian Vernon's BOD will take a long hard look at the possibilities that being able to market in this way might bring to their shareholders."

Of course I had to edit this down to 250 characters to fit in their comment section- but I still think I got the point across.

[nini]

1. good job... and thanks for letting me know about them

I haven't used them before, but I sure as hell won't now.

[DebJ]

2. thanks thats cool ... 3 cheers for the Red white and Blue....by the way

I believe the correct spelling is 'outsourcing'

[silverlib]

4. Once again I'm humbled...

You are correct - I just hope the people in India don't know how to spell it either.

[wryter2000]

3. Well done

Didn't know about Lillian Vernon.

[Sapphocrat]

5. Good on ya, silverlib!

I do my damnedest to boycott every company that offshores American jobs, and drop 'em a note when I can.

Keep doin' it! We have no other way to fight back!

Sign me,

Redundant in Silicon Valley

[UrbScotty]

6. WTG, silverlib. (nt)

[NightTrain]

7. Good for you!

Unfortunately, you misspelled "outsourcing." B-)

[silverlib]

8. Yea, I know...

see post #4.

I hate it when that happens!

[silverlib]

9. Update - Response from Lillian Vernon

This is rather lame, don't you think? They could have put a call center somewhere in the US that would not be affected by Virginia Beach weather.

Dear ,

Thank you for your recent correspondence. We appreciate your concern and feedback.

In September, our Virginia Beach National Distribution Center and Call Center was severely impacted by Hurricane Isabel, which forced the closing of the facility for parts of three days. To prevent this from happening again, we have put into place a back-up call center far enough away so that severe weather conditions will have no impact on our day-to-day operations. The back-up call center will be operating from midnight to 7am, a traditionally difficult time to staff. It will take only a small percentage of our calls. Our Virginia Beach call center answers a majority of our calls and will continue to employ 1,100 people during the peak holiday season. The entire National Distribution Center has 3,500 people during the Christmas season. We are not laying people off. The call center will only be closed from midnight to 7am and all affected call center representatives were offered other schedules.

We hope to keep you as a happy and satisfied customer

[Skittles]

10. WHAT UTTER F***ING BULLSHIT

Are they implying INDIA has no bad weather ??????????????????? And bullshit about the staffing third shif - offer DIFFERENTIAL, assholes.

[silverlib]

11. You took the words that I wanted to post...

right off my fingertips!

Thank you!

I'm just trying to cool off and think about my response to the HS!

[solinvictus]

14. India

At CIGNA Healthcare, there was a move to outsource claims data entry to a remote region of India. Here's the scheme: image the claim digitally in the USA, beam the image to a receiver, receiver in India transmits image by T1 internet line to remote Indian processing center, reverse process to complete. Well, they implemented the plan, despite the said region's tectonic instability, and of course a hard quake hit severing the line in many MANY locations. India's infrastructure being what it is insured many months before repair, so the plan cost CIGNA more money than to keep the jobs here. Ha-Ha! (Nelson Muntz laugh)

[arwalden]

12. How About "Walter Drake" and "Harriet Carter"

I love all the little gadgety stuff they have.

http://www.wdrake.com/
http://www.harrietcarter.com/

-- Allen

[silverlib]

13. Thanks - I've linked them and

they look like viable alternatives. Most of all, they're not on the Lou Dobbs list.

Thanks again.

[arwalden]

15. What About Fingerhut?