There is one thing to outsourcing and foreign help that cannot be disputed: politeness.

In dealing with Amazon recently regarding my older brother's Christmas present, which got lost in the mail (but which they replaced immediately, free of charge, express shipping), I got two e-mails that were distinctly written by non-Americans... you could tell from the grammar, but you could also tell from the choice in words and the nearly-overwhelming sense of sincerity and courtesy.

There are a number of Indians (and some Pakistanis and other surrounding-area persons) who work on base and around town, and phone calls with them always make me smile. Although I can't always quite understand them and have to ask them to repeat themselves a fair amount, I always hear at least a few things: "What's your good name?" is one of my favorites. There's something else that they usually sign e-mails with, something like "For your kindness regards" or something like that .. but I can't think of it off the top of my head.

Now, I think I give good customer service overall. I think I've been having a harder time with my customers once they cross the line to irritation (like asking me questions in an e-mail and then not even reading the response and asking the very same question as a direct response to that response, for example), but I still usually give good customer service. But I cannot match the customer service I have seen from many of the Indian, Pakistani, and other employees. It makes up for any language barrier or any other struggles that may come from the outsourcing that many companies have done. (If a phone conversation doesn't proove this, just see if you can move it to e-mail.. written correspondence is where it really shines oftentimes!)