Unnecessary Outsourcing

Courtesy of Microsoft Office

Even though I access several news agencies online each day, I remain convinced that there is something meaningful about holding an actual newspaper in one’s hands. And, like ZaydeGiraffe, I especially love to read the local paper. Local news, local flavour, local folks. A great way to connect with one’s environs.

Which might explain why the following phone conversation left me speechless:

Voice: Hello, ma’am. I’m calling on behalf of The Local Paper. How are you today?
FrumeSarah: Wet.
Voice (sounding confused): Wet?
FrumeSarah: Yes, wet. I mean, it’s been raining since Sunday.
Voice (laughing): Oh, I see. It rains here too; every day at 3:00pm for about an hour.
FrumeSarah (sounding confused): Where are you?
Voice: Orlando.

Orlando. Approximately 1,047 miles from The Local Paper. Certainly not local folk doing the telemarketing. And with a nearly 9% unemployment rate here in our valley, certainly they could find someone local who would be happy to make those calls.