Call centers bill crucial

The Washington Missourian: Sen. Claire McCaskill has pointed to an irritant and it’s not one of the politicians who wants her desk in the U.S. Senate. It’s call centers in foreign countries working American telephone lines for U.S. companies.

She is sponsoring legislation that would require any call center with business in the United States to have its call-takers identify their name and country. Probably a large number of Americans who answer the phone would hang up unless it’s a critical call made for urgent service.

The idea behind the legislation is to influence American companies to use call centers in this country. The reason they use foreign centers, of course, is to save money.

Sen. McCaskill said the number of call centers in Missouri has dropped from 13,000 in 2007 to 9,000 currently. She linked the issue to outsourcing of American jobs overseas.

It is irritating trying to talk to foreigners on the telephone who do not speak English well.

Whether this legislation, if passed, would restore many jobs in this country in call centers is anybody’s guess. But it is an issue that captures the attention of some voters. It’s aimed at grassroots Missourians who are unhappy and annoyed at some of the practices in vogue today.