outsourcing Archives — john koetsier

Outsourcing is wonderful, because you don’t have to do the dirty work yourself.

Outsourcing sucks, because you’re at the mercy of the quality (or lack thereof) of your new bestest friend partner … who’s never quite as pretty as during the days you were dating.

I don’t know if you’ve gotten any of these Dear John letters from major hotel chains lately, but I’ve gotten three. Here’s the one from Marriott:

April 4, 2011

Dear Marriott Customer,

We were recently notified by Epsilon, a marketing vendor used by Marriott International, Inc. to manage customer emails, that an unauthorized third party gained access to a number of Epsilon’s accounts including Marriott’s email list.

In all likelihood, this will not impact you. However, we recommend that you continue to be on the alert for spam emails requesting personal or sensitive information. Please understand and be assured that Marriott does not send emails requesting customers to verify personal information.

We take your privacy very seriously. Marriott has a long-standing commitment to protecting the privacy of the personal information that our guests entrust to us. We regret this has taken place and apologize for any inconvenience.

Please visit our FAQ to learn more.

Sincerely,

Marriott International, Inc.

The Epsilon mentioned is marketing-as-usual-not-a-chance … an email marketing firm that manages 2500 clients’ email campaigns and sends out 40 billion emails a year, according to this Fast Company story about the security breach.

Apparently the break affected only 2% of its clients, which is still more than 50 large companies … companies that most people would recognize (see the full list at SecurityWeek).

I’m guessing my name and email address is one of the breached ones, seeing as how I’ve received 3 emails from 3 different companies telling me that I may be affected … and that Marriott is among the listed companies at SecurityWeek.

Ahh well … I’m public enough with all my data to be a major spam target anyways.

The major downside of outsourcing critical customer intelligence like this? Creating super-delectable targets for spammers and hackers.

With data from many massive companies all housed in one place … it’s a big temptation. A big target.

And a single breach exposes a LOT of data.

Wow. You really can outsource just about everything these days …

The picketers marching in a circle in front of a downtown Washington office building chanting about low wages do not seem fully focused on their message.

Many have arrived with large suitcases or bags holding their belongings, which they keep in sight. Several are smoking cigarettes. One works a crossword puzzle. Another bangs a tambourine, while several drum on large white buckets. Some of the men walking the line call out to passing women, “Hey, baby.” A few picketers gyrate and dance while chanting: “What do we want? Fair wages. When do we want them? Now.”

Although their placards identify the picketers as being with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters, they are not union members.

They’re hired feet, or, as the union calls them, temporary workers, paid $8 an hour to picket. Many were recruited from homeless shelters or transitional houses. Several have recently been released from prison. Others are between jobs.

“It’s about the cash,” said Tina Shaw, 44, who lives in a House of Ruth women’s shelter and has walked the line at various sites. “We’re against low wages, but I’m here for the cash.”

This is not a little bit fishy … the people supposedly not making enough money are obviously making enough money to pay people who are making even less money to protest for them about not making enough money.

. . .
. . .

(Saw it here first.)

Tag - outsourcing

Important notice from A Random Corporation™ with my personal data

Outsourced protesting