Tuesday, July 29, 2003
A couple of interesting pieces in The Economist, Jul 26, 2003
Telemarketing and Predictive Dialers
(based on ' The do Not Dial Registry - A New Internet Democracy?')
In late 1990s, telemarketing business was given a spurt by falling phone costs and introduction of computerized "predictive dialers". These dial lots of phone numbers at once and shunt aside disconnected lines, faxes and answering machines. Once the system works out that it has a live person on the other end ("Hello? Hello?!"), it transfers the calls to a salesman - or, infuriatingly, hangs up if none is available.
This sounds very similar to email spammer programs. The article goes on to discuss the National Do Not Dial Registry in USA, its impact on telemarketing business (which brought in $100 billion in sales in 2002) and the widespread use of Internet by people to register themselves with the Registry.
East Ho - From Mexico to China
(based on 'Mexico's Economy - The Sucking Sound from East')
NAFTA opened up the USA economy to exports from Mexican factories. China's WTO entry is taking these jobs and businesses away from Mexico. China's artificially low exchange rate, better trained workforce and better infrastructure (electricity, telecommunication, transportation) are making it the favorite destination for labor-intensive manufacturing at cost competitive rates.
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