OUTSOURCING CUSTOMER SERVICE 'FATAL' FOR BUSINESS

Renowned Canadian entrepreneur Leonard Lee, founder and owner of Lee Valley Tools, in an interview with the Globe and Mail's Gordon Pitts:

What bothers you about the way business is conducted now?

"What I find most amazing is watching Canadian and American businesses farm out their customer service. You might as well put a gun to your head and pull the trigger."

Why?

"Because the [call centre workers] don't know your business and they don't know the culture. When you've farmed out customer service, you've lost the connection with the customer, and you will eventually die a horrible economic death."

But you're only a $100-million company and these are billion-dollar enterprises that feel they have to outsource.

"Yeah, and they have a lot farther to fall. It will happen. This is where the competition comes in — they will just provide the service. ..."