Reply to: Working with some splendid gents from the Indian sub-continent

[aussielong]

The Indians have A teams, C teams, and Z teams, laid out in pyramid fashion. So for every 1 A team member, there are 10 C team members, and 1000 Z team members. There are no grades inbetween: they're either really good, average, or just plain sh1te. And there are 1000 plain sh1te ones for every really good one.

When coming in to pitch or vying for a piece of work, the A team will front-line to display their abilities and understanding. Client will be somewhat impressed - oh wow, an offshore resource who knows everything and for only Rs 100 a day! Then ensues the slight of hand, with a number of C grade and a few dozen Z grade bobs being pushed onto the project, and the A graders moving on to the next bid. Client liaison knows no better and probably doesn't care: they've cut costs and have pocketed their bonus.

Classic bait & switch, just like the fat ugly hooker who uses a gorgeous model's picture when advertising her wares (sorry NorthernLadyUK).

This is what all body shops do, not just Indian ones.

[aussielong]

Er no. The good ones stay in Europe or the US where they can get paid shed loads more and have a better quality of life for themselves and their children.

That used to be true. Now they are getting almost as much money to stay put in India. Two good friends of mine from an investment bank here in Sydney are going back after Xmas, it's simply not worth them staying here anymore - and they are getting > 100K sterling each. They tell me it's the B-Team over here. The good ones used to be in the US, now they are staying put in India.

[stek]

Herr Hitler said it, he was most impressed with, and based his whole ethos on, the fact the British, under the Raj, ruled 5 billion or whatever Bobs with 250k troops, et al.

That means 5k troops, 5k admins, 240k PMs.....

[TheFaQQer]

That I can cope with, because the chaps is writing in a different language.

Is they, indeed?

[bobspud]

I have just reviewed a document that was about to go in front of the end clients lead architect, and one of my clients biggest competitors. It's no longer being issued today. The first quarter of the document was apparently written by Yoda, so now has great swaths of blue correction text all over it, together with comments along the lines of "re-write this bulltulip you will!" and "Back to front it is this sentence...." That I can cope with, because the chaps is writing in a different language. However the other three quarters of the document that had been dragged, unashamedly out of the vendors knowledge base articles and install guides without any modification proved the last straw.

I just got off of the phone with the PM who was saddened by my stance as the TDA. He wondered what was so bad about putting the document forward in its corrected state??? I pointed out that the little circles with a 'c' or an R in the middle of them that were stamped all over the fscking document kind of gave the game away... and perhaps if the idiot that stole the copy from the vendor in the first place HADN'T USED THEIR FLIPPING DIAGRAMS AS WELL AS THE FONT. They might have been in a better place...

[ChimpMaster]

Probably true, just sharing my experience. I have no doubt there are many talented Indian IT workers out there but the ones being pushed by the outsourcing companies are as useful as a bum cigar.

The Indians have A teams, C teams, and Z teams, laid out in pyramid fashion. So for every 1 A team member, there are 10 C team members, and 1000 Z team members. There are no grades inbetween: they're either really good, average, or just plain sh1te. And there are 1000 plain sh1te ones for every really good one.

When coming in to pitch or vying for a piece of work, the A team will front-line to display their abilities and understanding. Client will be somewhat impressed - oh wow, an offshore resource who knows everything and for only Rs 100 a day! Then ensues the slight of hand, with a number of C grade and a few dozen Z grade bobs being pushed onto the project, and the A graders moving on to the next bid. Client liaison knows no better and probably doesn't care: they've cut costs and have pocketed their bonus.

Classic bait & switch, just like the fat ugly hooker who uses a gorgeous model's picture when advertising her wares (sorry NorthernLadyUK).

[NotAllThere]

Only in my Bumper Book of Mythical Creatures. I think D&D has it listed in the Monster Manual.

[russell]

Along with honest agents...

I have heard rumors of such a being? Have you ever laid eyes on it?

[NotAllThere]

... I have no doubt there are many talented Indian IT workers out there...

Along with honest agents...

[russell]

You clearly work for companies with poor hiring criteria. Of course we could have guessed that. < raspberry >

On a serious note, you can find good people but not if you try to buy them in bulk... hiring individual people you can vet them as you would local people and weed out the dross (which is the bulk).

Probably true, just sharing my experience. I have no doubt there are many talented Indian IT workers out there but the ones being pushed by the outsourcing companies are as useful as a bum cigar.

[psychocandy]

Bingo!

I now remember I looked into this a few months ago and decided a phone with Android 2.2 or supported tethering would be a good alternative for getting an internet connection when staying in a b&b or the broadband was down.

Thanks for jogging my memory.

Yep. Another option. My Galaxy works a treat when tethering like this. Easy to set up as well.

[PAH]

Now, I just plug my phone into the computer using a USB cable, or set the phone up as a WiFi hotspot that I can connect to.

Bingo!

I now remember I looked into this a few months ago and decided a phone with Android 2.2 or supported tethering would be a good alternative for getting an internet connection when staying in a b&b or the broadband was down.

Thanks for jogging my memory.

[NotAllThere]

... I think...

I frankly doubt it. Brainfart possibly.

[d000hg]

My experience has been that most of the Indian contractors are extremely poor and totally useless. They are only hired because it looks good on a spreadsheet to some management bod. I think the fact that folks are praising them says more about their own ability.

You clearly work for companies with poor hiring criteria. Of course we could have guessed that. < raspberry >

On a serious note, you can find good people but not if you try to buy them in bulk... hiring individual people you can vet them as you would local people and weed out the dross (which is the bulk).

[russell]

My experience has been that most of the Indian contractors are extremely poor and totally useless. They are only hired because it looks good on a spreadsheet to some management bod. I think the fact that folks are praising them says more about their own ability.