Heartland India based originally

• Heartland India based originally - looking for more
  • Here's a glimpse of what Bangalore is like...sm - Researcher
  • Heartland and India lowdown - anon
    • Good post. But hopefully they will just fade - away into the sunset. - not a Heartlesslander
  • Started in Toledo? - Crystal

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Heartland was started by Steve Mandel who thought he could get rich by starting a medical transcription business and having all his work done in India, including QA and management, but it didn't work out the way he expected it to so he moved management back to Toledo.  He had a few U.S. MTs and QA people there, but the majority of the work was still being done in India.  He took advantage of a little-known clause in the minimum wage law that lets an employer hire foreign nationals to work here in the U.S and pay them the equivalent of wages in their home country and brought over a number of Indians to work in Toledo, mostly in the technical departments, but there were some who were learning to QA, and only god knows what else.  What they did best was generate more useless paper than the Pentagon.  Mandel, however. was still having money problems so he conned Manor Care into some sort of partnership.  He was also having quality problems because the Indians who were doing QA couldn't cut it.  When his biggest and most prestigious client threatened to pull out because of the poor quality, he gave the okay to hire U.S. editors to work from home.  I was one of those editors.  All I can say is that I stayed only long enough so I didn't have to pay them back 2000 bucks that they shelled out for plane fare, lodging/meals, and training in Toledo for 5 days.  All I can say about the training was that more time was spent having to listen to people sing the praises of the company (and badmouth the Indians) than in front a computer learning their dreadful system.  Heartland was a very sick place.  I felt it the minute I stepped into the offices there.  I know that people listened in on phone conversations when I would have to call another Editor about something.  Even the most innocent remark would get blown out of proportion and somebody would tattle.  I also suspected them of trying to hack into my personal compter because I was able to trace the attempts to Bangalore.  I truly feel badly for the people who lost their jobs, but no one should have ever had to work for a company the likes of Heartland.  If I had had 2000 dollars when I was in Toledo, I would have written a check the same day I got there and headed home. One of the people in my training group did just that.  As far as all the work going to India now, unless things have changed A LOT in the last 3 years, they will lose most of their clients and hopefully the jobs will come back here where they belong.

Valuable lesson learned.  Never go to work for a company that is based on offshoring because they'll simply pull the rug out from under you.  I don't mean to sound heartless and I wish I had jobs to offer all the American MTs but I don't.

However, Mr. Ormond said the firm's transcription business started in India, and the company tried to bring it to the United States but it wasn't profitable. -- from the article. 

Those of us in the business a long time knew where their center of business was located from the beginning.

Anirudh Baheti (an Indian) started the company and sold it to Nuance for 58 million dollars last year.

Just an FYI, Mr. Baheti also owns a company called Focus Care which is a service that recruitis Indian nurses, trains them to pass the US nursing boards, and then places them in US hospitals to work for a much lower wage than an American nurse earns.

Mr. Baheti also owns/owned a company called Focus Enterprises which deals in industrial tubes and pipes.

Tell me again how this is US based company?

unlimited LD services available back then, so D paid more to compensate for you having to provide your own LD.  One Suite was the cheapest thing available, and it was 2 cents per minute, I think.  Since unlimited LD is now available, that is probably why she felt she could lower the rate of pay.  I am only guessing.  I was making 11-1/2 cpl when I worked there, and I kind of shot myself in the foot and had to leave.  I have had regrets in the past, but maybe I am not missing out on anything anymore.  Sad. 

Regardless, I am surprised at her paying only 3 cpl for VR, which is below what most companies pay, and trying to assert that you can do 3 times as much on VR.  She was always fair with employees and seemed to want to do right by them.  I guess that is the way of the business nowadays.

Good luck to you. 

TAKE EVERYONES ADVICE, DON'T GO THERE - BEEN THERE - WORST EVER.

sometime back, there was a post in this forum regarding heartland's sale status. it refers to spi backing out of acquisition of heartland...

So... what do we do now guys?

The we take care of our people was supposed to be in parentheses but didn't show up in my post. 

tell you how sorry I am for your situation.  Take some satisfaction in the knowledge that eventually Heartland will realize they made a grave mistake by outsourcing all their work overseas. 

If you are interested in working for a 100% US company, perhaps I can help you.  Just drop me an email through the board here.  Good luck to all of you!! 

Hi,

Heard a rumor that Heartland is going to close down its HBT in India. Can anyone confirm it as a rumor or otherwise.

Has anyone worked for this company? What are their strengths and or weakness? I have been offered a position with them. I need an honest answer please!

Alright, I think I've decided to leave.

My issues: Software is horrendous, client’s specifics are 60+ pages (which you need to know about 4+ inside and out) and not even to mention the so-called "supervisor" who reminds me of a mall rent-a-cop - obviously not a transcription background. I don't know if I should stick around until they are sold in case it would get better or do I just walk away from this?

Any other MTs out there that felt this way about Heartland and what/where did you go?  Does it get any better or are all national companies like this?

HELP!!!