Call Centres: The Poor-Houses of the 21st Century?

[darkstardust 10]

Originally posted by Kry10

HAHAHAHAHA, I used to work at the DSG as jubby called it, and I have totally the opposite opinion, I hated working there, having to cope with people constantly shouting at you because they had the impression that their coverplan contract stated that they deserved an engineer to sort out their problems, without realising that an engineer won't help them with software problems and that we had to diagnose the problem first, I simply could not cope with the stress and quit.........glad I did.

 

I agree having people screaming at you is realy bad. It's all a state of mind though. You have your bad Co's and your good Co's...

 

Your bad ones have X all to do with their customers and they still call...

 

The good ones apply everything they can with a backup of iddiot-language training (speaking in grunts and such at times) and will sucseed with their abilities and endurance to being able to click-off between calls so every call is a new call.

[shotofadds 10]

hehe...used to work at DSG for PC ServiceCall before they moved everyone to Nottingham. I really enjoyed it, never thought I'd say that - but yeah it was a decent year's work with a top bunch of people. I think I might just have been lucky tho

 

Some of the calls were amusing: "my PC won't come on, i want an engineer; oh hang on it's a power cut". We used to have one guy phone up drunk every few days and hurl random abuse at people. Those were worth listening in to!

[fattybear 10]

Let's just get everything into context here.

 

There's a lot of people bashing call centres here - some who obviously don't believe in ANY kind of work by the looks of it, some who have worked in numerous call centres and some who have just a little experience.

 

I have plenty of call centre experience now - having worked with some of the people in this thread (PC Servicecall, DSG etc)

 

Surely you could present exactly the same thread about.. er.. working in a factory processing parts of chickens and get exactly the same bashing going on ?

 

Call Centres provide a HELL of a lot of work in this city to a lot of people - most of whom are happy to be employed in the job that they do.

 

I think we have to realise that working in call centres as an agent on the phones is NOT a lifetime career - you are looking at 18 months TOPS in one department or campaign before you become bored, fed up, negative etc and should move on.

 

I also think that due to high numbers of staff working in call centres that you are BOUND to hear stories and negative comments - but again you would hear this about any other trade or industry too.

 

I would also like to touch on the points made about companies having the cheek to ask it's employees to promote their products to customers calling up.

 

[sarcasm] SHOCKING [/sarcasm]

 

Look - you are employed in a call centre - so SURPRISE SURPRISE you are asked to sit and take calls. SURELY YOU KNEW THIS WHEN YOU TOOK THE JOB ?!?

 

AND - you are working for a company who has been kind enough to give you a job. This company is in (for example) the financial world - yet they have the CHEEK to ask you to cross sell ?!?

 

I seriously wonder about some of the people in this thread.

 

If you don't like call centres (or work) then don't work in them.

 

It suits a LOT of people.

 

It's NOT for the revolutionary, idealistic, rebel type person - but is ideal for those who like (or need) to work with some order and structure in their lives.

 

I know plenty of people who wouldn't find work anywhere else who love working in call centres, who find the team structure fun and almost community like.

 

Dixon's call centre is a great place to work, with amazing facilities yet you seemingly always get the negative, moaning people who seemed to complain about all aspects of life there.

 

Personally I would have sacked them all and told em to clear off and find somewhere else to moan.

 

I really enjoyed my time at PC Servicecall - a SUPERB team who really worked together well and with FUN too..

 

Call centres aren't for everyone - but let's cool it a little with the bandwagon jumping call centre bashing - a LOT of people work in this sector and a LOT of people find it's great for them.

 

(and I didn't even mention the flexible working hours for single parents etc)

[Sam Miguel 10]

Can you not see that this silly, pathetic money-saving invention is not working and is never going to work?

 

As I said in a previous post: the first big company to admit that they were wrong and go back to the human-friendly method of old, might just start the ball rolling.

 

The World, I am sure, does not want - nor need, call-centres!!

 

Sorry to disappoint you people who work in these places but, if the system did collapse, I'm certain there would be places for you all answering the phone and sorting out problems in the friendly way that they used to.

 

Sir! I need a pee!

[max 13]

Well said fattybear. I'll declare an interest in this. My company has installed software for call centres known as Customer Relations Management packages (CRM). The people I have worked with in call centres have been extremely helpful and very, very friendly. Especially the operatives who bear the brunt of people's rudeness.

 

I don't think they'll go away for the simple reason that they are cost effective. Has nobody noticed that since the mid 80s companies, generally, are more profit driven than customer driven? In the 'good old days' you used to have to hang on until an actual engineer was available but now, with CRM, problems can be solved without recourse to an expensive expert.

 

I'm not saying that they're perfect but it's what companies want.

 

Oh, did I say that call centre staff are generally very nice people?

[shotofadds 10]

Couldn't have put it better fattybear, eveything you said's so true. I wish the company I work for now had such a fun, lively and enjoyable atmosphere in the workplace.

 

-- Up the team K!

[fattybear 10]

Originally posted by Sam Miguel

Can you not see that this silly, pathetic money-saving invention is not working and is never going to work?

 

As I said in a previous post: the first big company to admit that they were wrong and go back to the human-friendly method of old, might just start the ball rolling.

 

The World, I am sure, does not want - nor need, call-centres!!

 

Sorry to disappoint you people who work in these places but, if the system did collapse, I'm certain there would be places for you all answering the phone and sorting out problems in the friendly way that they used to.

 

Sir! I need a pee!

 

 

 

ok - I just read this.

 

What I would like to know is..

 

1) What is the 'method of old' ?!?

 

2) How would YOU get thousands of phone calls (all about different subjects and relating to other departments) answered in a day ?

 

3) Surely call centres have been introduced to assist in productivity and ensure that MORE calls are answered ?

 

Or would you prefer to go back to the 'method of old' where you can't get through to anyone and have to sit listening to either a busy tone, or a ringing with nobody answering all day ?

 

You are merely presenting a problem and not offering a solution - if call centres are so bad - let's hear how YOU would solve it.. ?!? (over to you)

[Sam Miguel 10]

Point taken. Ok, I don't really have a solution.

 

All I know is that this call centre thing is just not working (for me at least). I may be an exception here, but 90% of the time I deal with a call centre, I finish up getting nothing but grief.

 

My original problem usually escalates causing me even more problems.

 

I remember ringing Telewest up with a query regarding my e mail account, and, God knows why or how, they cancelled my account causing me untold problems.

 

And people have been saying always ask the name of the call handler so you can get back to them. I always do this but hardly ever get back to the original person, and, in some cases, the person I speak to has never even heard of them!

 

This is true, I tell you.

 

How can I feel confident about these places when things like this happen?

 

All I know is that I got much more satisfaction in the days of old when individual queries were treated properly and you got the right advice.

 

I appreciate that these places provide precious jobs and am in no way blaming the call handlers, just the inept system.

 

I also appreciate that you are happy in your work - this is very uplifting as these places have such a bad name. I have never had to deal with any of the companies that you have worked for, so perhaps you have been lucky.

 

I am merely stating my opinions which I have formed as a result of my own personal experiences, that's all.

[jubby 10]

Originally posted by Kry10

HAHAHAHAHA, I used to work at the DSG as jubby called it, and I have totally the opposite opinion, I hated working there, having to cope with people constantly shouting at you because they had the impression that their coverplan contract stated that they deserved an engineer to sort out their problems, without realising that an engineer won't help them with software problems and that we had to diagnose the problem first, I simply could not cope with the stress and quit.........glad I did.

 

Although, I get the impression that this company are losing money, they had planned an expansion at the side of the building where the car park is, but now that seems to have fallen through and building number 1 is being sold, hmmm, strange.

 

I am sure with all call centres some people love it some people hate it and some are in the middle, and it sometimes depend on the call centre and the calls they are taking. I don't love it don't me wrong but its not an unpleasent job. The job is good it the people that call that are not. There are worse jobs and less paid jobs. The cleaners in the Oasis jobs were advertised at £4.50 an hour, back breaking work especially at school holidays and christmas/sales time. I get £6 an hour to sit on my arse all day and talk on the phone. I like DSG because its a lot better than the last call centre I worked in. I don't with coverplan I work in PC World. It may be just the way you personally handle customers and the many you handle their complaint. At the moment due to larger than expected demand (hence not losing but making money) soem orders are delyed and we have people coming on to complain. I handle the calls and my escalation rate is currntly zero, as I explain to the customer what has gone wrong. Exactly the same as a team leader would do. Incedently with PC Performance they do offer a software support line at national rate for customers who took out PC Performance after 30/06/03.

 

As to Building One. It is not up for sale anymoer its just the estate agent hasn't took down the signs. The reason they moved everybody into Building Two was not because they were losing money but to save maoney, which any business is always looking to do.

 

the DSG Contact Centre is having responsilbility transfered to a company called Capita and they will be moving their insurance call centre to Building One. Lets see how this move will change the contact centre experience for me.

[fattybear 10]

Great thread.

 

One other comment I will make is this..

 

You can rest assured that if you don't treat the call handler with respect, or if you start complaining about the IVR, or you start complaining about the amount of time it's taken to get through etc that you WILL be treat with COMPLETE CONTEMPT

 

(and rightly so)

 

This is a HARD job - a stressful job.

 

It wouldnt' be if the general public chilled out a little - but they seem to think they are clever by bullying some poor single parent mother who is trying to earn a living by helping customers out over the phone.

[Sam Miguel 10]

I totally sympathise with the call handlers. It's not their fault.

[jubby 10]

Originally posted by fattybear

Great thread.

 

One other comment I will make is this..

 

You can rest assured that if you don't treat the call handler with respect, or if you start complaining about the IVR, or you start complaining about the amount of time it's taken to get through etc that you WILL be treat with COMPLETE CONTEMPT

 

(and rightly so)

 

This is a HARD job - a stressful job.

 

It wouldnt' be if the general public chilled out a little - but they seem to think they are clever by bullying some poor single parent mother who is trying to earn a living by helping customers out over the phone.

 

Been doing overtime today catching up on emails, as the phone lines have been so busy people are emailing thinking that will get a reply quicker... They don't relise a person has to answer them, so one less person on the phones.

 

Had one email today requesting that we email her to confirm that we have replied to this email. Now if she didn't get the first email does she really think she will the the email confirming the first one was sent. And by repling isn't that confirmation in itself?

 

Jubby