Working in a call centre

I know exactly what it is like to work in a call centre. Once I was off sick with really bad morning sickness. Team leader called and told her what I had. Among other things she actually asked me if I was taking any tablets for it. I was absolutley speechless, I said it's morning sickness, you cannot take a tablet for that. I could tell she was embarressed and admitted she was reading from a script and that the call was probably being recorded.

Just about everyone that worked there was miserable and pressure to reduce call time was enormous with very little empasis on customer satisfaction although great pretence was manufactured about customer service.

I am afraid I was a very poor operator, as I actually tried to resolve customers issues, (I learnt a lot about other departments and how things got done and managed to bypass the very long line to get things done) much to the customer delight. Glad that I have left.

I used to work in a call centre, the constant abuse from customers and team leaders left me in a state of deep depression, and that was over a year ago.
When my son was made redundant he went to work for the Bank of Sotland in Rosyth, I told him it really was not a good idea. Call centre's are sweat shop's and extremly bad for a person's health. But he needed a job, recently he was ill, they called him 2 times ever day demanded he went to the doctors on the 3rd day saying the doctor was not doing enough to get him back to work , he spend 6 hours in hosiptal and was given a sick line but his team leader demanded that he call twice a day to tell him when he was coming back to work, he has been of 1 week.
This is the sorry state of our society ill people put under pressure to return to work even after a doctor has signed them of work.

hi
i just wanted to say how right you are, I work for bt I was taking calls yesterday and my talk time was through the roof trying to sort out unhappy customers, when a manager came over sat down becide me and started to say how crap my calls were. I have worked for by for 10 years never befor have I ever had anyone make me feel so low. I am on what they call a pip the first one ever in all the years I have worked for them, I am suposed to get daily coaching this does not happen I have started to keep a note daily of what is happening so I can go o the union if needed. I feel totaly lost with knowone to talk to. I wish I could get another job.

I have worked for an indian company called first source an out source company that work for sky an it was one of the worst jobs that I have EVER had. The customers were IDIOTS-they didn't know what a plug/ standby button or a viewing card was and I am not exaggerating. I spent most of my day thumping the poor table with frustration. My employers did not make it one bit easy, disciplinaries were handed out like sweets (for poor average handling time/ coming back from a break 30 SECONDS late etc) and I think because the customers can't actually see you they think your void from any human emotion and can talk to you how ever crappy they want to

To GrumpyOld Woman: I understand what you're saying but it's our company policy to offer the Market Research Society number that confirms we are genuine, plus contact to our head office as well as the link to our website. Our firm is also responsible for a lot of research carried out for programs such as crimewatch - we're in the credits and everything! So I do understand because I know I would be slightly wary if someone randomly called me asking questions but we explain absolutely everything and we still get people giving us verbal abuse and it's like...COME ON!! lol know what I mean? We'd prefer if they just hung up on us lol..seriously, it's better than having to be polite to people who insult us. It's unbelievable how much self control this job requires at times

Yasmin, the problem is that alot of scams are perpetrated (or attempted) by companies who start the call saying "we're doing a survey, can you answert a few questions?" and if you stick with it they then say "congratulations, you have won..........".

This makes people very wary of market research calls.

And to all of the people making derogative comments about people working in call centres...not being funny, but in case you didn't realise..we're currently going through a RECESSION. If you know there's a call centre nearby paying more than minimum wage with flexible hours..and you've been giving out CV's left right and centre and not getting anywhere...then bloody hell - of course that's what we'll end up going for. We have the right to moan about it if we want to - if I could leave for another bloody job..I would - but I can't - everywhere around is me is making people redundant, closing down or already have enough staff. We can't all pick and choose what we do, sometimes it's a case of taking what's available (within reason, of course). So stop looking down on people, we all have to start off somewhere.

I work for a call centre but of a different kind...lol I'm one of those dreaded telephone market researchers! We get abused because businesses (I work business shifts during the day) think we're calling them to scam them and steal there identities or some nonsense lol, we're literally just getting customer feedback, it's how companies find out what services to improve, take away or upgrade on to keep their customers happy. Yeah we get paid for it, but doesn't make it any less useful in the long run! Lol some people are just extremely rude and it's like mate..if you don't want to take part...then don't. Just hang up, don't tell me I make you sick, or that you can't stand people like me - I'm just doing my job and not harming anyone. Managing directors in particular do my nut in omg.

I used to work for Sky, but I could not lie to myself anymore ,it could get worse and it did. In the end it was simple earn a resonable wage, put up with endless abusive customers,many have a point, yes it is true, if you want to buy a product, you will get straight throught to purchased , if you wish to complain you will sit in a que for 40 mins and yes you will be passed around and around . do you want to know the truth , most of us don't know what we are doing. Training in Sky is 3hrs then on the phone . When I told my team leader .....CEL as they are called now, I dont understand, I dont get it , the answer was tough, if Sky was in charge of the NHS, I could be a doctor within a week.
CEL's don't want to talk to customers, they are only interrested in targets, and if you dont meet that target , your for it.

Infact Sky models itself on 1984, perfect working model of a panoptician society, for many who have to work there , its HELL.

Next time you have to call Sky, have a little humanitarianism for those operators,it is not there fault they have to work there if they could find another job they would.

why do people come on shouting and threatening and advising you they know a newspaper editor, have a lawyer friend or have spoken to watchdog or they will cancel their account if you don't give them everything they want demanding compensation- then when you help them and get everything resolved, they think it's just because they have threatened you with legal action - and don't think for a minute that the next person on the phone who is lovely and calm and states their case in a professional manner will get their issues resolved just as efficiently because you take a pride in your work and you genuinely try to treat people how you would want to be treated whether you are nasty or nice - but we love the people that treat us like people.

Working in a call centre is bad its easy to say well change jobs but its not that easy. I only work in one on a part time basis as im at uni and everyday its you've done this and that. Yeah right ok if you actually talk instead of shouting we can sort it out. Worst thing is is when customers downgrade you for working in a call centre, everyones got to make a living!! Least were not in the job seekers que with people who cant be bothered working! Lucky for me I work for the biggest tv, bb & fone provider with a new policy. Cust shouts or keeps being verbally abusive, threats etc etc you can cancel their account, put a block on it and legally take it further.....bring it on

I'm looking to work in call centers, I don't know if its what I really want or it just me being desperate for work at the moment.......Good give me strength.