Brazilian Call Center Agent Wins Lawsuit over Restroom Concerns

by Call Center Gal on September 12, 2010

When you work as a call center agent, you are given some rules to follow especially when it comes to observing the time for short breaks as well as your lunch break. But what happens when you have to really use the restroom during your working hours? Why can this be a reason for a possible law suit?

Those questions come to mind as I read the call center news lately about a Brazilian call center agent who just recently won a lawsuit against her employer over restroom concerns.

A labor court says in a statement that it ordered the employer to pay $2,200 to the 36-year-old woman, who said supervisors often blocked her from using the restroom and never allowed her to use it for more than five minutes at a time.

The unidentified woman said she also had to report how much time she spent in the bathroom and to ask for permission in front of other employees.

In my previous years of experience as an agent, we just need to ask permission to our Team Leader, floor walker or Workforce personnel for that purpose. Is that the same thing on your end? What are the policies that you need to follow when you need to use the restroom while you are taking calls?

         

Call Centers in the Philippines Now Come Home

by Call Center Gal on August 30, 2010

Is there truth to the fact that call centers now come home? If you are working for call centers in the Philippines, do you think this issue should affect you and your job security in anyway?

If you have been following this call center blog, you will read a lot of updates from me regarding the call center companies that closed down, like the Hilton Reservations Call Center, Sitel Birmingham Call Center, Sallie Mae Call Center, Convergys Call Center in Albuquerque, Centerpoint and Wells Fargo Call Center to name a  few, but those call centers are mostly located in the United States.

But if you observed the latest hiring scene in the Philippine Call Centers, you may find it truly amazing that a lot of US and UK based call centers still prefer to invest in the Philippines and grow their call center operations here. So if there are jobs leaving the Philippines and going back to the U.S or U.K., I can safely say that there’s still a balanced picture of getting and missing call center jobs everywhere nowadays.

         

Using the Knowledge I Got from a Call Center Job

by Call Center Gal on August 30, 2010

Have you thought about doing a work at home that is related closely with the work that you have in the call center before?

As for me, I was able to take care of our family’s microwave oven more now that I know the tips on how to better clean and keep it fully functional. My cousin also recommended my mom to get a refrigerator filter to make our water taste close to a bottled one and to have piece of mind that the water is also clean and safe to drink.

How about you? What tasks at home became easier in relation to your work in the call center?

         

National Heroes Day Holiday Pay

by Call Center Gal on August 30, 2010

If you work in a call center, you would have a two fold thing over holidays. You may be sad that this would mean missing one more day of rest and bond with your family and friends. But on the flipside, this would also mean more pay for a call center agent and this will really be realized as soon as these workers get their pay.

That is why it is but important to know how much you will be getting, as well as those who also did today’s work, on a National Heroes Day Holiday:

Call Center Clients Coming for a Business Visit

by Call Center Gal on August 31, 2010

How do you deal with clients that go to your call center for a business visit?

I know that it can really be very stressful in the beginning especially if this is the first time that they will go to your call center. You have to be prepared well enough, especially the people from operations and management to present the necessary data, reports, even present the latest account and team stats as (needed and) planned.

As for the travel this is usually tied up with the call center’s administration arrangement, as well as attend to his or her immediate needs from basic accommodations and necessities, even their Acid cigars for those who smoke and some recreational facilities that they might want to try while they are here.

Speaking of interacting with clients, how was your recent interaction with your account client the last time they were here?

         

Bed Bug Attacked Call Center

by Call Center Gal on September 4, 2010

How clean is your call center?

Well, I asked this because it is but important to always keep your call center operations floor neat and clean all the time. This goes beyond cleaning your computer keyboard and workstations, as these cleaning efforts should extend up to the sleeping areas and restrooms.

Speaking of keeping the call centers neat and clean, it is in the news that bedbugs attacked one call center that cause them to do some immediate clean up operation.

The bed bug epidemic that’s sweeping New York has even hit the city’s 311 call center.The call center in Lower Manhattan was fumigated Tuesday night after a bed bug was found in the facility on Friday.

A spokesman for 311 says there was no impact to the call center’s operations.

I just hope that this won’t happen in your call center. This will surely leave a bad impression to some future clients should the news spread around, don’t you think?

         

Call Center Jobs in Insurance Related Businesses

by Call Center Gal on September 5, 2010

Do you have a background in offering and selling types of life insurance? Well, if you have one then you will have a better chance of getting a call center job if that BPO has a client that is focused on sending comparative term life insurance quotes to interested customers then educating them on the most appropriate insurance package that they can get on a particular insurance company under your umbrella. Also, if your insurance company has its own in house call center then it is best to start a call center related job, this comes with the convenience of staying in the same company.