I got a part-time job working in a call centre for a photography company. I absolutely hate it. It's the most tedious and soul destroying job I've ever had. Being a cleaner was much better, not because it was more interesting, but because working as a cleaner did not require you full focus. Once you knew what you were doing you could let your mind wander away whilst the body took care of the job. This new job requires the concentration of the mind as well in arranging appointments for sometimes very ungrateful customers, which means that your doing a tedious job but you can't think about other things while you are working, which makes the time drag a lot longer.
I guess my dislike also stems from a slight fear that I won't fulfill the targets that need to be hit, plus I occasionally put the appointments into the computer wrong, but I can never be bothered to phone the person back to say a mistake has been made. Although companies like to inspire customer loyalty, the attitude of the customer does little to make the part-time worker on minimum wage feel any loyalty to them. I'm pretty sure at some point all these mistakes will come back in a hailstorm of complaints when people turn up at the time they thought the appointment had been made for, only to find out that their appointment either doesn't exist, or has been double-booked. To try and forestall this eventuality I avoid giving my name out over the phone, unless asked. The other workeers say stuff like "Hi, it's Vicky from Olan Mills Photographers......", as if this will somehow mean something to the customer and they think "Oh right, it's Vicky, good I was hoping she'd call me...". The only reason the company wants you to give out your name is to help people trace any blame back to you. I only need to hang on here for 7 weeks, so hopefully I won't get sacked before then.
When going through the log of 'callbacks' you get to look at the customer's history of their dealings with the company. A good technique to shirk work is that if you come accross one that looks like it might be awkward, is to dial a wrong number so that on the phone line you get a Number Not Recognised message, and then you sit and pretend that the phone is ringing. Thus the casual observer will conclude you are working rather than avoiding awkward customers.
One thing I am still trying to determine is the level of surveillance that goes on at the place, to see if they monitor the work you do beyond the targets. I reckon there is little or none since the two bosses usually seem busy. Just thinknig about the damn job depresses me. I commented yesterday to one of the people that time slows down to a snail's pace when at work, and a couple of people around expressed geniune surprise that I thought this was the case. One of them also seemed a little put out that I should express a dislike for the work I do. It baffles me how anybody could enjoy that job or not be reduced to a husk of their former sleves in that place, especially those who seem to work there all day. Having said that, one person at least agreed with me.
On the plus side, I guess the job isn't actually too difficult and the hours are more regular than in my previous job. My co-workers also seem fairly nice on the face of it, though I can't shake a feeling of wariness I have towards them like they're in on something that I don't know about. The bosses are also ok, but it sometimes seems like I'm in some kind of vague trouble, but I don't know what about.
Elsewhere, I spend my spare-time thinking about how much I dislike this job. I also do some reading for the final year dissertation, but the amount of material I get through has slowed down a lot.
I guess my dislike also stems from a slight fear that I won't fulfill the targets that need to be hit, plus I occasionally put the appointments into the computer wrong, but I can never be bothered to phone the person back to say a mistake has been made. Although companies like to inspire customer loyalty, the attitude of the customer does little to make the part-time worker on minimum wage feel any loyalty to them. I'm pretty sure at some point all these mistakes will come back in a hailstorm of complaints when people turn up at the time they thought the appointment had been made for, only to find out that their appointment either doesn't exist, or has been double-booked. To try and forestall this eventuality I avoid giving my name out over the phone, unless asked. The other workeers say stuff like "Hi, it's Vicky from Olan Mills Photographers......", as if this will somehow mean something to the customer and they think "Oh right, it's Vicky, good I was hoping she'd call me...". The only reason the company wants you to give out your name is to help people trace any blame back to you. I only need to hang on here for 7 weeks, so hopefully I won't get sacked before then.
When going through the log of 'callbacks' you get to look at the customer's history of their dealings with the company. A good technique to shirk work is that if you come accross one that looks like it might be awkward, is to dial a wrong number so that on the phone line you get a Number Not Recognised message, and then you sit and pretend that the phone is ringing. Thus the casual observer will conclude you are working rather than avoiding awkward customers.
One thing I am still trying to determine is the level of surveillance that goes on at the place, to see if they monitor the work you do beyond the targets. I reckon there is little or none since the two bosses usually seem busy. Just thinknig about the damn job depresses me. I commented yesterday to one of the people that time slows down to a snail's pace when at work, and a couple of people around expressed geniune surprise that I thought this was the case. One of them also seemed a little put out that I should express a dislike for the work I do. It baffles me how anybody could enjoy that job or not be reduced to a husk of their former sleves in that place, especially those who seem to work there all day. Having said that, one person at least agreed with me.
On the plus side, I guess the job isn't actually too difficult and the hours are more regular than in my previous job. My co-workers also seem fairly nice on the face of it, though I can't shake a feeling of wariness I have towards them like they're in on something that I don't know about. The bosses are also ok, but it sometimes seems like I'm in some kind of vague trouble, but I don't know what about.
Elsewhere, I spend my spare-time thinking about how much I dislike this job. I also do some reading for the final year dissertation, but the amount of material I get through has slowed down a lot.
posted by Mr Garrideb. at 1:55 AM
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