Cable Forum - View Single Post - NTL Indian support centres

grindemon · 25-10-2005, 21:35

Well Just a repetition ...

NO SCRIPT to follow ......

Whenever you lose your connection which could happen for a million reasons ... Reboot the setup in tandem ... PC (Router - if any) Cable Modem off // Cable Modem - (Router - if any) - PC .. Waiting for each to stabilise and then check the status ...

This is followed by all call centers, be it in India or in the UK !!!!

This was taught by the people from the UK .. So they do it .. We do it .. Whats the difference ??

I guess the only thing different here is that some people lost their job in the UK to give it to someone in India, Right???
__________________

From a National Newspaper Hindustan Times - 25 October 2005

'BPO crew has no voice of its own'

Work hours eat into leisure

IT IS ironic that most call centre employees are engaged in voice-based work. Yet they have no voice of their own.

Call centres typify "totalisation" of labour control or end of employee voice, says a study on work situation in BPOs at Noida. Not a single worker covered in the study was a member of a trade union or had any contact with trade unionists.

Most call centre employees conceive their identity as professionals or executives due to fancy designations with 'executive' tags although their job is to attend to customers' calls. So they feel that their problems are not similar to those in factories or other service industries.

But the main reason for the absence of trade unions in the sector is the dualistic pattern of the workforce -- in which a major proportion of employees are easily replaceable -- that keeps a check on mobilising workers, the study said.

Nasscom president Kiran Karnik, however, told a press conference on Monday, "We have no problems with trade unions. They can have them if their workers want. But nobody feels the need for unions, so they are not there."

The study says the physical design of workplaces in call centres is such that managers can keep tabs on workers and identify potential trouble-mak ers. The companies ensure that call centre agents have no leisure. They are burdened with performance targets that are constantly revised upwards and don't find time even to think of trade unionism.

BPO firms are based on the philosophy of "individualisation". Employees are moulded to act as individuals, who report to and are monitored by another individual. Even in team projects, collectivity is discouraged, said Babu P. Remesh, associate fellow at the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute.

Codes of conduct drive home the point that salary is a personal matter and should not be discussed with peers. Those who do so are warned or are subject to disciplinary action.

Trade unions are not present, but call centres do provide avenues for "controlled socialisation" such as office parties and intranet discussion forum, the study noted. But any "misuse" of such mechanism leads to punitive action. The result is that discussion forums are mostly confined to circulating jokes and tips on "productivity enhancement".

"Due to the absence of a formal collective mechanism like trade unions, issues such as authoritarian managerial styles, excessive workload, inflexible breaks and unreasonable rosters are leading to some forms of informal/formal as well as individual/collective resistance," the study said.

Some BPO workers admitted to researchers that they, at times, deliberately redirect calls to other service operators, enter misleading activity codes in the system or simply hang up on offensive customers to resist authoritarian regime of managements in the absence of any effective grievance mechanism.

Respondents reported symptoms such as nervousness, chronic fatigue, body ache, insomnia, nausea, anxiety, restlessness, irritability and even depression due to the odd working hours and stress. Workers are also subject to "emotional labour" as they are required to display certain kinds of expressions for customer satisfaction. Aspects such as moods of agents, facial expressions and words are monitored and any deviations from the defined framework are considered defects.

Karnik said he has not seen the full research report, but felt that its content does not give a correct picture of the Indian BPO industry, which he said, offered the best working conditions across sectors in India. At the same time, he said, "Everything is not ideal. Somebody somewhere may be doing a wrong thing." It's a strict regimen out No trade unions because Replaceable workforce Close monitoring by managers Absence of leisure Controlled socializing The gag Employees are moulded to act as individuals Not encouraged to act as teams Threatened with action for any deviation from rules Consequences Mental and physical sickness Inertia Stress from ` emotional labour' Skewed self

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Also while you get to enjoy your Christmas Holidays, in India the BPO Agents continue to work to give replies to "Why the connection is not working?" or "Why havent I recieved my emails?" ... UK Call Center(s) are closed on Christmas!

However, its our national Holiday - Diwali (Festival of Lights) and the Center(s) would remain open even though its a festival where the entire family gets together to enjoy and pray! Ask your Indian neighbor (if you have any, or a co-worker)

So again the BPO Agents have no Life and give up theirs for yours !!!

Would someone give me a reply to this?? Or continue badgering Indian BPO Agents??

25-10-2005, 21:35	#94
grindemon Inactive Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 3	Re: NTL Indian support centres - a plea to NTL Well Just a repetition ... NO SCRIPT to follow ...... Whenever you lose your connection which could happen for a million reasons ... Reboot the setup in tandem ... PC (Router - if any) Cable Modem off // Cable Modem - (Router - if any) - PC .. Waiting for each to stabilise and then check the status ... This is followed by all call centers, be it in India or in the UK !!!! This was taught by the people from the UK .. So they do it .. We do it .. Whats the difference ?? I guess the only thing different here is that some people lost their job in the UK to give it to someone in India, Right??? __________________ From a National Newspaper Hindustan Times - 25 October 2005 'BPO crew has no voice of its own' Work hours eat into leisure IT IS ironic that most call centre employees are engaged in voice-based work. Yet they have no voice of their own. Call centres typify "totalisation" of labour control or end of employee voice, says a study on work situation in BPOs at Noida. Not a single worker covered in the study was a member of a trade union or had any contact with trade unionists. Most call centre employees conceive their identity as professionals or executives due to fancy designations with 'executive' tags although their job is to attend to customers' calls. So they feel that their problems are not similar to those in factories or other service industries. But the main reason for the absence of trade unions in the sector is the dualistic pattern of the workforce -- in which a major proportion of employees are easily replaceable -- that keeps a check on mobilising workers, the study said. Nasscom president Kiran Karnik, however, told a press conference on Monday, "We have no problems with trade unions. They can have them if their workers want. But nobody feels the need for unions, so they are not there." The study says the physical design of workplaces in call centres is such that managers can keep tabs on workers and identify potential trouble-mak ers. The companies ensure that call centre agents have no leisure. They are burdened with performance targets that are constantly revised upwards and don't find time even to think of trade unionism. BPO firms are based on the philosophy of "individualisation". Employees are moulded to act as individuals, who report to and are monitored by another individual. Even in team projects, collectivity is discouraged, said Babu P. Remesh, associate fellow at the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute. Codes of conduct drive home the point that salary is a personal matter and should not be discussed with peers. Those who do so are warned or are subject to disciplinary action. Trade unions are not present, but call centres do provide avenues for "controlled socialisation" such as office parties and intranet discussion forum, the study noted. But any "misuse" of such mechanism leads to punitive action. The result is that discussion forums are mostly confined to circulating jokes and tips on "productivity enhancement". "Due to the absence of a formal collective mechanism like trade unions, issues such as authoritarian managerial styles, excessive workload, inflexible breaks and unreasonable rosters are leading to some forms of informal/formal as well as individual/collective resistance," the study said. Some BPO workers admitted to researchers that they, at times, deliberately redirect calls to other service operators, enter misleading activity codes in the system or simply hang up on offensive customers to resist authoritarian regime of managements in the absence of any effective grievance mechanism. Respondents reported symptoms such as nervousness, chronic fatigue, body ache, insomnia, nausea, anxiety, restlessness, irritability and even depression due to the odd working hours and stress. Workers are also subject to "emotional labour" as they are required to display certain kinds of expressions for customer satisfaction. Aspects such as moods of agents, facial expressions and words are monitored and any deviations from the defined framework are considered defects. Karnik said he has not seen the full research report, but felt that its content does not give a correct picture of the Indian BPO industry, which he said, offered the best working conditions across sectors in India. At the same time, he said, "Everything is not ideal. Somebody somewhere may be doing a wrong thing." It's a strict regimen out No trade unions because Replaceable workforce Close monitoring by managers Absence of leisure Controlled socializing The gag Employees are moulded to act as individuals Not encouraged to act as teams Threatened with action for any deviation from rules Consequences Mental and physical sickness Inertia Stress from ` emotional labour' Skewed self ************************************************ Also while you get to enjoy your Christmas Holidays, in India the BPO Agents continue to work to give replies to "Why the connection is not working?" or "Why havent I recieved my emails?" ... UK Call Center(s) are closed on Christmas! However, its our national Holiday - Diwali (Festival of Lights) and the Center(s) would remain open even though its a festival where the entire family gets together to enjoy and pray! Ask your Indian neighbor (if you have any, or a co-worker) So again the BPO Agents have no Life and give up theirs for yours !!! Would someone give me a reply to this?? Or continue badgering Indian BPO Agents??