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Antiwork

Hostage in a Call Center

Several years back, I worked as a dehumanized drone at a call center for a national service provider. In addition to all the horror stories out there regarding call centers (and those pesky telemarketers), this place was a special hole in the ground. To clarify, the company I worked for was not a telemarketing service; we took calls from clients, customers, and inquirers regarding their services and account management. So, like I mentioned before, there were plenty of nasty callers, verbal abuse, and obscenities. There were days where I went home just emotionally drained. My mental health began to suffer immeasurably. This process of misery started gradually and subtly. I would lash out at family and friends here and there, unintentionally and unaware of my emotional damage. To add even more misery, our call center had even stricter policies than most. With the obvious and basic ones including: Cannot access…


Several years back, I worked as a dehumanized drone at a call center for a national service provider. In addition to all the horror stories out there regarding call centers (and those pesky telemarketers), this place was a special hole in the ground. To clarify, the company I worked for was not a telemarketing service; we took calls from clients, customers, and inquirers regarding their services and account management. So, like I mentioned before, there were plenty of nasty callers, verbal abuse, and obscenities. There were days where I went home just emotionally drained. My mental health began to suffer immeasurably. This process of misery started gradually and subtly. I would lash out at family and friends here and there, unintentionally and unaware of my emotional damage.

To add even more misery, our call center had even stricter policies than most. With the obvious and basic ones including: Cannot access your own accounts, average call time, quality scores, etc. If you've ever worked in a call center, you're no stranger to the double standards and catch-22s. My first month, I was scolded (professionally) for having a longer than average handle time. The standard was 7:30min and I averaged 7:40 that month (my first month). My role had three tiers, each with increased wages and even stricter metrics. My supervisor at the time, ushered me into her cubicle, and explained that my numbers were just not good enough to climb up the ranks. Aside from the technical component of every call, the length of the call is largely dictated by the caller. For example, if an older client calls in, hard of hearing, the call will be longer. If the caller has a laundry list of inquiries that require research, you can kiss your handle time goodbye. On multiple occasions during this first month, I had 45min+ calls, requiring research (more than usual since it is my first month), but these don't mean anything to leadership.

This metric-fetish increased to absolutely ridiculous levels with each passing quarter. I had an opportunity to make a lateral move to a highly specialized team (which is corporate code for more work at the same pay). I climbed the ranks up to the third and highest tier. When I received my second tier promotion, I found myself in hot water again. My supervisor was away on vacation and I had a week of paid leave coming up. Obviously I want to be compensated at the higher wage offered by my newly achieved second tier during my time off. The only thing necessary was my supervisor's signature. In order to expedite the process (and since my current supervisor was sitting on a beach somewhere), I asked the call center director in a polite and courteous email. The events that transpired after I sent that email are cringe to say the least. Not even two minutes after I sent the email, I found myself being called in to another supervisor's corner office with an HR representative scowling at me. They scolded me for having the audacity to ask for my pay promotion (which I already qualified for) to be expedited. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It would have been easier to sign the document than to gather up the troops and scold me for wanting what I earned. They threatened to keep me in a 1.5 tier (instead of the 2nd tier I was promoted to) if I “pulled another stunt” like that again for “going behind people's backs” to get paid more. Being fresh out of university, this opportunity irritated me, but served as a “scared straight” moment. This wasn't an isolated incident either. Two of my team members had their promotions withheld for being 2 and 3 seconds outside of their average handle time (which, technically speaking, is fair, but the opportunity to be humane and understanding was squandered).

Things progressed as each business quarter continued. The geniuses at the top implemented a new personnel management model to save costs. They also overhauled the communications system to be more current with the times. This new system was absolutely horrendous (as most are when they're rolled out). You would think that they would have some leniency on metrics since this fancy new system was riddled with bugs and errors. Nope. Not a single shred of mercy. Once staff were starting to get overwhelmingly frustrated, complete with write ups and disciplinary actions being threatened, did the higher ups relent and allow a period of “grace”. Once the system calmed down and became stable enough, the metrics were re-applied, but even stricter. Every single metric was tightened to robotic-levels. There were days where I felt like a mechanized robotic arm on a car assembly line. We also had quarterly bonuses (of $300 before tax) if we met all of these metrics. They treated this bonus as if it was the bread of life. They would hang it over our heads constantly. Fortunately, I had already achieved the third and highest tier by this time, which meant that my superiors couldn't hold any promotions over my head. They could, however, hold demotions and write ups over me. Spoiler alert: they did.

One of the metrics involved in this cycle of misery is quality survey scores (we had one of those questionnaire surveys at the end of every call that we had to receive a perfect score on or be criminalized). A certain portion of our calls had to be perfect scores. Near-perfect scores were weighted as imperfect, bringing down this ratio (car dealership staff, you know exactly what I am referring to). It was impossible to maintain a high ratio. It was just not practical. But if we missed the mark for several months in a row, we would lose our jobs. In an effort to maintain these score ratios, several staff members would call in (to get actual account servicing) and score their colleagues with perfect scores. This “practice” was allowed by one of our acting supervisors and it became a common occurrence ever since. After 3 months of barely meeting metrics, our director called for a meeting and a thorough investigation of all staff. I found myself, again, being called in to an office (picture an interrogation room) with my supervisor and director (the HR rep was out sick, conveniently) where I was screamed at for trying to sow inaccuracies, embezzlement, and thwart business metrics. In addition to myself, there were a dozen other staff members who received similar treatments. I was told that if the findings yielded more violations, I would be terminated for violating ethics. Mind you, my performance up to this point (even with the lousy treatment) was admirable. I had some of the best metrics on the team. The investigation ended and I was asked to sign a document, “pleading guilty” and acknowledging the start of a lengthy penance of being on probation with all bonuses and incentives being garnished. You would think I defrauded a billion dollar company or something by the charges. So for an entire year, I couldn't receive my “bonus” and promotional wages. I was disallowed from applying to other positions in the company (even lower level).

The cherry on top was when my partner ended up in the hospital, following a car accident. The call center implemented a new “sick leave” policy in response to our state's legal changes. Essentially, the state wanted to prevent companies from punishing employees for using sick leave. The call center's response to this was to implement a reciprocating policy that provided “protected time” to use in congruence with our accrued sick leave. It is horribly and unnecessarily complicated. It was also packaged and presented in a way that made us feel like we were being taken care of, when in reality, we were treated in a less-than trusting manner. Basically, call center staff accumulate 8 hours of sick leave each month. BUT, we also accrue 0.4 (maybe a smidge less?) for every 30 hours worked. It worked out to about 2-3 hours of “protected time” per month. Whenever we use sick time, we also used protected time. If we ran out of “protected time”, we would get a point (prorated to an 8 hour day. So 4 hours is a half point, etc). After increasingly punitive point violations, termination was imminent. Since they did not accrue at the same rate, we were constantly depleting our protected time. We would have to become math wizards simply to take time off, deathly sick or not. That math had better be correct too! My partner and I were dating at the time of the accident. They called me stating that they were heading to the hospital and to meet them there. I started running the calculations in my head. I did not have enough protected time to just leave. As stupid as that sounds, I needed that job and couldn't make ends meet (I had side jobs, but more on that later). I waited. And waited. Waited some more. This period of time felt like forever. The level of despair and helplessness I felt was excruciating. My superiors stated that it would be a different story if it were my spouse or fiancé, but since we were only dating, no exceptions could be made. I became a hostage. I made it to the hospital where my partner was with their family already. (We got married, by the way.)

I was unable to apply for similar jobs outside of the company due to a non disclosure agreement and non compete agreement. I had to stay afloat until I could jump on a better opportunity. This opportunity did come along, eventually. I had no idea of its approach, though. I was biding my time, suffering under the madness and oppressive “regime” of the call center. There are days and many sleepless nights where I stare at my ceiling while the traumatic thoughts, memories, and emotions run through my mind. I am adamant that I have suffered PTSD from my experiences. Today, I am a free! I work on the beach some days and manage my own businesses, treating my employees with dignity and respect (while paying a living wage).

TLDR: Call center drone became a hostage because of oppressive policies and inhumane practices.

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