To think non essential call centres should close

[Willide1]

There’s been no mention or guidance around call centres, my husband works in a large mobile telephone network call centre, his job is in sales, so selling new mobile phone contracts. Huge office, 100’s of workers all sItting close together, sharing same canteen/toilet facilities as well as desks when shift changes over. He has been told they have to continue working, terrified that he will get Coronavirus in this environment. Wish government would tell them to shut down

I have family in the exact scenario. They are at risk with two of the listed underlying heal conditions which puts them in the vulnerable category. Still expected at work or no pay.

Clearly non essential ATM. Who is going to focussed on buying new phones now. His company should allow workers to be furlough with Sunak funding 80 per cent of pay up to £2500 pcm.

It's very fast moving situation so the government will be changing it all as needed and keep clarifying things.

What you can do is to Tweet your MP and ask. News reporters might get answers too

Apparently telecommunications businesses are essential but I said that too. Who wants to order a new phone when many people may not be getting paid or have a job next month

The non-essential ones should be sent home so that, later on, they can replace the essential ones who fall ill (i.e. the ones who can actually fix customer problems and ensure that people have working mobiles)

I used to work in a call centre for Vodafone. You went to work come hell or high water, people would vomit in bins next to their desk before taking the next call rather than take time off sick.

I have sent an e-mail tonight to my local MP and also the first minister of Scotland’s office for this exact same reason.

I have a high risk parent who has been told that they have to go in tomorrow or they won’t be paid, they work for a cc for a large DIY company in the UK and have been told unless you have a laptop, you are not a priority to go home and even if you did catch it, you couldn’t prove it was from someone in there anyway!

I can’t believe these companies are putting money before life’s and they still have the cheek to lie on their social media pages saying they are keeping staff safe!! It’s a joke!!

Telephone sales. Surely that sort of job could be done from home?

My cousin is currently working in a huge call centre... circa 500 employees over 3 floors of completely open plan office space.
She’s been told she’s a key worker and as she’s on an agency contact if she doesn’t work she doesn’t get paid.
She’s terrified of catching coronavirus but she literally has no choice.
It’s awful

@NoPointInWednesdays
Name and shame
Always name and shame
Call them out on twitter- with all the amger right now you migjt just change something

I work for a small company and our call centre employees took the computers home and are working from there just like the rest of us. ICT needs to set this up in all companies right now!

Who wants to order a new phone when many people may not be getting paid or have a job next month

Actually quite a few businesses and individuals to help with communications over these times of working from home or working from a distance, when it previously set up to do so.

And some people have been ordering them for grandparents and at risk groups to have a better phone to put better and easier communication in place which is easier to use.

We've considered it for FIL as he moves to a hospice next week and we can't visit him right now, only MIL is allowed. His current phone just isn't set up well enough to do FaceTime/Skype etc. Dh would rather be able to sort that and get to speak and see his dad than risk not being able to, especially if the worst happens in the mean time.

But yes it should and could be reduced down to the bare essentials if people and working from home where at all possible.

I was responding to the emboldened sentence rather than the idea of call centres being open in general.

Actually there may be reasons for this. My company has ordered laptops and mobiles to enable home working but there is the need for them to be in touch with the suppliers etc
Your husbands company should be either trying to enable wfh and if this isn't possible then spacing their employees out to minimise risk

I'm in the same boat, I work for a call centre and I'm classed as a key worker under telecoms.
Given the current situation, were actually busier than ever with no break between calls. The blame on our working conditions also needs to come down to the people calling us, and I want to reiterate, please do not call unless it's an emergency or urgent.
We have this on an automated loop. However, I had someone wait for 45 mins to discuss an extra 35p charge on their bills. This isnt just telecoms, but any contact centre. Please, please, dont call unless you absolutely have to. It then increases our workloads and pressures.

Thank you, everyone for your responses, I have emailed my MP today so Will await a response.

Immensely proud of my IT department, we managed to mobilise 100+ CC workers to WFH within 5 days, so far so good the call stats are the same.

We're seeing it as an opportunity to try something new.

Mind you, it cost a fortune in laptops etc, so maybe there's a financial reason?