The Joys of Telemarketing

In my previous post, I stated that I am not in the business of writing on the IT industry. However, I do like to keep my finger in the water, so to speak, and keep up to date. One of my previous positions was as a department's IT Co-Ordinator. It is not as technically minded a role as it may sound. Part of my keeping in touch involves subscribing to some email newsletters, one of which is ZDNet AU's Weekly Insight. Recently they sent out a story about outsourced call centres in relation to an SBS programme, Storyline on Aug 24.

Call Centre staff (often referred to as CSRs, but usually as Telemarketers) are one of the most maligned groups in the modern day work force. They are seen as a plague on society. Especially when they call you at inconvenient times, and are obviously speaking from India or Malaysia, yet try to tell you they are in Australia (one of the biggest give away is the time delay. If I don't get an immediate response when I answer the phone, I hang up, before they can say anything with their 3 second delay).

I used to work in a high volume call centre for one of Australia's main ticketing companies (Ticketmaster or Ticketek, you decide...I'm not telling). I am currently working in a small team in a large Public Service department that requires much of my time on the phone. I have also worked in a carpet cleaner's 9 person call centre, cold canvassing the phone book. Out of inbound and outbound calls, I much prefer inbound.

I am going off at tangents here, which I apologise for (but I will probably continue to do). The point I am trying to make is as follows:
1) Yes, CSRs call you can be very annoying
2) It is even more annoying when they are from overseas
3) I have worked in a call centre, so I can appreciate the CSRs frustration too.

Apart from hanging up on overseas telemarketers/CSRs, I tend to treat those that I do talk to with a certain amount of respect. When they start their spiel, I politely interrupt them, usually with "Look, I'm sorry but I am going to have to stop you there. Thank you for calling, but we are not interested." Sometimes I may have to reinforce this to them, but I always try to be respectful. I know that they are only doing their job. They may hate it just as much as I do. The company they work for may be pressuring them to get their quota of leads, or sales (highly likely). They probably don't have much of a passion for what they are doing, and are just going through the script. This may be the only job they feel that they can do, and will comply with any directive given by their employer, if they felt their job was at risk. Even if they hate it.

I have been in this position (making outbound calls to cold contacts). It is not fun, but it is also just a numbers game. When you are doing it, you know that for every X number of calls you make, you will have Y successes. So to get your Y*2 number of sales, you have to make (on average) X*2 calls. So you just trudge through them. Well, that's how most people do it.

You do find people who, while they don't like the work, are able to sound like they are enjoying it. You know the people I mean. They are the ones who can take the time to have a conversation with you, instead of just launching straight into, and sticking rigidly to, the script. Strangely enough, it appears to be English females who work this way more than any other demographic group. That may just be my skewed perception, but that is my belief. I think you can really feel the difference when you are talking to someone who is intelligent and has a decent command of the English language.

Basically, the point I am trying to eventually get around to is that the people calling may be having as much fun as you are. I know friends who are abusive to telemarketers, and who have a variety of "ruses" to get back at them. Some people have even developed a type of "Anti-Telemarketing" script. This is unnecessary. Treat people with respect, and most of them will treat you with respect too.

I don't like overseas CSRs calling me either. And my quick hang up is the only form of retaliation I take out on these people. I have been on both sides if the cold contacting CSR, as well as that of the customer. I am not claiming to be unique in this, but it has given me an understanding of the pressures and hassles of both sides. If you abuse the caller, you are going to darken their day, and also darken your own. Is it worth it?

DPS

Best Design App Ever

I am not in the business of writing about the IT industry, but every now and then, an application comes along that will totally revolutionise the way people work. There have been many writers in the IT world who have claimed to have found the next killer application. Some of them have been pretty impressive. Some have certainly changed the way a lot of people work. Few, though, have made such a huge leap in usability and functionality as the application I am about to reveal.

Many of us will look at CAD (Computer Aided Design) packages and think "What the...?" and just stare dumbly at the screen trying to figure out how the hell this thing works. NapkinCAD is a CAD interface that I think just about anyone can use. I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that if you can use a pen and paper, then you can use NapkinCAD. It really is that easy. The interface is incredibly easy and intuitive to use. Check it out and you will find yourself drawing up detailed designs in a matter of minutes.

Bridge building 101

This is a continuation of my previous posts regarding Indonesia, and is in response to Mikey_Capital's remark to it.

I agree that Indonesia is VERY important to Australia, but the way the Howard government is doing things is not in Australia's best interest. Howard has managed to undo all the good that Keating had done in regards to Australia's relationship to Indonesia (in fact much of the south-east Asia region).

Keating was building bridges to these countries in a manner that encouraged mutual respect and economic cooperation. Then Howard comes along and undoes it all.

Howard doesn't seem to know much about proper, effective democracy, as is you scratch my back - I'll scratch yours. His method of diplomacy seems to focus on manipulating opponents into positions of weakness. The problem with this is, that when you opponents find themselves in positions of power, they exploit it to you detriment. Now, I don't know the full situation of Howard's relationship with Indonesia (and I'm sure Mikey_Capital could fill me in), but it wouldn't surprise me if that is the situation we find ourselves in: Howard has effectively burnt bridges to Indonesia, so now the only form of discourse he understands is threats and intimidation - exactly the sorts of tactics used by the Bush administration.

DPS

Learning at a snail's pace

I have been released to the public! Our team have started to be rotated off the phones, and sent out to deal with the general public. We are to be rotated on a 3 weekly roster out of the phone area. Apparently our names were randomly selected to take it in turns. My name was the first. I say "apparently" our names were randomly selected because I think it is obvious that they have selected the team member who has mastered the phones the most. Yes, yes...I know. I'm a conceited prick, aren't I? 8)

Anyway, I thought I would be able to deal with our public customers and that I would have someone to sit with me, and make sure I didn't totally balls anything up. I was very much mistaken. Not about having a 'buddy', but about dealing with the public. Not for me, is the pleasure of being abused by a poor soul sick of beating their head against the brick wall of the public service. No. Not at all.

Instead, I have had the thrill of processing paperwork. I can't even make my week sound more exciting by listing off more than one activity. Paperwork is it! Processing forms EVERY day.

Actually, I tell a little lie. I did spend some time during one day, with the mail lady, learning the intricacies of processing the mail for our office. What a challenge. It wasn't too bad, she knows that it is piss easy, menial work, but sometimes it is good to do work during which you can tune out.

But, apart from that, I have been processing forms all week. And not even a variety of forms. I have only been processing two types of forms. I tell you what though, I am now the office expert at these two type of forms. YAY me!


Things have progressed slightly today. I have been allowed to deal with people who have some into our office, but only if they have one of the two forms in question to give to us. This then makes me a hobbled customer service officer. I ask the people waiting to be served "is anyone here lodging a *insert cryptic public service acronym* form?" That is all I can do.

Of course, this doesn't stop people from asking me other questions. Many times today, I have had to tell people I am new, and essentially have no idea what to do. Which goes down surprisingly well. I have even explained to some people that they are better off talking to someone else who will give them the right information, instead of me making things up and getting it wrong. I usually say this with a smile, and people don't mind.

The thing that annoys me the most, is when I get someone who I ask if the have a specific form to lodge, to which they say yes, but when I get them to my desk, they start with "I have this letter..." AAAARRRGGGHHH! It is soooooo annoying. Once they are at my desk, I have to try and deal with them as best I can, which usually means finding someone else to sort them out at my desk, while I stand around like chopped liver. Admittedly, some people do have the forms I can deal with, and then they have other questions, but I don't get the people who flat out lie to me. Why do they do it? Do I have "SUCKER" tattooed on my forehead? I guess I can understand it, these people see me as a shortcut to service instead of waiting in line for ages, but they don't seem to think about the inconvenience it causes other people. I do find a certain amount of pleasure in the fact that sometimes I have to wait a while for another CSO to be available. This can be enough to disadvantage them in relation to the queue of waiting people. Of course, I am polite to them while they are waiting, but inside I am thinking "Sucked in".

I digress. My main beef in this post is the lack of variety in my work, and lack of ability to do a large portion of what the other workers do in my office. I know that there is a lot of support for me, and the others in my team. My co-workers know that there is a hell of a lot to learn, and everyone is always happy to help out. But, I have let my team leaders know that I am ready and willing to learn so much more, but things are going so, so slowly.

Anyway, I will see how the rest of the week goes. Who knows, maybe one day, I will learn enough to actually serve a member of the public for real! Wouldn't that be exciting?

DPS

We are the new Indonesian state

Australia is now a part of Indonesia!

Well, not quite. But it seems we are heading this way. Indonesia seems to hold a lot of sway over the Howard government. It has probably been happening for a while, but only recent event have brought it out into the public. We saw how Indonesian politicians oversaw the Howard government's decision making on the West Papuan Asylum Seekers. We also now see the Indonesian government feeling bold enough to criticise the defeat of Howard's Refugee bill. (I know it is not really a defeat, but close too it.) The Indonesians say that by not passing the bill, Australia is making it easier for terrorists, and that we "opened the door for a new wave of asylum seekers, including illegal migrants who have been in Indonesia for years." (SMH, 15/08/06)

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda

Two things of interest to me here. One: Which country, out of Indonesia and Australia, has had terrorist attacks carried out on its soil? Two: If Indonesia knows there are illegal migrants on its soil, why doesn't it do something about them, instead of trying to threaten Australia with them?

The only two reasons that Howard withdrew the refugee bill before it went to the senate, is because he didn't want to face defeat, and it gives him the option of reintroducing it again at a later time.

It seems that if the Howard government is not trying to appease the almighty U.S. of A., then he is trying to appease the Indonesians.

Before too long, it seems that we may end up being Indonesia's newest state.

DPS.

To Hell in a Hand Basket

I am fed up with politicians in this country.

Now I think that by now, even the most apathetic of voters must realise what an outright liar Howard is. His FUD campaign against Latham ran on the population's fear of rising interest rates. He led the people to believe his government could ensure that interest rates would stay low, and that it was assured that they would rise under a Latham Labor government. What do we find now, but that interest rates are rising under the Howard Liberal government. We are also seeing the Howard government repeatedly and blatantly flaunting the pretext of democracy, and creating its own legislation without showing a single bit of regard for the interests of the population they are supposedly governing for. If any interest is shown from the Howard government, it is towards kissing Bush's arse.

I won't go into details, but things are continuing to go from worse to worse under Howard. I will get strong disagreement from my friend, Mikey_Capital, but I do not think that the Beazley opposition is offering an attractive alternative.

All I see from Beazley et. al. is a thuggish contradiction of most of the Liberal policies. Anything that Labor does not disagree with, they propose stronger measures in a sick game of political one upmanship. He is just as unable to read the public mind as Howard is. "Oh, Howard has announced stricter security measures. I think people want this, I had better propose even stricter measures." No, Beazley we do not want stricter measures.

Unless Labor can come up with some constructive alternatives to the Liberal's policies, stop the thuggishness, and stop trying to out do the government, they will not be getting my support any time soon. Unfortunately, though, the minor parties are becoming so ineffectual, that voting for them will not do any good. Fortunately for me, though, I am in an electorate that is represented by an independent MP who seems to be able to achieve more for their electorate than they could as a member of the Labor or Liberal parties.

But, this means looking out for the local level, and giving up on the national and international politics of this country. What am I to do?

This leaves me in a position of despair. This whole country (and the rest of the world) is going steadily down the gurgler. My only consolation is my belief that things do need to get worse, before they can get any better. The rest of the world, particularly the non-rational thinkers are still driving things in a bad direction. There are plenty of people out there, with rational thought, who are crying out for things to be fixed. There is just not enough of them yet. By entering into a name calling, insult slinging argument with them, a-la Beazley vs Tuckey outside parliament, does not pay credit to either side. While this continues, the downward spiral will also continue. We will reach the inevitable stage where the irrational will be forced to say:" Ok, things are really fucked up. Lets set things right." Until things are bad enough that even they can't deny it, we will continue down this road.

I just hope that we get there sooner rather than later. Then we can start putting things right again.

DPS

Secret problems

I have a secret, and a problem. I'm not allowed to tell it to any one, the secret, not the problem, and that is a big problem. But then, the whole thing about secrets is a contradiction. I mean, what is the point of keeping a secret, if you can't tell anyone? But then you have the problem of a revealed secret. Once a secret is revealed, it is no longer a secret. You can try to get the person you have told it to, to swear to secrecy too, but you have already broken a confidence placed in you, so you are not setting a good example. The trust placed in you by the original secret holder has been shattered. You may think "It's OK, this person won't tell anyone", but the simple fact that you have already told someone else, means you have broken a trust.

Is this all making sense? No? Good.

Then you have the problem that I now have. I have announced that I have a secret. Simply by making that announcement, I have subconsciously placed an expectation in you, as the reader, that I will eventually reveal the secret in question. Why is this so? I guess the thought is "He has revealed he has a secret. Why would he reveal that, if he didn't want to reveal the secret itself?"

Well, part of me does want to reveal the secret. And herein lies another contradiction. I want to reveal the secret, but I also know that to do this will break the trust placed in me. I also realise that part of my wanting to reveal the secret is to show that I know something that you don't. But if I do reveal it, then you would know it too, and therefore my advantage of superior knowledge would be immediately lost.


There is also another fact to consider. The fact that your inner sense of self worth is improved when you demonstrate to yourself that you are capable of, and worthy of, keeping the trust placed in you. This is not something that you can express to someone else, without appearing at least a little but conceited or smug. So I will say nothing more on that, except to say that this is the reason that I am going to disappoint some of you, and not reveal the secret. Part of me is disappointed by this, but a bigger part of me is glad to show that I can be trusted to keep a secret.

(There is also the issue of a secret that has been discovered by accident, but that is a whole other can of worms.)

DPS

Betrayed!!

Television has made a liar out of me. **mumbled curses about TV stations rescheduling unannounced**

Ultimo's appearance on Video Hits has been rescheduled to the 26th, two weeks away!

Curse you Channel Ten!

DPS

Blatant Promotion #1

I have a friend (as difficult as that may be to believe). I first met him at one of my previous employers. He is a really nice guy, and I got to know him over the years we worked together. We have become pretty good friends, and although we don't talk as much as we should (we both admit to being slack) it is always good when we talk/chat/email.

My friend is in a band. I have known the band through various line ups (they are on their third singer), and a name change. I have heard their music change and grow. A number of their songs have been transformed over the years, and I have had the privilege to hear their transformation from rough demos, through to finished product (some songs, I have even heard sung by each of their different singers). From the very beginning I have enjoyed their music. I have been able to give suggestions, some of which have even been taken on board and implemented in their music.

Things are just starting to happen for my friend's band. They have just released an album, and are promoting it. They have been the house band on Rove. They are "co-hosting" Video Hits this Saturday (12th Aug). They have supported Nickleback, and are going to support the Sydney and Canberra concerts of INXS's Aussie tour.

As you may have guessed, I am enthusiastic about them. I have a great deal of respect and a high regard for them, and I like to do my bit to help them. That is why I have written this piece. I know that not many people read this blog (yet), but I am using it to hopefully generate a little bit more publicity for my friend's band. They are called Ultimo, check out their web site. They have videos and song samples to listen to, so you can get a feel for what they sound like. Feel free to buy their album, "Opposite Ends of the World", either from your local store, or their EP "Tonight" through iTunes. I'm sure they won't object (as an extra activity, you could try to figure out which name in the thankyou list is me!)

Look, that's enough blatant promoting from me (what the hell, it's MY blog). Check them out, and if you like them, support them. If you don't like them, forget I blogged.

DPS

Freedom of thought?

I remember way back when you felt free to express your opinions without fear of being spied upon. The Hippie has made herself paranoid. She seems to realise that she says things that are inappropriate for her current position, whilst at work. She definitely said things that flagged herself during our training.

When one of our trainers said that we must be apolitical, the Hippie took exception with it. I can understand that while I am at work for the Public Service, it is expected that I fulfill my duties to carry out the policies of the Government of the Day. If I was to espouse pro Howard speeches during my working hours, then I can expect to be shafted when the Liberal party loses power, and vice versa. The hippies seemed to take exception with the view that we are not meant to express our political opinions at work.

She later told some of us that she was an activist, and attended rallies and protests, and she found it ridiculous that we are expected to be apolitical.

She has also since then, admitted that she sometimes says things to customer on the phone, that are not totally kosher. She made this latest confession to us after voicing her concerns about her phone. She told our team that she keeps hearing clicks when she is talking to customers. She thinks her phone is tapped, and that the powers that be are spying on her. None of the rest of the team have experienced any clicks on their lines.

In a way, I find it amusing. The Hippie has constantly flagged herself as a square peg in the round hole that is the Public Service. Most of us may find this, but we manage to camouflage our squareness to appear to fit in the round hole. The Hippie just manages to keep shouting out "I'm square and I don't want to fit in the round hole!" I think she has brought this on herself.

On the other hand, though, it is slightly disturbing that a new employee of the Public Service feels that she is being spied upon for what comes naturally to her: expressing her opinion.

DPS

Some arguments just aren't worth winning

One of the most important life lessons I have ever learnt was the simple truth that some arguments are not worth winning. Sometimes it doesn't matter how right you think you are, you lose more by pushing for the win than it is worth.

I witnessed an example of this today. The Hippie (see previous post) was breaking for a cup of tea. She was waiting for an "important phone call", and asked the rest of our (small) team, if the phone rings could we answer it, and get her. We all said yeah, sure, no prob. Unfortunately, her phone rang when we were all on other calls (it had to happen). No-one else moved, so I put my call on hold and started walking around to her desk. The phone stopped ringing before I could get to it. I was slightly miffed that no-one else moved as I am the furthest away from the Hippie's desk, but I let it slide. It wasn't really a big deal.

The Hippie got back from her herbal tea break. When I was done with my call, I let her know that her phone had rung, but we hadn't managed to get to it. She was annoyed that she had asked us to get the phone, but we had not managed to do it. It transpired that the "important phone call" was not work related at all, but was from some lady that was in meetings all day and only had a narrow window to call. A short argument followed. Not a full on shouting argument, but one of those annoying little arguments that consist of little sniping comments fired across the partitions. It didn't last long, and seemed to be resolved pretty quickly. Or so I thought.

A couple of hours later, the Hippie brought it up again, and seemed to feel that she just had to get her point across. She felt she was in the right, and couldn't let it go. What this did, though, was create a lot of tension within the team. Something that was not a big deal to most of us, became a big deal, and became a source of tension for the rest of the team.

Was it that important for the Hippie to express her view? Was the resultant tension worth the assertion of her side of things? I think not.

Is an argument worth winning? Well, that comes down to the weights of the two possible outcomes: What is so wrong about losing this argument, and what is so right about winning it? If there is no great personal disadvantage to losing an argument, and winning it may get a friend mad at you, then it is definitely not worth winning.

So what if you feel you've been inconvenienced, at least you still have a friendly team to work with.
-or-
So what if your team dislikes you a little bit, at least you let them know how inconvenienced you were.

Which option is worth it?

DPS