Call centre workers don't have power.
They have shifts and targets and wait-times and scripts and policies...
The reason some call centre workers aren't that helpful is because some call centres are run by arseholes.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Mon 12 Jul 2010, 17:59, 2 replies)

^^^This^^^
To keep their supervisors happy, and their call handling time down, many call centre workers do a few quick hang-ups a day. It used to be easier but nowadays there are stats systems that can count the number of intentional hang-ups.
( Snappyuk gets BIGGER with free sample., Mon 12 Jul 2010, 21:58, closed)

I take a very unhealthy attitude to
call centers and the people in them.

To avoid losing my rag, I just remind myself that I am sitting at home, sipping a banana daquari trying to install my new colour laser printer onto my home network, while the monster on the other end of the phone is sitting in a room with 1,500 other people, having his piss break timed and earning 13 grand a year for it.

It's a terrible attitude. I do the same when a bus barges out on me on a Sunday afternoon. Yes, he got in front of me, but whose the one driving a bus on a Sunday afternoon?

I am ashamed of this, yet at the same time it could be worse - I could have this shitty attitude AND be a traffic warden.
( Not Pineapple anymore, Tue 13 Jul 2010, 9:13, closed)

Sales drones I hate.
I've found hekpdesk-type call centre workers are generally very poor (and not resorting to deception as telesales droids do) or want to help but are bound by scripts.
For example: I called Cable & Wireless once because ther system wouldn't allow me to activate my broadband from a Linux system. The first guy I spoke to said something like "We don't support Windows linux.". But, when I aske why he couldn't just activate me anyhow, he replied "try calling back in a little while 'our system has problems'. It took a minute to realise it -- but calling back and simply asking for activation without mentioning Linux had me up and running.
Non-sales call centre staff are usually great, as long as you listen carefully.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Tue 13 Jul 2010, 19:03, closed)

^^this, 1000%
People making decisions higher up who have never actually taken a call in their lives, asking the workforce to aim towards what they want you to do while not actually understanding the ramifications of their decision.

And then when the bog standard lacky tries implementing this decision into their routine and fails, the lacky is held responcible and dished out bollockings, disciplinaries and eventually a P45.

I'm sure I've oversimplified this, but essentially this is quite an accurate and repeating occurance.
( Jeccius Steam Borderlands 2 junkie, Tue 13 Jul 2010, 17:10, closed)

Alas
I have worked in a call centre. British Gas Electric Prepayment Meter Customer services, this was exactly how it worked.

Poeple would ring up complaining - yet we would HAVE to ask them if they would like to take out GAS with us aswell.

If we didnt ask those questions, or push for a sale on each call, it was a disaplinary. Even though we werent sales. We werent paid commision.
(Dan dan dan They tik urh jerbs!!!, Tue 13 Jul 2010, 17:59, closed)