good news for Call Centers

[LytSlpr]

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There is no moral issue here bro when pertaining to business. Business is always business whether u like it or not.

Somehow I cannot agree with this statement. I just don't have the time to discuss the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to companies other than tax cuts (MBA 101) but first and foremost, the company's first line of CSR are their employees.

[giddyboy]

Somehow I cannot agree with this statement. I just don't have the time to discuss the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to companies other than tax cuts (MBA 101) but first and foremost, the company's first line of CSR are their employees.

i know wat u mean bro...naay CSR...and it will never go away...CSR not only covers the employee's welfare (internal customers) but also other stakeholders i.e. owners, suppliers, clients, financial institutions, gov't, community, environment...

MY POINT is, before pa ni-landing ni cla sa pinas, bahig na ang terms & conditions to do call center business here...hw much ang minimum rate for a certain position, the benefits, working environ, etc...meaning, all angles' been covered already...

the argument was tackling the issue of morally right ba ang salary karon for call centers, or was it just the issue of job/salary contentment ra...
as what i've said, there is no moral issue regarding this case. there is even no legal issue i can think of ryt now...
and besides, u can't force any salary increase on wages that are already above average, except of course if it's across the board.

[arnoldsa]

TUMPAK!

some people might think or say, "ka mga reklamador ba aning mga taga call center uy, dagko na man unta ug mga sweldo."

what they don't know is that call center agents are technically "underpaid" for the level of talent, intelligence and dynamism the job entails not to mention the pressure, odd working hours and emotional stress. and if you are to compute it further, the amount the BPO companies pay their workers is peanuts compared to their net profit. mura ug mga factory sa insik diha sa mandaue. that is pure exploitation in my book. just like a nike shirt that costs only a mere $ 0.90 cents to make and sells around $50-75 dollars.

i've always said that a call center is a modern day sweatshop. i don't know which is worse, that they are exploiting the relatively intelligent people or that these intelligent people are allowing it to happen to them because they "think" they don't have a choice. what a pathetic position to be in. but what can they do? this is the only job that pays higher compared to other industries.

it is not an issue of contentment, it is an issue of what is morally right.

Well said but could it be because most of those who are working at call centers are college/university graduates who I guess are underemployed (by working at those call centers)?

I mean, some if not most call centers don't necessarily require one to have a degree in order to work in a call center. So for me, the salary the call centers pay is more than enough for a job fit for an undergrad. I think they're not "exploiting" their employees or better yet it's the "intelligent people" who are allowing it to happen because they "think" they don't have a choice


..

[giddyboy]

Well said.. but could it be because most of those who are working at call centers are college/university graduates who I guess are underemployed?

I mean, some if not most call centers don't necessarily require one to have a degree in order to work in a call center. So for me, the salary they pay is more than enough for a job fit for an undergrad. I think they're not "exploiting" their employees.


..

yes, i somehow agree w/ that. that is one angle worth mentioning also. in most cases, you could either be a hi-school or college grad basta qualified lang.

Most sour-grapers are the ones who work in call centers but are licensed engineers, doctors, etc...meaning, they think they are overqualified in the first place (superiority complex issues) and cannot swallow their pride working with the same positions as their high school or vocational grads...and probably this is one factor of discontentment...sorry but truth hurts...


@LytSplr:
"Technically" underpaid? aw c'mon...how do u suppose to calculate that?

One more thing, NET PROFIT IS NOT related in any way to EMPLOYEE WAGES. unless cguro kng naay profit-sharing scheme w/c is unlikely for a call center. LOL

Let me also clarify about the "nike" thing: assuming a shirt costs $0.90 in China. U r in the U.S. & buy ten thousand pieces. naturally, u have to add the freight costs, customs duties & taxes, your fixed overhead costs (office electricity, water, salaries, office supplies), anticipated sales & income taxes, before you add your profit margin. then u sell ur wholesale goods to the retailers. don't wonder if the retail price becomes $50. it's just economics 101...

[arnoldsa]

^^

Although in Philippine setting, a number of those who have a good command of English are college graduates unlike sa U.S. since it's their native language anyway.. But yeah, that's my point..

Mura ra gud na ug katung sulti sa uban nga only in the Philippines where kinahanglan college graduate para maka work daw as bartender ug mahalon nga coffee shoppe or maski secretary lang, kinahanglan na jud college graduate.. Hehehe, I don't know if this is true.

[victor3]

I think they're not "exploiting" their employees or better yet it's the "intelligent people" who are allowing it to happen because they "think" they don't have a choice

I find it fitting to paraphrase C. Wright Mill's words on distinguishing between an individual assent to exploitation and "public issue"

"When, in a city of 100,000, only one man is unemployed, [underemployed or exploited] that is his personal trouble, and for its relief we properly look to the character of the man, his skills, and his immediate opportunities. But when in a nation of 50 million, 15 million are unemployed, [underemployed or exploited], that is an issue, and we may not hope to find its solution within the range of opportunities open to any individual. The very structure of opportunities for improving his plight has collapsed."

For me, individual employees coudn't be blamed for their plight..although sometimes that is the case. But if too many call center folks are already feeling the exploitation yet couldnt do something about it due to lack of choice, thats no longer because of personal inadequacies....thats corporate greed and the state's failure to protect its citizen against exploitation.

[arnoldsa]

^^

Agree, but I still find the salaries of call centers agents way too big compared with us beginning nurses who get an average of P5,500 per month... Waaaaahhh, now that's what I call exploitation, and we're being threatened with a malpractice law.

[giddyboy]

I find it fitting to paraphrase C. Wright Mill's words on distinguishing between an individual assent to exploitation and "public issue"

"When, in a city of 100,000, only one man is unemployed, [underemployed or exploited] that is his personal trouble, and for its relief we properly look to the character of the man, his skills, and his immediate opportunities. But when in a nation of 50 million, 15 million are unemployed, [underemployed or exploited], that is an issue, and we may not hope to find its solution within the range of opportunities open to any individual. The very structure of opportunities for improving his plight has collapsed."

For me, individual employees coudn't be blamed for their plight..although sometimes that is the case. But if too many call center folks are already feeling the exploitation yet couldnt do something about it due to lack of choice, thats no longer because of personal inadequacies....thats corporate greed and the state's failure to protect its citizen against exploitation.

good input..but the problem is the "feeling" of being exploited. that is something subjective kaayo and no basis if not backed up by facts & figures.
Fact: in management studies, a worker will somehow in their lives experience a "feeling" of being exploited in their workplace. bisan asa ka trabaho...anywhere in the world.

[victor3]

@arnoldsa

OT: correct me if im wrong but the 5,500 per month compels you to work only for 4 hours? Otherwise thats way way way below the minimum wage if your workng your butts for that 8-12 hours per shift. Whitegold or Gaisano nalang tingale ang nagbuhat ana uy

[arnoldsa]

What then is the resolution to this "exploitation" thing? Increase salaries? Invite more investors?