The Persistence of Hello
Somewhere in America, a fifty-something mother of three is trying to figure out the service features of her new mobile phone, a glittering gold Motorola, about which everyone under her terracotta-roofed house is very excited. Phone Company says there’d be no more paper bills. There’d be a single bill, in fact, and paperless, too: surely a convenient bundle for this loyal customer, who’ll be able to access online all the information she needs when looking up the reflected charges for Phone Company’s Internet support, for home phone, and now, too, for wireless services.
But she can’t find the right data and details in her current billing period. Every time she accesses her account, the message always reads like this: “Data usage has not yet been posted for your account. It may take up to five days for your unbilled usage to be available.” And so on and so forth. The mother thinks, “What on earth is this ‘111-048-xxyy’ I keep seeing?” She can make nothing of the words and figures that appear.
The mother calls customer technical support.
Three hours later, somewhere in Manila, an ex-hacker is now being called a son of a female canine by a woman’s voice on the other end of the phone. She insists, as a point of order, that “my call is not going to be transferred, yet again, to another helpless script-reader from the other side of the world – that would make a total of seven phone operators in a span of less than three hours!” Okay, thinks the sixth. He is looking at a photograph of his parents thumb-tacked on a certificate-decorated corkboard.
Just awhile ago, during a smoking break with colleagues downstairs of their office building, he was mulling over two options on a second-hand motorbike for which he was saving: the black Honda Wave 100 or the blue Suzuki Shogun-R? From the photos he’d seen on eBay Philippines, both looked to be in fairly good condition, and he had, very happily, appraised these to be ‘very hot’ indeed.
But it’s cold as Christmas now. He is sitting wordlessly at his workstation, listening to a barrage of questions and rants, all spoken in an unaccented way. He wonders why they never taught this “un-accent” during on-board training; he wonders that maybe they should begin to. How can you charm this middle-aged woman who subsists on single motherhood and mobile phones? She already knows anyway that he is not her countryman, and he knows that she will always be right. And so the story goes.
Ah, the call center. The PR firm for which I work has got one for a client. I believe that I’m past merely having been left to imagine what it’s like to be a call center employee. You see, I’ve spent innumerable hours on client calls, industry congresses, trainings and demos, conferences, and campaign planning sessions (and parties, too); these hours have convinced me that it really isn’t very wise to philosophize about the nature of the customer support outsourcing business, though many have doubtless made –be it on the record or off, in print or through debate shows on TV– the fairly widespread mistake of doing so. But I won’t. I’ll try not to, even though I’ve got the time.
After all, when one comes to think of it, voices are very strange. And telephones are very dangerous. They cut everything down to a sound. While there’s nothing wrong with the sound, it’s misleading. (And so is the written word, but the difference is that one can neither edit nor erase what has been said.) It doesn’t tell the whole story; not ever, and this is especially true when the sound of the voice is transmitted through the lamentably oft-abused technology of telephony.
Take call centers. It’s not just about two people on two ends of the world talking about how they can solve a technical problem; it’s not just about the mastery of slang and the pretense of sounding American; it’s not just about the business-making persistence of hello, how are you and how’s the weather in California, how can I help you, do call us if you encounter any more problems, goodbye and have a good day; it’s not just about the labels we know are given, and too unfairly, to those in the industry. Like sellouts. Phone operators, or live voice responders, working graveyard shifts. 21st century slaves to the Western world.
I am not sure if I myself know what it’s about, less so than what it’s not about. As a native proverb would have it, it takes a thousand voices to tell a single story. Really? Maybe it takes more than that.
One picture is worth a thousand word ..A thousand people to tell one story ..Migs you paint a pretty picture with your words ….Phil n Jess
Thanks, Phil and Jess! Happy New Year!
Its sad to know that the call centres here are the new slaves and its so true too.
Hi Bob: And that’s precisely the reason why I refused, in the article, to attach any label to the industry and its workers. That said, I have encountered more than enough employees – some from the biggest offices in Manila – who share the sentiment of feeling as though they are “slaves” to their offshore counterparts. (I have interview transcripts.)
It’s not the popular opinion, mind you, but their experiences should at least make it a valid opinion.
Hi, Migs, Johnny-come-lately here. Where’s Bob’s post that you’re responding to? I had to go back and read your article to find out what all the commotion was about, and what you said in your response to Bob, “Hi Bob: And that’s precisely the reason why I refused, in the article, to attach any label to the industry and its workers.” Where is that post?
I also tend to agree with what others have said about you being a prolific writer, except for one thing. Is it me for not getting the point at first reading, or is it your writing style that prevented me from getting the point right away? For example, what’s the 5th paragraph got to do with the topic about call centers? I thought you were switching topics at mid-stream, from call centers to a “black Honda Wave 100″. You lost me there, so I stopped reading the article and started reading the responses, which brings me to the question, “Where is that post?”
I look forward to reading more of your articles, but please go easy on the detours. I get lost very easily. :}
Slavery would be the wrong term but knowing the attitude of many offshore employers the attitude of the employees does not surprise me. However, If they are making a minimal living wage, Bob is right and it is their choice to work there.
My opinion, It becomes a sweat shop if they are working a full week and can not meet their basic needs of food and shelter. Otherwise, it is just a job they chose to accept..
Hi Migs,The word “slave”is sometimes used as discriptive slang in the West for someone who feels s/he is underpaid for the job they do.However i am led to believe that call centre workers are well paid in PI,in comparison with, lets say,a sales lady in a Mall.One of the reasons being that they work unsociable hours.The use of the word is an over reaction,as Bob pointed out a true slave cannot quit as s/he is owned by their Boss for life.In addition,slaves were not paid just given meagre food rations,and any children born were also slaves to the Boss,regards Chas.
Hi Migs,HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY,Chas.
i know that chant well migs as a senior customer service rep for SONY electronics before it was outsourced to India
Kamusta ka Migs,
Like Bob says its not slavery, its a choice one makes to work in those places. My Roses friend Rica who is also from Maasin City in Southern Leyte went to work at a call center in Cebu starting this past August. Now Rica is young and was anxious to leave her little town of Maasin, and was very excited to “land” such a job, her first job since coming out of high school, and some college courses. I have talked to her many times, and she loves her job there in the call center, to her it is a good job, and she likes that she is making her own money, and also the experience of making great new friends there in the call center, her co-workers. She of course misses her family, but they keep in contact by cell phone, and the internet. Also, when time allows, she can take the boat over to Maasin and visit when she can. As for her pay, it seems she has no problem keeping up with her daily needs and bills.
Salamat,
Danny
Hi Migs
Let’s see, you have college educated people in the Philippines choosing to work as house keepers making $40 a month then you people taking a 6 month course making $13 a day and claiming to be slaves. This proves having a job you like is more important than the money.
The philippino talks and we all “dish” him for what he says. What is worng with this picture. Good job migs keep up the good and open thoughts that you have even if you must take cheap shots for your views. I understand the view and ideas that you have expressed.
I agree with you Dom.
Migs is expressing his opinion and in my view its a very valid one.
Not everyone has the luxury to be able to choose to leave their job. If they are the only earner and providing everything for their family, and everyone relies on them, how are they going to be able to give it up? And if the hours are long and work is tough, then yes you are indeed going to “feel like a slave to your job”.
I am a registered nurse and I love my work, but I feel like a slave to my job sometimes.
Oh to be in the position to pick and choose your employment because you dont like your present position !!
Hi don m. – I do not believe that I “dished” on Migs. I simply stated my opinion that Call Center employees are not slaves. Nobody owns them. That has nothing to do with Migs, it has to do with the agents themselves. I have always considered Migs to be a friend, and I feel that I have gone out of my way to offer my kindness to him, online and in person. Migs is free to state his opinion, and I should be too. There’s simply nothing personal about it. What I said also has nothing to do with the fact that he is Filipino, I can’t figure out why you would say that.
Steve – In the time that I have known you, a couple of years now, I have always done everything I can to be a friend to you. The last couple of interactions that we have had online, though, I feel that you have been bad-mouthing me. I can’t figure out why that would be the case. Have I done something to you that I am unaware of?
Yes, Migs was just stating his opinion. I was stating mine too. Am I also entitled to state my opinion on my site?
Honestly, Steve, I have helped you in the past whenever I could. I don’t think I deserve your spitefulness.
Hi, Migs,
Speak your mind simply means speak your mind as LIP truly says it is and this is the very reason why I like Bob’s idea of LIP: easy to join, no need of a password, above all, when readers post comments, they are not told : “your comment is under consideration…”Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Vox Populi does that. “Keep the conversation going…”and yet, your comment is under consideration. The last time I posted a short one at Vox Populi, I told them off in no uncertain terms that it is the most pretentious Vox Populi section and that I do not anymore have the desire to join. My complaint of course was printed quickly. But sorry, they aren’t going to hear from me again.
Secondly, the reason why I am now forced to post on your site is because my own nephew is a supervisor in an American-owned call centre. Although he works in ungodly hours—naturally since there are different time zones and that’s part and parcel of the job—he does love his job. If you didn’t have this particular article, I would have just ignored it completely for the simple reason that you have actually never bothered to acknowledge my postings, even the New Year’s greetings I sent you through your box. No hard feelings but isn’t it your duty to also reply to readers’ comments?
Thirdly, I see no reason to feel any slight when Filipinos or non-Filipinos use the word, “slave”—this is an overused, redundant word unsuitable for the 21st century. Sometimes Pinoys are far removed from present-day reality. A fortnight ago, I watched on Youtube call centre employees and I’ve seen how wonderful their workplace is, with a kitchenette, their own private bath and toilet, vending machines, and located in posh Makati or Mandaluyong. Yes, i worked in Makati but in those days, we never had vending machines or private CR’s. It was always located in the lobby, before you enter offices. Oh, to be 25 again and work in Makati with all the great amenities that go with the job.
Fourthly, Migs, I cannot deny that you are a very good writer, precisely why I cannot ignore your article. I like the subtlety, the choice of words and believe me I’d be only too happy to have your talent. Kudos to you! perhaps, you’re a UP guy or Ateneo guy. I myself is Atenean but that’s by and by…there’s no point in beating one’s chest and announce where we finished our terciary education. After all, my husband would always say: “What is important is money in the pocket.” I mean,just look at Richard Branson, Simon Cowell, John Major, and many many others who left school at 15 or 16? if I have one regret, it’s having wasted my time finishing university. Frankly, I could have just been a dressmaker and made office uniforms or school uniforms—now that’s a big money making venture since offices in the Philippines require uniforms. I wore five different ones when I was working in Makati and I was proud of it.
Anyway, Migs, for as long as you churn out very interesting articles, I can assure you of my participation, and I will hold my breath with anticipation to see if you’d acknowledge it or not. This is where Bob excels—the speed of reply, his manner of replying to people, as well as the care he puts in his replies. Thanks to Bob, I have found my little corner in this part of Spain, once again,useful.
Regards,
Hill
Migs your writing is indeed profound and very thought provoking as well.
I want to share my point of view coming from an American living here in the west and experiencing the other side of the scenario you described vividly.
I pick up the phone, to call my service provider (Cable Company and Phone Company combined) and a friendly voice answers, I immediately pick up that I am not speaking to a fellow American because of the obvious accent (read: not American, but still excellent command of the english language), my temper is at a normal level, I air my complaints and I get a LIVE person reading their script (again in excellent fluency), this is when my temper rises to a – still manageable – level then the customer rep says “please hold” and this is when I am greeted by another person on the other line and I have to repeat my problem and this will happen about 4 times until I get to the last agent who will read me another script, then I’ve just spent 1 hour on the phone and my problem has not been resolved and both parties are now in a very uneasy state of attitude – I being transferred numerous times and the last person getting the wrath of my anger to no fault of the person on the other line.
So you see, the frustration is mutual and I am not trying to “enslave” the other party, I am just simply trying to fix a problem that for some reason could not be solved by one person. The frustration on our part here in the West is on the company we are calling about and not the person on the other line, when we call the toll free number for support, we call “ABC COMPANY” and not the Filipino on the other line, it just so happen that the FIlipino was hired by ABC to answer to our call, so we really don’t want to cause emotional harm.
There is a big cultural difference between the US and the rest of the world, the Philippines included. Americans value time by the second, hence when someone tells us “just a moment” or “wait a while” we freak out because over here “a while” is a long time. I have many Filipino friends who are both born here or migrants from the Philippines and the immigrants are the ones that often feel “inferior”, “enslaved” or “being treated wrong because of race” especially when their superior who happens to be white raises his or her voice or maybe even commented on the person’s ability to complete the task. It takes many months, even years before that immigrant Pinoy understands that Americans are straightforward and equal and expect to be treated the same, meaning if one has a problem with their boss or superior, they are VERY WELCOME to air their side without fear of being “reprimanded”. Again… this is cultural.
So I feel offended by the idea that the Filipino Call Center employees are being “enslaved” or when they start feeling that it is getting personal because it is not personal. As soon as we hang up the phone, when the problem is fixed we live about our lives, we don’t “curse” the person we just spoke with, we may have a feeling of angst against the company we complained about but not to the person who was doing an excellent job of staying with me on the line during my most frustrating hour.
I address all the other Filipinos reading this to keep an open mind and don’t take things too personally, especially when the comments are not going in your favor. But I guess this is where Bob’s “SIR TOPICS” come into play, I understand that Filipinos are very sensitive and if this causes one to lose face, then I am sorry but I just wanted to make sure that everyone understands that there are always 2 sides to a coin.
Anyway, Migs, I don’t mean to hurt any feelings. Like what I said at the top of my post, your writing is so profound and “artistically vivid”.
Thank you.
… and if I may add, We should all be proud and we should appreciate our luck . My father is a garbage collector here in the US and my mom works as a receptionist at a local superstore and they don’t see themselves as inferior to the person who drives the nicest ride in town or the biggest home on the block. So you see, it is all irrelevant where you work, what matters is YOU LOVE your job and when the time comes that you feel enslaved… start looking.
I am told by one of my Filipino friends here that in the Philippines declaring that ones father is a garbage collector may not be honorably accepted as a job and often seen as a LOWLY position but that does not make that person different when it comes to his rights, one simply cannot afford what the boss is eating for dinner tonight but nonetheless, both are human beings who have feelings, maybe a family. The big difference: The garbage man may not be wealthy but he is happy with his job, does he feel enslaved? I hope not because without him, the boss’ home would stink like hell and his private enclave would rot like the rest of his uncollected garbage…so you see, we all just have to change our perspectives.
Hi, Migs,
Many thanks for your greetings and letter but there was no need to keep it “private”. Your readers should know that you did acknowledge my blog above. Isn’tit nice that we have both cleared the air, so to speak? I’m only too happy to have met your acquaintance—-in cyberspace!
I await future articles from you. Thanks again, kapwa-Atenista.
Regards,
Hill
Hi everyone: Thanks for all your comments and for sharing your opinion. I’d privately written something to a reader which I share here in order to explain my position:
—-I agree with you that “slavery” is an overused word inappropriate for usage in the 21st century. What I’d meant to point out, in the article, was that it was not uncommon for call center employees to feel enslaved by their jobs. It had less to do with the offshore investors and clients as with the toll of graveyard shifts, intense training, the stressful nature of offering customer care/tech support, rigorous business processes, and the pressure of having to feed families and -in some cases- a whole clan. But “slavery” in the strictest definition of the word? Well, I’m a writer and I don’t particularly care for strict definitions. I believe instead in the flexibility of meanings and the power of linguistic freedom.—-
And Sandra, thanks so very much for sharing your story of mutual frustration! It provides fresh perspectives to anyone wanting to question the whole Philippine call center enterprise.
Cheers everyone! Thanks!
Hi, Migs,
Glad you took my advice…see how easy it is to clear the air? I’m a known toubleshooter—-I hate discord…CLARITY OF MIND is my norm throughout.
Regards,
Hill
Hi, Bob, again!
Yes, I did spot that one myself, but hey, we do defend ourselves when we’re caught in a tight corner, right? Kidding aside, I’d like to thank you for LIP and not just paying “lip service”—-I’m sure you got my drift.
Regards,
Hill
com-on guys quit bickering and enjoy the site . I really don’t want to read this stuff …Migs writes great articles and I have no problems with that ..Phil
wow… I’ve been gone for a month and this site is hotter than it’s ever been.. lots of interesting entries.
Migs, I am a Filipino living here in the US (my photo is a dead giveaway), and I have to say, your post made me feel uneasy, but everyone have already pointed out what I want to say so I need not be redundant. But if I may add, Sandra had a great example, one that I certainly have experienced numerous times when calling about my credit card statements, cable bill, gas bill, you name it. I just wanted to point out that here in the west we don’t have maids or house helpers like in the Philippines so the mother of three here in the US who was calling to clear her billing for the month can really get frustrated with everything that she has in line for the day, besides the laundry, taking kids to school, picking them up and having to deal with the bills too and I think this is not very well represented when the Call Center Employees have their “rah rah rah” meetings and seminars. You’ve painted a picture of a 50-ish mother of three that seem like she has nothing to do but complain or has a far more superior lifestyle than the other person on the other line and I can understand that because most Americans are viewed as Hollywood has portrayed them, but it’s quite the contrary. Even the CEO of the company I work for, has to take care of her bills, feed her children and bathe them when she gets home, not only that, she has to do the laundry too and then care for herself before she hits the sheets and this is done by every single American person regardless of their status in the society (except for the 1 percent who can afford house help and accountants and business managers), heck even Kobe Bryant drives his own car to work and waits in line to get his cup of Starbucks like everyone else. So I hope that the companies outsourcing this should show videos of what life is here in the WEST so that the Call Center Employee can have a better grasp of the caller from the West. This will give them a fresh view of what it really feels to worry about your bills and how it can be corrected.
Time is really valuable here in the west. We maybe earning in dollars but we spend in dollars too so we are just experiencing life’s struggles like the rest save for some differences in living standards. My brother had worked in the Call Center industry here in the US (before they began outsourcing) but for him it is just another day at work so to speak and once you leave the “cubicles of hell” life goes on, and guess what my brother has to come home, pick up the phone and call about his bills that were screwed up and his meager earning is again in jeopardy to end up paying for this messed-up phone bill, and the frustration he heard on the phone at work just earlier is being played out again, this time he is the caller.
Imagine this happening to the wealthy in the Philippines, all they do is wave their hand and service is given without question or complaints, if they have a problem with their billing, “inday” takes care of it and has to endure the line at MERALCO.
I love reading from you and every writer here on LiP (even the comments from us readers are interesting).
I like the way Sandra and Obei put it. Very well said! Bullseye!
“It’s not just about the labels we know are given, and too unfairly, to those in the industry. Like sellouts. Phone operators, or live voice responders, working graveyard shifts. 21st century slaves to the Western world.”
That’s what I said. Take away the flowery descriptions, and the sentence syntax would be made simpler, and will read something like: “It’s not about the labels we know are given too UNFAIRLY to those in the industry, like sell outs, like slaves.” My point was that it’s a shame if the industry would be identified only by its stereotypes, and that if one were to really look at what it’s all about, one would have to listen to more than one story.
Bob: Thanks for clarifying that. I am sure that there’s been miscommunication, but I am glad we can clear the air on this one finally.
Cheers!
Hi John and Migs – Nobody is forced to work in Call Centers. Slavery means that you have no choice. Anybody can quit their call center job any day they want to. Calling it slavery is nothing but BS.
Hi Migs – The very definition of slave makes it impossible that they are. Are they not free to quit their jobs? Is slavery legal in the Philippines? I think not. Call center agents are among the highest paid employees in the Philippines (talking now about jobs that a fairly “regular guy” can get), and they are complaining that they are enslaved? Why don’t they quit? Because they like the money, and can’t get it elsewhere. Well, my friend, you get paid well for jobs that are tough. If you are not willing to expend the work that is expected, all you have to do is quit and go work somewhere else, or don’t work.
If there is slavery, it certainly is not the fault of the offshore companies, it is the fault of the Philippine government for allowing it. It is the Philippine government that enacts the laws of how employees are to be treated here, right? Are the offshore companies breaking any laws?
Hi Dave – Regarding the pay, call center agents are among the best paid workers in the Philippines.
Hi Sandra – Very nicely said!
Hi Migs – Thanks for what you said. I am still confused, but I guess I am often that way.
In the comment you say that your “slavery” comment had less to do with the offshore investors. However, in the article, you specifically said that the workers were slaves to the western world. Well, that statement felt to me like a slam on my country and others, and I didn’t think it was appropriate. I don’t see how the comment jives with the original article, but I am willing to just forget the whole thing and move on.
I hope you realize that what I wrote as my first comment had nothing to do with you, I was commenting on the fact that these workers have a choice, yet they feel they are slaves, it makes no sense. That is not a slam on you, but rather it is about the people you are writing about.
Take care, Migs.